Seaward Defence Boats

SDB T-56 at sea. Image © Indian NavySDB T-56 lies anchored at sea along with FAC T-83, a Super Dvora Class fast patrol vessel. Image © Indian Navy 

Vessel Type: Large Patrol Craft.

Designations & Pennant Numbers:
SDB Mk.II
  T-54 commissioned on 01 Sep 1982 , decommissioned on 20 Jan 06
SDB
Mk.II  T-55 decommissiond in 2008-2009
SDB
Mk.III T-56 decommissiond in 2008-2009
SDB Mk.III T-57
SDB Mk.III T-58
SDB Mk.III T-59 decommisioned on 07 Sep 2009
SDB Mk.III T-60 decommisioned on 07 Sep 2009

Displacement: 210 tons full load.

Main Machinery: Two diesel motors with 6,820 hp and 2 shafts.

Maximum Speed: 30 knots.

Maximum Range: 5800 miles at 15 knots.

Complement: 32 personnel.

Radar: Surface; Bharat 1245, I-band.

Weapons: Two Bofors 40mm/60 gun at 120 rds/min to 5.5n miles; 10 km.

Comments: These vessels were built at Garden Reach DY, Kolkata and Mazagon DY, Goa and completed by 1984-86.

The Indian Navy on Monday, 07 Sep2009 de-commissioned two of its Seaward Defence Boats, T-59 and T-60, 24 years after they started sailing the seas. The decommissioning took place at the Madras Port Trust in the presence of commodore Rajiv Girotra, VSM, naval officer-in-charge (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry), who received the guard of honour. The paying off pennant was hoisted on Sunday to mark the beginning of the decommissioning ceremony. The naval ensign and the national flag were lowered and folded at sunset. The last post was then played and the paying off pennant lowered. Measuring 37.5 metres in length with speeds of 25 knots and manned by sailors and officers, the ships were fitted with two Bofors 40/60 and one heavy machine gun. Under the guidance of naval officer-in-charge (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry), the ships played an appreciable role to augment the coastal security that included measures to sensitise fishing communities and enforce security along international maritime border line and off shore platforms.  During their long years of service, SDB-59 and SDB T-60 had been mostly based in Chennai and participated in several crucial deployments like Op Pawan and Op Tasha, a naval release said.  While the SDB-59 had clocked 1,840 days at sea, the SDB-60 has clocked over 1,900 days at sea, the release said. The ships will be replaced by two new indigenously-designed Water Jet Propelled Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) which will commissioned on November 10 at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.