This level of jointness and synchronisation among our three forces bodes quite well for our future war victories, IMO.
Indian Navy Warships Deployed To Deter Pirates In Arabian Sea, Gulf Of Aden
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
so they airdropped because they didn't have enough men on hand to subdue the pirates on board? If the IN is planning to continue this anti-piracy ops maybe they need to station more commandos on participating ships?
On a ship of Kolkata class there are generally limited space for not only special forces but also number of RHIBs availability. And one can't keep multiple ships in same vicinity logically speaking, hence naval ship rerouting would had taken much more time compared to Arial supply & insertion.
Bonus, they get to improve their existing capabilities for such long distances operations which are inevitably a learning curve. Further adding it was not at the cost of saving lives.
It is always a trade-off. Kolkata class destroyer have a nominal endurance of 45 days. That means the ship can carry its full load and run at max speed for 45 days straight, then it runs out of fuel. INS Kolkata has been deployed near the Somalian coast since late December 2023, she has been at sea for almost 3 months. Of course, she has not been running around at 33 knots all the time. The ship is likely to remain deployed for a few more months at least.
When planning for a deployment of this sort, long endurance but low-intensity conflicts, the Navy has to plan their load outs accordingly. In this type of missions carrying 16 Brahmos isn't very useful. But carrying more fuel, food, medicine, firefighting equipment etc. will make all the difference.
The Navy has to make a careful choice of how many MARCOS personnel each ship will carry. Remember INS Kolkata has carried out a few interceptions before where the on-board personnel were enough. This is a bigger op & thus more people were needed. Plus, it's a great learning experience in joint operations.
I guess the followup question would be if the Kolkata class destroyers are the appropriate ships for the mission? If it is low-intensity pirate hunting is it wise to utilize a guided missile destroyer? I imagine the job could be done cheaper with frigates or even the larger OPVs.
Is this just because there aren't a lot of other good options for the IN in terms of ships capable of loitering in the high seas for extended times? Perhaps the Kolkata is not specifically there for anti-piracy and this was more of an action of convenience.. I'd imagine that it is carrying a decent SAM load-out considering the drone/missile threat from Yemen right now.
I also get that it is great experience for the crew and the learnings from joint operations is also great for future tactical planning.
Exactly. The ideal ships for this mission in my mind would be a combined fleet of the Navy's upcoming NGMVs & NGFACs mixed in with some OPVs. They have the right combination of small size, high speed, fire power & air-defence capabilities for this job.
Of course, the problem with these ships is their endurance. NGMVs have a nominal endurance of 10 days compared to the Kolkata's 45 days. A fleet tanker is a must to sustain operations for months. This is problematic as the Houthi drones/missiles seem to be almost tailor made for slow moving fleet tanker sized ships. Our tankers have non-existent air-defence capabilities.
Even the smallest of IN's modern frigates, the Talwar class, are sent out for deployments in the South China Sea. Shivalik class has better endurance than the Talwar & the upcoming Nilgiri class have endurance similar to the Kolkata class DDGs. IN has the option of switching out the DDGs for the frigates. It's just that they want the Kolkata & the Vizag class there.
Well besides the SAMs the destroyers have the size & intimidation factors going for it. These things have an important role to play when you are trying to "persuade" the pirates to not start a kinetic fight. A smaller but equally armed ship may not give you that "street rep".
There is also a hidden motive. The Kolkata & the Vizag class destroyers have the most advanced radars in IN's surface fleet. Naturally they also have the most extensive threat library. Operating in an area where the Houthis regularly fire their drones/missiles is a great way to map out these new weapons, their RCS, EM signature, speed, flight paths etc. That could help us find better ways of dealing with these threats.
This threat library will be inherited by the LR-MFR, the radar that will succeed the MF-STAR as the primary radar on our DDGs.
Indian Navy Carries Out First Drug Interdiction as CMF Member
Date: April 16, 2024
Photo Credit: Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain – The Indian Navy Ship INS Talwar, operating in support of the Canadian-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, conducted its first interdiction of illicit narcotics as a member of Combined Maritime Forces, seizing 940 kg of drugs in the Arabian Sea, April 13.
Talwar, a Talwar-class frigate, seized 453 kg of methamphetamines, 416 kg of hash and 71 kg of heroin from a dhow as part of Focused Operation Crimson Barracuda.
The Indian Navy joined CMF last November.
“I commend the crew of INS Talwar for their efforts throughout this Focused Operation and their hard work has paid off with this seizure of 940 kg of drugs,” said Royal Canadian Navy Capt. Colin Matthews, Commander, Combined Task Force 150. “This seizure, the fourth of this Focused Operation, demonstrates the effectiveness and professionalism of CMF, and of the Indian Navy, in deterring and disrupting criminal and terrorist activities at sea.”
Crimson Barracuda, which concluded on April 15, focused on countering terrorist and criminal organizations’ use of the high seas to conduct smuggling operations in the Western Indian Ocean region.
