INS Jamuna (J16)

INS Jamuna (J16) is a hydrographic survey ship in the Indian Navy, under the Southern Naval Command. Jamuna is equipped with a helicopter, a Bofors 40 mm gun, four survey motor boats, and two small boats. The ship has the distinction of being associated with relief work in the wake of the Gujarat earthquake, Tsunami 2004, as well as Operation Vijay during the Kargil war. Jamuna was also awarded a Mention in Dispatches. Built by Goa Shipyard Limited and commissioned into the Naval service at Kochi in 1991, Jamuna is the Indian Navy's third hydrographic survey ship of the s to have been indigenously designed and constructed. The ship is the namesake of , a sloop, which served in the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) during World War II. The new Jamuna is equipped with a range of surveying, navigational and communication systems. The next-generation surveying systems provided onboard include the multi-beam swath echo sounding system, differential global positioning system, motion sensors, sea gravimeter, magnetometer oceanographic sensors, side scan sonars, and an automated data logging system. These are designed to meet the stringent international/ISO 9002 digital survey accuracy standards required for the production of electronic navigation charts and publications as laid down by the International Hydrographic Organization. The primary tasks of INS Jamuna include hydrographic surveys, nautical chart preparation, cartography, and training. The ship is also equipped with ROV, AUV and USV, similar to other sister ships of the Sandhayak class. Jamuna is powered by two diesel engines and is capable of sustained speeds. The ship is one of the most versatile survey vessels in the world. It can undertake a variety of tasks under trying conditions. After the tsunami of 2004, INS Jamuna undertook relief operations for the people of Sri Lanka when it was converted into a hospital ship. INS Jamuna was instrumental in locating the wreckage of , a British Type 14 (Blackwood-class) frigate of the Indian Navy, which was the first warship sunk in action by a submarine since World War II.