Context :- INS Ikshak, the third vessel of the Survey Vessel Large (SVL) class, was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy at Naval Base, Kochi, on Thursday.
Key Features of INS Ikshak
- Origin: The third Sandhayak-class survey vessel, built by GRSE Kolkata with 80% indigenous content.
- Specifications: 110m length, 3,300-tonne displacement, 18-knot maximum speed. Accommodates 251 personnel.
- Survey Equipment: Equipped with multi-beam echo sounder, side-scan sonar, AUV, ROV, and four survey motor boats.
- Dual-Role Capacity: Convertible into a 40-bed hospital ship with OT, lab, and blood bank for HADR missions.
- Propulsion: Features two diesel engines with an Integrated Platform Management System, plus bow and stern thrusters.
- Operational Reach: Includes a helicopter deck for surveillance and logistics.
- Primary Function: Produces nautical charts for the National Hydrographic Office and supports allied nations’ surveys.
Survey Vessel (Large) [SVL] Class :-
The Survey Vessel (Large) [SVL] class is a fleet modernization project replacing the older Sandhayak-class vessels.
- Builder: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
- Class: Includes four ships: INS Sandhayak, INS Nirdeshak, INS Ikshak, and INS Sanshodhak.
- Primary Role: To conduct hydrographic, oceanographic, and cartographic surveys, producing navigational charts for both civil and defence applications.
