Mangalore : The third series of Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) ‘Hovercraft H-196’ of the Indian Coast Guard built by UK arrived at Panambur Beach on September 22, Monday.

The 21 Mtrs long ACV has the capacity of carrying 31 tons of displacement at a maximum speed of 45 knots (90KMPH). It also has the capacity of undertaking multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering assistance to small boats/craft’s.

The ACV is fully armed with heavy machine guns and state of art communication and navigation equipment including radar and worldwide satellite communication is commanded by Commandant Gulvinder Singh.

The Hovercraft can also move on the land as well as sea and operates by skimming over the surface of the water using a cushion of air by two propellers fitted on top of the craft.

The two hovercrafts will be stationed in Mangalore and will conduct dedicated operation from New Mangalore to 320-km Karnataka coast, as per the proposed plan.