Padma-class Patrol Vessel

The Padma-class is a class of offshore patrol vessels of the Bangladesh Navy. These ships were the first ever warships built in Bangladesh. The ships are constructed at the Khulna Shipyard, through a development program overseen and supported by the CSIC.

History
Under a long term modernization plan for its armed forces, the Government of Bangladesh decided to make weapons at home. The first step was taken to make warships for Bangladesh Navy at Khulna Shipyard. Khulna Shipyard signed the construction contract with Bangladesh Navy on May 2, 2010 and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction on March 5, 2011. The first-ever warship built in Bangladesh, [BNS Padma]] was launched on 08 October, 2012 and commissioned into the Bangladesh Navy on 24 January 2013. The second patrol craft in the class, BNS Surma, was launched on 23 January 2013 and commissioned into the Bangladesh Navy on 29 August 2013. The other three ships BNS Aparajeya, BNS Adamya and BNS Atandra were handed over to Bangladesh Navy on 15 December 2013. These three ships were commissioned on 23 December 2013.

Design
The launch of the first indigenous Bangladeshi warship paved the way for the Bangladesh Navy to soon deploy its own design. Built at the Khulna Shipyard, the design is a Offshore Patrol Vessel of 350 tonnes. The ships are 165.35 ft long, beam 24.61 ft and draught 13.45 ft. The ships can can carry out missions lasting up to seven days at a time. It can carry a total of 45 personnel with a top speed of 23 kn.

Armament
The ships of this class are equipped with a pair of 37 mm Naval gun and two pair of 20 mm Anti-aircraft gun. Besides these ships can lay mines. There is place in the ships to add Anti-ship missile (AShM)s.

Operators

 * Bangladesh Navy