New Delhi: As a move to tighten coastal security and prevent repetition of 26/11 type attacks from the sea, several measures have been put in place by various agencies including the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and other central and state agencies.
Among the measures to boost coastal security, specialised boats — Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) or Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for sea-based engagement of threats in coordination with facilities like Coastal Surveillance Radars are being built in India at various state-owned shipyards and being inducted in the services to protect the Indian coastline.
The move to build smaller and faster and highly manoeuvrable craft with better designed capability to operate in littoral waters had figured at the recent Naval Commanders Conference which had reviewed measures to strengthen coastal security.
The Fast Attack Vessels (FAV) were first introduced into naval service with the import of two XFACs (Super Devora Class Extra Fast Attack Crafts) project from Israel in 1998-1999, followed by five more FAVs constructed by Goa Shipyard Ltd. in 2003-2005 under a collaborative contract with Israel.
Having found increased operational relevance in various roles like harbour defence and coastal protection led to the further building of 10 more FAVs under ‘Car Nicobar Class’ programme by GRSE in 2009-2011 period.
After the 26/11 Mumbai attack, the delivery time frame of these vessels was reduced to meet the operational deployment and the technology further enhanced using Water jet propulsion technology and 14 FAVS (called WJFAVs) have since then been constructed and delivered by GRSE.
