BNS Somudra Joy

History
Bangladesh
Name: Somudra Avijan
Builder: Avondale Shipyards
Launched: 16 November 1968
Acquired: 5 May 2015
Commissioned: 19 March 2016
Homeport: Chittagong
Identification: Pennant number: F29
Nickname(s): BNS SA
Status: In Active Service
General characteristics
Class and type: Hamilton-class cutter (Modified)
Displacement: 3250 tones
Length: 378 ft (115 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13 m)
Draught: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range: 16,000 nautical miles (30,000 km; 18,000 mi)
Endurance: 45 days
Complement: 178 personnel (21 officers and 157 enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems:		 AN/SPS-40 air-search radar, MK 92 FCS
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × Hangar

BNS Somudra Avijan is one of the largest and the heaviest frigates of the Bangladesh Navy. The Bangladesh Navy acquired the ship from the United States under Excess Defense Articles.[1]

History

From 1969 to 2015 the ship was known as USCGC Rush and served the US Coast Guard as a high endurance cutter. She was decommissioned on 3 February 2015 and was acquired by the Bangladesh under the Foreign Assistance Act as a Excess Defense Article. She was officially handed over to the Bangladesh Navy on 5 May 2015.[2]

Career

BNS Somudra Avijan visited the port of Manila, Philippines from 13 to 16 November 2015 on her way to Bangladesh from USA.[3] She also visited Malaysia on her way. The ship arrived at Chittagong, Bangladesh on 28 November 2015.[4][5][6] On 19 March 2016, she was commissioned to Bangladesh Navy.[7]

The ship took part in 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), 2nd Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK), a multinational naval exercise arranged by Indonesian Navy for ASEAN and ASEAN+ nations and International Fleet Review-2016 held at Padang, Indonesia. On her way back, she visited the Port Klang of Malaysia on goodwill visit.[8]

Future plans

The Bangladesh Navy plans to further upgrade the vessel's combat capability with the installation of modern C-802A AShM, FL-3000 or FM-90N SAM, Whitehead torpedoes and AW-109ZN or Z-9C ASW helicopter on board. After refit, this frigate will be one of the most powerful frigates of the Bangladesh Navy.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 131107-N-WX059-125. United States Navy. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "US hands over second naval ship to Bangladesh". navaltoday.com. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bangladesh naval ship arrives for 3-day visit.". Tribune.net. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "Navy procures warship from USA.". The News Today. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "BNS Samudra Avijan reaches Ctg.". The Financial Express. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "New ship for navy arrives from US.". The Daily Star. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Navy to get 2 submarines this year: PM". The Daily Sun. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Navy ship leaves for Indonesia.". The Daily Sun. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.

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