Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has delivered the Indian Navy’s second Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel (DSV), INS Nipun (A17), under a contract awarded in 2018. The vessel, whose keel was laid in 2020 and launched in 2022, will significantly enhance the Navy’s underwater rescue, deep-sea diving, and submarine support capabilities. Designed to support both existing and future submarine fleets, INS Nipun will undertake complex diving operations while deploying unmanned underwater vehicles for surveillance, inspection, and salvage missions. One of its primary roles is to transport, launch, and recover the Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs), enabling rapid rescue of submariners during underwater emergencies. Measuring 118 meters in length with a 23-meter beam, the Nistar-class vessel is equipped with twin diesel engines, a dynamic positioning system, advanced diver monitoring facilities, seabed mapping and debris localization sonar, secure communications, and modern navigation radars. For self-protection, the platform integrates an electronic warfare suite, a Lynx-U2 fire control system, and 30mm AK-630 close-in weapon systems. The vessel can achieve speeds of 18 knots, remain deployed for up to 60 days, support saturation diving operations to depths of 300 meters, conduct side diving missions at 75 meters, and operate remotely controlled underwater systems at depths of up to 1,000 meters.
