Sandhayak-class survey ship (1981)

The Sandhayak-class survey ships are a series of eight vessels built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata and Goa Shipyard, Ltd., Vasco for the Indian Navy. While Sandhayak, Investigator, Nirdeshak, Nirupak were built in GRSE;[1] Sarveshak, Jamuna, Darshak, Sutlej were built by Goa Shipyard.[2][3] The vessels equipped with four survey motorboats, two small boats and are powered by two diesel engines with a top speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). They have a helicopter deck and are also armed with a Bofors 40 mm/60 gun mount for self-defense.

Sandhayak class
INS Sandhayak (J-18) survey vessel at sea.
Class overview
Builders
Operators India
Succeeded byMakar class
Planned8
Completed8
Active5
Retired3
General characteristics
TypeHydrographic survey ship
Displacement1,929 long tons (1,960 t) full
Length87.8 m (288 ft 1 in)
Beam12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Draft3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range
  • 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement18 officers + 160 enlisted
Armament1 × Bofors 40 mm gun
Aircraft carried1 × HAL Chetak helicopter
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

The ships are equipped with variety of next-generation surveying systems fitted onboard including multi-beam swath echo sounding system, differential GPS, motion sensors, sea gravimeter, magnetometer, oceanographic sensors, side scan sonars, automated data logging system, sound velocity profiling system, digital survey and processing system, amongst others.[4]

Working as part of Indian Naval Hydrographic Department the Sandhayak-class survey ships are equipped with a range of surveying, navigational and communication systems. The ships are designed to undertake shallow coastal and deep oceanic hydrographic survey and collect oceanographic and geophysical data required for the production of digital navigational charts and publications. Besides carrying out their primary role of hydrographic survey, they can also assist in times of war and natural calamities as troop transports and casualty holding ships. The ships are also equipped with ROV, AUV & USV.[5]

Service history

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Nirdeshak was decommissioned on 19 December 2014.[6][7]

The lead ship of the class Sandhayak was decommissioned on 4 June 2021 after 40 years in service.[8]

The third ship in the class Nirupak was decommissioned after 38 years of service on 29 January 2024 in Visakhapatnam.[9]

Ships in the class

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Ships in the class
Name Pennant No. Builder Commission Decommission Homeport Status
Batch I
Sandhayak J 18 GRSE 14 March 1981 4 June 2021 Visakhapatnam Decommissioned
Nirdeshak J 19 4 October 1982 19 December 2014
Nirupak J 20 14 August 1985 29 January 2024
Investigator J 15 11 January 1990 Kochi[10] Active
Jamuna J 16 31 August 1991
Sutlej J 17 19 February 1993
Batch II
Darshak J 21 Goa Shipyard Limited 28 April 2001 Visakhapatnam[11] Active
Sarvekshak J 22 14 January 2002 Kochi[12]
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See also

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Citations

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  1. ^ "GRSE_Coffee Table Book_low.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. ^ Saunders 2002, p. 316.
  3. ^ "INS Jamuna progresses joint hydrographic operations off Sri Lanka". PSU Watch. 20 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Indian navy ship on goodwill visit".
  5. ^ "INS Sarvekshak".
  6. ^ "Survey ship Decommissioned". New Indian Express. 20 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Fortnightly E-News Brief of National Maritime Foundation" (PDF).
  8. ^ "INS Sandhayak to be Decommissioned on 04 Jun 21". PIB. 3 June 2021.
  9. ^ Bhattacharjee, Sumnit (30 January 2024). "INS Nirupak decommissioned at Visakhapatnam after 38 years of service". The Hindu.
  10. ^ "Kochi to be home for survey ship INS Investigator". OnManorama. 30 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Navy deserter caught at the Mumbai airport". mid-day. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Kashmir students arrive in Kochi on a goodwill visit". The Hindu. 18 September 2011. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

References

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  • Saunders, Stephen (2002). Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-71062-4328.
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External images
Sandhayak class survey ship
  INS Sandhayak
  INS Sutlej
  INS Darshak