Port
Blair, April 03: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) decommissioned Indian Naval
(IN) Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Ships, L-38 and L-39 today in a ceremony at
Naval Wharf, Port Blair on March 30, 2019. The Ships have been decommissioned
after 32 years of glorious service to the nation.
Commodore
Ashutosh Ridhorkar, VSM, Naval Component Commander of ANC presided over the
solemn decommissioning ceremony. Several
senior officers including previous and present Commanding Officers and crew of
the Ships were also present on the occasion.
During
the ceremony at sunset, as the light faded, the Commissioning Pennants, Naval
Ensigns and National Flags of both the warships were lowered for the last time.
The Naval Guard and Band played in unison to salute the flags and paid tribute
to the ships.
MK-III
class of Landing Craft Utility Ships, IN LCU, L-38 and L-39 were built by Goa
Shipyard. These Ships were commissioned into the Indian Navy on 10th December
1986 and 25th March 1987 respectively. Lieutenant commander SS Gill was the
first commanding officer of LCU 38 and Lieutenant commander K Nair for LCU 39.
With a compliment of 03 officers and 50 Sailors, the Ships have undertaken countless
beaching operations, surveillance patrols and participated in several exercises
in their 32 years of yeoman service.
As
the last of the MK-III class of LCUs get decommissioned, next generation LCU
MK-IV will replace them. Out of the 08 LCU MK IV planned to be inducted into
the flotilla of ANC, 05 have been inducted and 03 more will be inducted
shortly.
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