Indian Navy crew to train in US

The Indian Navy has sent some 300 personnel to the United States to train and sail back with the 35-year-old Austin-class platform landing dock, USS Trenton acquired by India, a leading defence weekly reported.

Crew are now undergoing training at the US Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, before taking over the 17,000-tonne ship once it is decommissioned from the US Navy in January 2007. The crew will then aim to return to India by May 2007, the Jane's Defence weekly said, quoting a spokesman of the Indian Navy.

At 174 metre long, Trenton will be the Indian Navy's second largest warship after the Hermes-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat and the first military purchase from the US after the two countries entered into a strategic partnership in 2005.

Trenton cost India Rs 2.18 billion ($ 48.44 million) under the US government's foreign military sales programme and includes the provision of four LCM8 landing craft.