Flag Officer Sea Training (India)

The Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) is a training organisation in the Indian Navy. FOST is the authority responsible for the operational sea training of all personnel of Indian Naval and Coast Guard ships and submarines. The organisation was instituted in 1992 and is the common authority to maintain battle efficiency standards. It also provides training to navies and maritime security forces of friendly foreign countries (FFC). Headquartered in Kochi, the FOST operates under the control of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command.

For other uses, see FOST (disambiguation) and Flag Officer Sea Training (disambiguation).
Flag Officer Sea Training
Crest of Flag Officer Sea Training
Founded21 December 1992 (1992-12-21)
Country India
Branch Indian Navy
TypeTraining organisation
Part ofSouthern Naval Command
HeadquartersKochi
Motto(s)प्रशिक्षण परिश्रम श्रेष्ठता (Sanskrit)
'Excellence through in-depth training and tireless practice'
Commanders
FOSTRear Admiral
Susheel Menon VSM

History

In October 1977, an organisation called the Weapons workup organisation (WWO) was set up. This was aimed at increasing the efficiency of ships' weapons. In 1981, it was re-designated Warship Workup Organisation in Bombay. An additional WWO was set up in Vizag - WWO (V) - for the Eastern Fleet. In March 1992, a local flotilla workup team (LWT) was set up for the ships operating under the Maharashtra Naval Area. These three organisations - WWO (B), WWO (V) and LWT - reported into the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF), Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF) and Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA) respectively.[1]

In 1992, a single authority was created to consolidate work-up efforts and serve as the safety authority responsible for the operational sea training (OST) of all ships. The organisation would be headed by a rear admiral of the executive branch and be based out of Kochi. As the Southern Naval Command (SNC) was the training command of the Navy, the FOST would report into the FOC-in-C SNC. An Indian Navy Workup Team (INWT) was created at Kochi and local workup units were created at Bombay and Vizag - LWT (West) and LWT (East).

On 4 June 1993, the first ship was trained by FOST - the Khukri-class corvette INS Khanjar (P47).[2] In 2000, the Sukanya-class patrol vessel INS Sarayu (P54) was sold to the Sri Lanka Navy.[3] She was commissioned as SLNS Sayura in November 2000. The Sayura was the first foreign ship whose operational sea training was conducted by INWT and FOST.

Structure

The INWT at Kochi works up all major warships - Aircraft Carriers, Anti-submarine warfare and Guided-missile destroyers, frigates and other fleet units. The INWT is under the operational control of FOST and administrative control of FOC-in-C SNC. The LWT (West) and LWT (East) work up Seaward-class defense boats, missile boats, Anti Submarine Patrol Vessels, Ocean-going tugs, etc. They are under the operational control of FOST and administrative control of FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command respectively.[1]

Training regime

The FOST conducts multiple types of training which encompasses all spheres of ship activity. There are short training programs like the Sea Safety Checks (SSC) and Operational Sea Checks (OSC) for a duration of 7 – 10 days on selected disciplines like Bridge Work, Damage Control and Fire Fighting, Machinery Breakdown Drills and Ship Safety.[4]

It also conducts full work-up programs, under the ambit of OST, from three weeks (for minor war vessels) to six weeks (for aircraft carriers). It ensures a thorough training of the ship to achieve the prescribed performance standards. On completion, it conducts an operational readiness assessment at sea and certifies the ships operational status and the areas of improvement. The OST covers all operational/combat functions - aviation, ship management, hull, seamanship, NBCD, engineering, electrical, logistics and medical.[5]

