New Delhi: Navy and the Coast Guard are
carrying out operations simulating 26/11-type attacks to
prepare themselves to tackle such incidents in future and a
similar drill is being planned in Mumbai around the date the
militants struck last year.
The focus of the operations, being conducted since last
month, is to cut down on the response time and strengthen the
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all the security
agencies in times of such attacks, Defence Ministry sources
told a news agency here.
During such operations, they said, combined troops of
Navy, Coast Guard and other local security forces divide
themselves into two teams.
A small team of trained commandos dresses up the way
Ajmal Kasab and his accomplices were attired and hires a boat
without letting the other team know about it.
This small team, sources said, tries to attack a vital
shore-based installation in a particular state, same way the
terrorists did during last year's attacks.
At first, sources said, the effort is made by the
security agencies to arrest the 'hijacked' vessel on basis of
information received from patrol boats or from the fishermen.
If the attacking team manages to escapes and reaches the
shore, they added, it tries to capture a vital building such
as a nuclear installation, hotel or a government office and
the other forces try to 'eliminate' them in shortest time
possible.
"There is a need to deploy naval ships at certain
points, particularly in view of recent attacks by sea pirates,
to enable smooth and secure journey by trading vessels,"
Murugesan said.
Describing the east coast as equally vulnerable, he
said though intrusions often take place by Bangladeshi and Sri
Lankan fishermen for illegal fishing, strict vigil must be
maintained against possible entry by other elements.
The fighting teeth of the Indian Navy was showcased as
ships, some of them fitted with Brahmos anti-ship cruise
missiles, demonstrated their formidable prowess and
technology off Paradip coast as part of the ongoing Navy Week.
A helicopter and two aircraft also took part in the
exercise.
About 13,000 visitors thronged Paradip port since
yesterday to have a glimpse of the modern warships -- INS
Rajput, INS Kirpan, INS Jalashwa, INS Kuthar, INS Kora, INS
Kulish and INS Khanjar.
The visitors were spellbound watching demos by the
ships, armed with deadly weapons, sensors and anti-ship
sea-skimming missiles.
The lethal power of Indian Navy unfolded as INS
Rajput, a missile destroyer class ship and armed with Brahmos
anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) showed its capability.
Fitted with advanced radar and SONAR (sound navigation
and ranging) system, it can have Kamov-25 anti-submarine
helicopters on board, naval sources said.
The cruise missiles have high accuracy and low
observability and can be launched from a height of ten metres
above sea waves to an altitude of 15 km from any angle.
Bureau Report