Visakhapatnam: The army and Indian Coast Guard would be involved in joint training and exercise said the Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat yesterday.
The coast guard and the Indian Navy maintain coastal security and maritime surveillance. Veera, the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) would help the coast guard monitor maritime boundaries more effectively, said Rawat.
Veera is the third in the series of the new-generation OPV. It is 97-metre long and 15-metre wide and has a range of 5,000 nautical miles and can attain a sustained speed of up to 26 knots.
The vessel is armed with two 12.7-mm heavy machine guns (HMGs) and a 30 mm-naval gun with fire control system. An integrated bridge system, integrated platform management system and a high-power external firefighting system are installed. Veera has the capacity to carry one twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats for carrying out boarding operation, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol.
Commandant Girish Datt would command the vessel. Coast guard director general Rajendra Singh, eastern naval Command chief Vice-Admiral Karambir Singhand other officers were present during the commissioning of the vessel.