Visakhapatnam: Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday said the Indian army is planning to carry out a joint training exercise with the Indian Coast Guard.
After commissioning the coast guard’s offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Veera, the third in the series of the new-generation OPV here, Rawat said Veera would help the coast guard monitor maritime boundaries more effectively. The 97-metre long and 15-metre wide Veera has a range of 5,000 nautical miles and would be commanded by Commandant Girish Datt, he informed.
The vessel can attain a sustained speed of upto 26 knots and is armed with two 12.7-mm heavy machine guns (HMGs) and a 30 mm-naval gun with the fire control system, Rawat said. The ship is also equipped with an integrated bridge system (IBS), integrated platform management system (IPMS) and a high-power external firefighting system.
OPV Veera can carry one twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats, including two inflatable boats, for boarding operation, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol, he said.
Coast guard director general Rajendra Singh, eastern naval Command chief Vice-Admiral Karambir Singh and other officers were present on the occasion.
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Ms Kalinga