India, in a practice to add more strength to its naval force, has acquired its first warship from the United States. The acquisition, Landing Platform Dock (LPD)14, is being said as a momentous event for both countries.

This development might be called as opening up a new chapter in the Indo-US relationship. With this acquisition of LPD14, India will be able to get a free and open access to sea zones in Indian subcontinent.

USS Trenton is the massive amphibious loading dock and the first of its type for the Indian Navy. The Naval Attache, Commodore P Murugesan has accepted it in The Indian Navy at a ceremony at Norfolk Naval base in Virginia on Wednesday.

On the other hand, India has also got four Mark Eight landing craft and six H-3 Sea King helicopters to operate from the 173-metre-long vessel from the US.

US had used these helicopters in Somalia, Liberia and Lebanon for landing US troops and for evacuating American citizens from there as well.

The 17,000 tonne warship, will be the second largest ship in Indian Navy. INS Virat, 28,000-tonne, is the largest aircraft carrier with the Navy.

The US ship will be renamed as INS Jalashva (Sanskrit for seahorse) in the month of May with the Eastern Naval Command.

Lockheed built it with a cost more than $400 million. It was commissioned in the US naval forces in 1971. Now, it has been sold to India with the cost of about $48 million. The deal happened under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Just after the announcement, the group of more than 300 Indian sailors and 27 officers led under the charge of Commodore BS Ahluwalia took charge of the ship.

The ship has great and world class qualities such as good sensors, electronics and self defense gun systems, large enough well deck, large flight deck, combat cargo, four electrical power generators, two evaporators with enough capacity, significant cargo space for supplies, equipment, tanks and vehicles of an army battalion.

The ship has also the adjustment and support infrastructure for 900 troops, evacuees or personnel detachments, besides an eight bed sickbay and dental facilities too.

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