Indian MSME Suryadipta Projects launches third missile barge for Indian Navy

The Third Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge, LSAM 17 (Yard 127), was launched today at Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd in Thane on October 27, as per an official statement from the Ministry of Defence. Commodore V Pravin, AWPS (Mbi), officiated the launch.

LSAM 17, according to the MoD, exemplifies the "Make in India" initiative, with all its major and auxiliary components sourced from indigenous manufacturers. Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd was selected by the MoD in 2021 for the delivery and construction of these vessels.

The barges have been constructed under the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). Their deployment, as per the statement, will help the Indian Navy augment its maritime operations. These vessels will facilitate the embarkation and disembarkation of crucial articles and ammunition to Indian Navy ships, both at jetties and outer harbours.

According to a previous statement from the Ministry of Defence, the delivery schedule for these barges was set to commence in May 2022. However, the initial delivery of the first barge saw a delay of over a year, arriving on June 9, 2023. Subsequently, the second barge was delivered earlier this month in October 2023.

The ACTCM barges, equipped to handle ammunition, torpedoes, missiles, and more, are, as per reports, set to bolster the Indian Navy's operational readiness.