CTF 150 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the world’s largest international naval partnership. CTF 150’s mission is to deter and disrupt the ability of non-state actors to move weapons, drugs and other illicit substances in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Combined Maritime Forces is a 42-nation naval partnership upholding the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
Indian Navy Carries Out First Drug Interdiction as CMF Member
Date: April 16, 2024
Photo Credit: Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain – The Indian Navy Ship INS Talwar, operating in support of the Canadian-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, conducted its first interdiction of illicit narcotics as a member of Combined Maritime Forces, seizing 940 kg of drugs in the Arabian Sea, April 13.
Talwar, a Talwar-class frigate, seized 453 kg of methamphetamines, 416 kg of hash and 71 kg of heroin from a dhow as part of Focused Operation Crimson Barracuda.
The Indian Navy joined CMF last November.
“I commend the crew of INS Talwar for their efforts throughout this Focused Operation and their hard work has paid off with this seizure of 940 kg of drugs,” said Royal Canadian Navy Capt. Colin Matthews, Commander, Combined Task Force 150. “This seizure, the fourth of this Focused Operation, demonstrates the effectiveness and professionalism of CMF, and of the Indian Navy, in deterring and disrupting criminal and terrorist activities at sea.”
Crimson Barracuda, which concluded on April 15, focused on countering terrorist and criminal organizations’ use of the high seas to conduct smuggling operations in the Western Indian Ocean region.
CTF 150 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the world’s largest international naval partnership. CTF 150’s mission is to deter and disrupt the ability of non-state actors to move weapons, drugs and other illicit substances in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Combined Maritime Forces is a 42-nation naval partnership upholding the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
Indian Navy Carries Out First Drug Interdiction as CMF Member
Indian ship captain, crew win ‘exceptional bravery’ awards for Red Sea rescue
Captain Brijesh Nambiar and the crew of the Indian Navy ship INS Visakhapatnam have been conferred a Letter of Commendation for their support to the oil tanker when in distress.
Published- July 11, 2024, 05:41 pm IST
By PTI, London
Navy’s Guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, deployed in the Gulf of Aden responded to a distress call from MV Marlin Luanda on the night of 26 Jan 24., on Saturday | Credit: ANI.
Captain Avhilash Rawat and his crew of an oil tanker have been named among the winners of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2024 Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for their “extraordinary courage” shown in a Red Sea rescue mission.
Captain Rawat and his crew were declared winners by the IMO on July 10 for the "determination and endurance" demonstrated while coordinating firefighting and damage control efforts to combat a fire that broke out after an anti-ship missile reportedly fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels struck their vessel 'Marlin Luanda' earlier this year.
Captain Brijesh Nambiar and the crew of the Indian Navy ship INS Visakhapatnam have been conferred a Letter of Commendation for their support to the oil tanker when in distress.
Indian navy destroyer INS Visakhapatnam (D66) responded to distress call from MV Marlin Luanda which has been hit by an anti-ship missile. Credit: Indian Navy.
“On the evening of J26 January 2024, the Marlin Luanda, carrying 84,147 tonnes of Naphtha, was en route from Suez to Incheon when it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile. The explosion ignited a cargo tank, creating a significant fire hazard with flames exceeding 5 meters,” reads the award citation.
“Despite the damage, Captain Avhilash Rawat swiftly organized firefighting efforts, ensuring the crew's safety and maintaining the ship’s navigability amidst the chaos. With the starboard lifeboat destroyed, the remaining crew mustered at the port lifeboat station, ready for potential evacuation,” it added.
Despite the extreme danger and the constant threat of further attacks, Captain Rawat and his crew fought the fire using fixed foam monitors and portable hoses. The fire continued to spread, particularly affecting an adjacent tank, but the crew managed to contain it using seawater after foam supplies were exhausted, the IMO notes.
After four and a half hours fighting the fire on their own, assistance arrived from the merchant tanker Achilles and later from the French frigate FS Alsace and the United States frigate USS Carney, which provided additional firefighting foam and support, followed soon after by the Indian warship INS Visakhapatnam.
INS Visakhapatnam (D66) during her sea trials. Credit: Indian Navy.
Despite relentless efforts by the Marlin Luanda crew, the fire reignited multiple times. The situation remained critical, and expert consultations suggested abandoning the vessel.
However, Captain Rawat and his crew persisted. The turning point came when professionally trained firefighters from the Indian Navy boarded the ship. They managed to get closer to the fire due to their superior equipment, and their efforts, combined with those of the Marlin Luanda crew, finally succeeded in extinguishing the fire and sealing a significant hull breach.
"Twenty-four hours after the missile strike, the Marlin Luanda sailed to safety under naval escort," the IMO noted.
Captain Rawat and his crew were nominated for the award by the Marshall Islands and, along with Captain Jorge Fernando Galaviz Fuentes and the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya, nominated by Mexico, will receive their awards at the annual ceremony to be held at the IMO Headquarters in London on December 2, during the 109th session of the Maritime Security Committee.
A total of 41 nominations were received from 15 member states and three non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO. Nominations were initially reviewed by an Assessment Panel, and their recommendations were considered by a panel of judges, who ultimately selected the recipients of honours.
