INS Kadamba is an integrated strategic naval base of the Indian Navy. Located on the western coast of India, the base can accommodate the operational fleet of Western Naval Command and reduce the traffic in the existing naval base located at Mumbai.
INS Kadamba is India’s third functional naval base after those in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. The base, which fully complies with the MARPOL regulations, was first built in 2005. A second phase of development to expand the facilities at the base is expected to commence in 2012.
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INS Kadamba location and layout
INS Kadamba is situated at Binaga Bay near Karwar in Karnataka. The base is spread over 5.14km of break water. It lies in the middle of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea in the west. The base receives natural protection and a strategic depth from deep bays. The hilly terrain around the base provides well camouflage to ground facilities.
INS Kadamba naval base history
The first phase of the base was commissioned in May 2005 under "Project Seabird". The $561.6m project was initiated by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson.
Construction of the first phase commenced in 1999 and was completed in 2005. It included a ship lift facility, harbour and anchorage, jetty, berthing facilities and accommodation facilities. INS Shardul became the first warship to be commissioned at INS Kadamba in January 2007.
INS Kadamba operations
INS Kadamba is the home port to the operational fleet of Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy. The base accommodates an aircraft carrier, destroyers, stealth frigates and submarines. The main functions of the base include the maintenance, overhaul and repair of surface and submarine fleet. The base strengthens the capabilities of the Indian Navy on the west coast.
The aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, previously known as Admiral Gorshkov, will also be stationed at Kadamba when it enters service in 2012.
INS Kadamba garrison facilities
The base’s garrison facilities include a modern ship lift facility, harbour and anchorage, jetties, berthing facilities for 11 ships and a naval ship repair yard. The base also offers logistics to accommodate over 1,000 officers, sailors and families.
The 10,000t ship lift facility, measuring 175m in length and 28m in width, features a ship lift and ship transfer system that can lift all vessels of Indian Navy, except large tanker-sized vessels and aircraft carriers.
The ship lift provides 625m of berthing space to handle up to ten ships. The base is designed to accommodate 42 vessels when fully operational. It currently accommodates 11 vessels and will handle 22 ships following the completion of second phase development. The bays have adequate depth to allow large vessels such as aircraft carriers to enter and dock at the base.
Other base facilities and services
The base also provides facilities and services to the on-duty members and mariners. The facilities include a township consisting of accommodation for officers and sailors, a shopping centre, sailors institute, schools, a family clinic and welfare centre.
The base also houses a depot ship, parade ground, drill shed, logistics complex, officers’ mess and in-living complex for sailors. A modern hospital known as INHS Patanjali was commissioned in December 2006. The 141-bed hospital features operation theatres, modern monitors and RVG digital radiography systems.
INS Kadamba naval base development
Project Seabird is being developed on a 4,480ha area of land, of which only 400ha is being used for construction while the remaining will be used for afforestation. The second phase of the project is scheduled to start in 2012 and is due for completion by 2017-18.
Phase II will include a new naval air station, a naval research institute, a transmission station, a naval weapon yard and additional berthing facilities for 50 naval vessels. The new naval air station will comprise a 6,000ft runway. The state government of Karnataka and the Airports Authority of India are in discussions with the Ministry of Defence to plan for an international airport.
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