Padma-class
Summary
| Origin country | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh |
| Category | Patrol vessel |
| Subtype | Patrol vessel |
| Manufacturer | Khulna Shipyard |
| Year commissioned | 2013 |
| Units | Bangladesh Navy: 5 in service; |
Description
The Padma class is a series of patrol vessels serving in the Bangladesh Navy. The origin of the Padma class dates back to the decision by the Government of Bangladesh to equip its navy with indigenously built warships. The contract for the construction of the vessels was sealed between Khulna Shipyard and the Bangladesh Navy in May 2010. The inaugural ship in this class, BNS Padma, was launched on October 8, 2012, and formally joined the navy on January 24, 2013. Following the first ship, additional vessels including BNS Surma, BNS Aparajeya, BNS Adamya, and BNS Atandra were also commissioned in 2013. As part of the fleet expansion, the navy ordered five more units on May 20, 2019, which saw their keel laying on December 2, 2019.
Designed to be offshore patrol vessels, the Padma class ships have the ability to operate independently for up to seven days, accommodating a crew of 45. They are versatile in their operational scope and are capable of reaching top speeds of 23 knots. In terms of armaments, the first batch is outfitted with dual 37 mm naval guns and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, while the second batch is equipped with Bofors 40 mm cannons and 12.7mm machine guns. Additionally, these ships have the capability to deploy mines and carry MANPADs, which are man-portable air-defense systems, enhancing their defensive and offensive versatility.
Technical specifications
| Padma | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 350 tons |
| Range | 2500 km |
| Endurance | 7 days |
| Crew | 45 members |
| Width | 7.5 m (24.6 ft) |
| Length | 51.6 m (169.3 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 diesels |
| Armament | Batch-1: 2 × dual 37 mm cannon; Batch-2: 1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 cannon |
| Maximum speed | 21 knots |