The recommendations of the Panel of Judges have now been endorsed by the IMO Council, meeting for its 132nd session being held in London this week.
Red Sea rescue mission: Indian ship captain, crew win ‘exceptional bravery’ awards for rescue
Captain Brijesh Nambiar and the crew of the Indian Navy ship INS Visakhapatnam have been conferred a Letter of Commendation for their support to the oil tanker when in distress.
Published- July 11, 2024, 05:41 pm IST
By PTI, London
Navy’s Guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, deployed in the Gulf of Aden responded to a distress call from MV Marlin Luanda on the night of 26 Jan 24., on Saturday | Credit: ANI.
Captain Avhilash Rawat and his crew of an oil tanker have been named among the winners of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2024 Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for their “extraordinary courage” shown in a Red Sea rescue mission.
Captain Rawat and his crew were declared winners by the IMO on July 10 for the "determination and endurance" demonstrated while coordinating firefighting and damage control efforts to combat a fire that broke out after an anti-ship missile reportedly fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels struck their vessel 'Marlin Luanda' earlier this year.
Captain Brijesh Nambiar and the crew of the Indian Navy ship INS Visakhapatnam have been conferred a Letter of Commendation for their support to the oil tanker when in distress.
Indian navy destroyer INS Visakhapatnam (D66) responded to distress call from MV Marlin Luanda which has been hit by an anti-ship missile. Credit: Indian Navy.
“On the evening of J26 January 2024, the Marlin Luanda, carrying 84,147 tonnes of Naphtha, was en route from Suez to Incheon when it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile. The explosion ignited a cargo tank, creating a significant fire hazard with flames exceeding 5 meters,” reads the award citation.
“Despite the damage, Captain Avhilash Rawat swiftly organized firefighting efforts, ensuring the crew's safety and maintaining the ship’s navigability amidst the chaos. With the starboard lifeboat destroyed, the remaining crew mustered at the port lifeboat station, ready for potential evacuation,” it added.
Despite the extreme danger and the constant threat of further attacks, Captain Rawat and his crew fought the fire using fixed foam monitors and portable hoses. The fire continued to spread, particularly affecting an adjacent tank, but the crew managed to contain it using seawater after foam supplies were exhausted, the IMO notes.
After four and a half hours fighting the fire on their own, assistance arrived from the merchant tanker Achilles and later from the French frigate FS Alsace and the United States frigate USS Carney, which provided additional firefighting foam and support, followed soon after by the Indian warship INS Visakhapatnam.
INS Visakhapatnam (D66) during her sea trials. Credit: Indian Navy.
Despite relentless efforts by the Marlin Luanda crew, the fire reignited multiple times. The situation remained critical, and expert consultations suggested abandoning the vessel.
However, Captain Rawat and his crew persisted. The turning point came when professionally trained firefighters from the Indian Navy boarded the ship. They managed to get closer to the fire due to their superior equipment, and their efforts, combined with those of the Marlin Luanda crew, finally succeeded in extinguishing the fire and sealing a significant hull breach.
"Twenty-four hours after the missile strike, the Marlin Luanda sailed to safety under naval escort," the IMO noted.
Captain Rawat and his crew were nominated for the award by the Marshall Islands and, along with Captain Jorge Fernando Galaviz Fuentes and the crew of the tugboat Pemex Maya, nominated by Mexico, will receive their awards at the annual ceremony to be held at the IMO Headquarters in London on December 2, during the 109th session of the Maritime Security Committee.
A total of 41 nominations were received from 15 member states and three non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO. Nominations were initially reviewed by an Assessment Panel, and their recommendations were considered by a panel of judges, who ultimately selected the recipients of honours.
The recommendations of the Panel of Judges have now been endorsed by the IMO Council, meeting for its 132nd session being held in London this week.
Red Sea rescue mission: Indian ship captain, crew win ‘exceptional bravery’ awards for rescue
Suspected Somali pirates have carried out a series of hijacks and attempted attacks off Somalia, raising fresh concern that piracy networks are again operating along one of the world’s key maritime corridors.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) in London reported a hijack involving a tanker northeast of Mareeyo, Somalia, saying unauthorized people took control of the vessel and moved it south inside Somali territorial waters. UKMTO advised vessels to transit with caution and report suspicious activity.
The Joint Maritime Information Center at Naval Support Activity Bahrain has raised the threat level for the Somali coast and Somali Basin to “substantial,” citing an oil-products tanker held by pirates, a Somali-flagged fishing vessel hijacked near Xaafuun and an attempted boarding about 83 nautical miles off Eyl.
The activity appears concentrated off Puntland, where suspected pirates seized a fuel tanker between Hafun and Bandarbeyla and later hijacked a St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo vessel carrying cement off Garacad.
The incidents mark a sharp escalation after years of reduced Somali piracy, which declined under international naval patrols and improved ship security. The latest reports do not yet show a return to the peak piracy crisis of the early 2010s, but they point to organized groups again testing commercial shipping.