The Keel Laying Ceremony for a new Cadet Training Ship (Yard-18003) being built for the Indian Navy, recently took place at the Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) Shipyard, Kattupalli in Chennai, India. Delivery of the ship will take place in 2026.
L&T received contract approval to manufacture three Cadet Training Ships for the Indian Navy valued at approximately US$380 million in March 2023. The contract was awarded under the Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category of India’s Defence Procurement Procedure.
The new Cadet Training Ships will be utilized for training officer cadets at sea following the completion of their basic training ashore. The ships can also be deployed for evacuation and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). Each vessel will be able to accommodate 20 officers, 150 sailors and 200 cadets.
The cadet training facilities on these ships will include an exclusive cadets training bridge and cadets chart house. It will also have three class rooms capable of seating 70 personnel each. The ships will be armed with a 76 mm gun, along with AK 630 and 12.7mm guns.
