BNSSomudra Avijan

BNSSomudra Avijanmoored atUSCGAlameda station
History
Bangladesh
Name	Somudra Avijan
Builder	Avondale Shipyards
Launched	16 November 1968
Acquired	5 May 2015
Commissioned	19 March 2016
Homeport	Chattogram
Identification	MMSI number:405000189 Pennant number: F29
Nickname(s)	BNS SA
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Hamilton-classcutter/ patrolfrigate
Displacement	3,250 t
Length	378 ft (115 m)
Beam	43 ft (13 m)
Draught	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	CODOG: 2 ×FMdiesel engines 2 ×PWgas turbines
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range	16,000 nmi (30,000 km; 18,000 mi)
Endurance	45 days
Complement	178 (21 officers and 157 enlisted)
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPS-40air-search radar, MK 92 FCS
Electronic warfare & decoys	1 ×Mark 36 SRBOC
Armament	1 ×OTO Melara76 mm (3 in) gun
Aircraft carried	1 × Hangar

BNSSomudra Avijanis one of the two largest ships of theBangladesh Navyalong with hersister shipBNSSomudra Joy.Although originally ahigh endurance cutterthe Bangladesh Navy reclassified the ship as afrigate.The Bangladesh Navy acquired the ship from theUnited Statesunder Excess Defense Articles.

History

From 1969 to 2015 the ship was known asUSCGCRushand served theUS Coast Guardas ahigh endurance cutter.She wasdecommissionedon 3 February 2015 and was acquired by Bangladesh under theForeign Assistance Actas an Excess Defense Article. She was officially handed over to theBangladesh Navyon 5 May 2015.

BNSSomudra Avijanhad been used by U.S. Coast Guard asUSCGCRushbefore it was sent to Chattogram.

Career

BNSSomudra Avijanvisited theport of Manila,Philippinesfrom 13 to 16 November 2015 on her way to Bangladesh from United States.She also visitedMalaysiaon her way. The ship arrived atChattogram,Bangladesh on 28 November 2015.On 19 March 2016, she wascommissionedby the Bangladesh Navy.

The ship took part in15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS)and2nd Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK-2016),a multinationalnaval exercisearranged byIndonesian NavyforASEANand ASEAN+ nations held atPadang,Indonesia.On her way back, she visitedPort Klang,Malaysia on a goodwill visit.

Somudra Avijan,with hersister shipSomudra Joyleft Chattogram for India and Sri Lanka on a goodwill visit on 18 September 2016. The ships were atPort Blair,India from 21 to 25 September and atColombo port,Sri Lanka from 29 September to 4 October. They returned Chattogram on 9 October 2016.

Somudra Avijan left for another goodwill visit in the neighboring countries in October 2017. She stayed atVisakhapatnam Portof India from 16 to 19 October 2017.and at Colombo port of Sri Lanka from 23 to 29 October.

The ship left Chattogram on 18 April 2018 to take part in3rd Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK-2018)to be held inLombok,Indonesia from 4 May to 9 may 2018.On her way to Lombok, she will visit the Port Klang of Malaysia from 24 April to 27 April 2017. She will visit thePhuketofThailandfrom 16 May to 20 May 2018 on her way back home. The ship returned home on 24 May 2018.

See also

• List of active ships of the Bangladesh Navy