OSV-96 used by MARCOS as sniper rifle and anti-material rifle - Photo by Vitaly V. Kuzmin via Wikimedia Commons
Bengaluru: If Ajmal Kasab’s cousins come calling again or pirates strike over choppy seas, Indian marine commandos (MARCOS) will take little more than an hour to launch a counter-offensive.
Leading the charge will be two squadrons of MARCOS-deployed in Mumbai and Port Blair-equipped with duck drop systems fitted on Ilyushin-76 aircraft.
This is a “force-multiplier” said one of the scientists from Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment, the Agra-based organisation which designed the system.
Once para-dropped from the aircraft, it allows for the Marines to assemble inflatable motorised boats in the space of ten minutes, and race towards ships in distress.
“Once the commandos are near the target, they can dismantle the boats and travel underwater to mount a surprise attack. Such rescue missions will see the Marines deployed in an hour unlike in the past when commandos took up to 48 hours to reach the targets as it involved travelling onboard mother ships and then being deployed on motorised boats. Each system (two boats) can accommodate 32 commandos, their weapons and fuel for the boats,” the scientist told Deccan Chronicle.