NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of six Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk V vessels from Indian shipyards under the government’s Make in India initiative.
The vessels are planned to strengthen the Navy’s amphibious operations, troop and equipment transport, island logistics, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol, search and rescue (SAR), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities across the Indian Ocean Region.
According to the RFI, each LCU Mk V will be approximately 85 metres long with a displacement of around 1,500 tonnes, with a 15% variation allowance. The vessels will use diesel propulsion and must achieve a maximum speed of at least 15 knots. They are required to have an endurance of approximately 4,500 nautical miles, operate in Sea State 3 and survive conditions up to Sea State 7. The planned service life is 30 years.
For amphibious operations, each vessel must be capable of carrying at least four Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), four BMP infantry fighting vehicles and 190 fully equipped troops. The LCUs will support ship-to-shore movement and the movement of heavy equipment to remote island territories.
The Mk V vessels are larger and have significantly greater endurance than the Navy’s existing LCU Mk IV class. The Navy operates eight Mk IV vessels, designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). The Mk IV ships are about 62.8 metres long, have a displacement of roughly 830–1,001 tonnes, a maximum speed of 15 knots and an endurance of around 1,500 nautical miles at 12 knots.
The Mk IV vessels can transport main battle tanks, armoured vehicles and up to 160–216 personnel and are primarily associated with amphibious, beaching, search-and-rescue and disaster-relief operations, including missions around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The new LCU Mk V requirement therefore calls for a longer-range and larger platform capable of supporting both military and non-combat maritime missions. The RFI seeks responses from Indian shipyards and vendors, in line with the Navy’s emphasis on indigenous design and construction.
The RFI does not yet publicly specify the final procurement timeline, cost or shortlisted builders.
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