US senate approves sale of 2 Osprey-class minehunters to India

The US Senate has cleared the sale of two Osprey-class minehunters to India, which would boost up Navy's efforts to ramp up coastal security post 26/11.

The sale of the Osprey-class warships, which are world's second largest minehunters was approved by the Senate, with India among the list of countries to which the sales could be made.

With this the decks have been cleared for the sale of two minehunters -- Kingfisher (MHC-56) and Cormorant (MHC-57) which were decommissioned in 2007.

The minehunters designed to find, classify, and destroy moored and bottom naval mines from vital waterways use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control.

Touted as world's second largest minehunters, they are constructed entirely of fibre-glass and are designed to survive the shock of underwater explosions.

The Indian Navy which presently deploys Czech-made Pondicherry and Mahe class minesweepers is highly deficient in this class of warships.

The Osprey minehunters primary mission is reconnaissance, classification, and neutralisation of all types of moored and bottom mines in littoral areas, harbours and coastal waterways.

These warships are equipped with a high definition, variable-depth sonar, and a remotely-operated, robotic submarine used to neutralise mines.

Post 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Indian Defence authorities are on the look out to purchase highly mobile coastal warships and minehunters and minesweepers.