The 'missile cum ammunition barge, LSAM 12 (Yard 80)’, of the Indian Navy was launched on Wednesday. Cmde M.V. Raj Krishna, who serves as the Commanding Officer of the Naval Base at Mumbai (CoY(Mbi)), presided over the launching ceremony.
LSAM 12 is the sixth of eight barges being constructed under a contract signed between the ministry of defence and SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd in February 2021.
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These barges will significantly enhance the operational commitments of the Indian Navy by facilitating transportation, embarkation, and disembarkation of articles and ammunition onto Navy platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.
These barges are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of Indian Register of Shipping, a defence ministry statement said.
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During the design stage, the model testing of the barge was taken up at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam.
These barges are proud flag bearers of Make in India initiative of the government of India, the ministry further said.