List of FOST
S.No. Name Assumed office Left office Notes
1 Rear Admiral Gupteshwar Rai AVSM, NM, VSM December 1992 December 1993 [5]
2 Rear Admiral O. P. Bansal AVSM, VSM December 1993 October 1995 Later served as Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.[6][7]
3 Rear Admiral K. V. Bharathan VSM October 1995 May 1997 Later served as Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.[8]
4 Rear Admiral Ajit Tewari NM May 1997 November 1998
5 Rear Admiral S. S. Byce NM November 1998 May 2000 Later served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.
6 Rear Admiral Rakesh Chopra VSM May 2000 January 2002
7 Rear Admiral Rakesh Kala NM January 2002 November 2003
8 Rear Admiral I. K. Saluja AVSM, VSM November 2003 May 2005
9 Rear Admiral V. S. Chaudhari NM May 2005 July 2006
10 Rear Admiral M. P. Muralidharan NM July 2006 May 2007 Later served as Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.[9]
11 Rear Admiral Rama Kant Pattanaik YSM May 2007 November 2008 Later served as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.[10][11]
12 Rear Admiral Sunil Lanba November 2008 October 2009 Later served as Chief of the Naval Staff.[12]
13 Rear Admiral Harish Bisht October 2009 January 2011 Later served as Director General of the Indian Coast Guard and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[13][14][15]
14 Rear Admiral G. Ashok Kumar VSM July 2011 August 2012 Later served as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.[16][17]
15 Rear Admiral Murlidhar Sadashiv Pawar VSM September 2012 December 2013 Later served as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.[18][19][20]
16 Rear Admiral R. Hari Kumar VSM December 2013 November 2014 Current Chief of the Naval Staff.[21][22][23]
17 Rear Admiral G. Ashok Kumar VSM November 2014 March 2015 Later served as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.[24]
18 Rear Admiral S. K. Grewal VSM March 2015 October 2016 [25][26]
19 Rear Admiral M. A. Hampiholi NM October 2016 February 2018 Current Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command.[27]
20 Rear Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh NM February 2018 March 2019 Current Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.[28][29]
21 Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan VSM March 2019 February 2020 Current Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command.[30]
22 Rear Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar AVSM, VSM February 2020 May 2021 Current Director General Naval Operations.[31][32]
23 Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar NM June 2021 April 2022 Current Commandant Naval War College.[33]
24 Rear Admiral Rahul Vilas Gokhale NM May 2022 May 2023 [34]
25 Rear Admiral Susheel Menon VSM May 2023 Incumbent Current FOST.[35]

See also

References
  1. Hiranandani 2010, p. 299.
  2. "Flag Officer Sea Training | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  3. Reddy, B. Muralidhar (6 October 2009). "India, Sri Lanka to hold naval training". The Hindu.
  4. "Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  5. Singh 2018, p. 196.
  6. "VICE ADMIRAL OP BANSAL TAKES OVER AS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL OF COAST GUARD" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 1 October 2001.
  7. "VizagCityOnline.com - Vizag Snapshots". www.vizagcityonline.com.
  8. Oct 31, PTI /. "V Bharatan is new Vice Chief of Naval Staff | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  9. "Rear Admiral Muralidharan takes over as 'FOST'". www.oneindia.com. 29 July 2006.
  10. "Sunil Lanba new Flag Officer Sea Training". The New Indian Express.
  11. "66th Observer Course passing out parade held in Kochi". www.oneindia.com. 21 September 2007.
  12. "Sunil Lanba new Flag Officer Sea Training". The New Indian Express.
  13. "Coastal security force training in January". The New Indian Express.
  14. "Rear Admiral Bisht appointed Eastern Fleet Commander". The Hindu. 6 January 2011.
  15. "h19". sainiksamachar.nic.in.
  16. "..:: India Strategic ::. Appointments: Rear Admiral G Ashok Kumar is new FOST". www.indiastrategic.in.
  17. "Neha Ramesh crowned Navy Queen". The Hindu. 6 December 2011.
  18. "Rear Admiral M.S. Pawar is FOST". The Hindu. 2 September 2012.
  19. "Vice Admiral MS Pawar, AVSM, VSM Assumes Charge as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS)". pib.gov.in.
  20. "Key appointments in the Navy". The Hindu. 29 November 2013.
  21. "New Officers Take Charge at Southern Naval Command". The New Indian Express.
  22. Anandan, S. (9 September 2014). "Ensuring a smooth sail for naval vessels". The Hindu.
  23. Anandan, S. (27 September 2014). "Navy appoints new fleet commanders". The Hindu.
  24. "Rear Admiral Ashok Kumar is FOST". The Hindu. 19 November 2014.
  25. "Rear Admiral SK Grewal Assumes Charge as Flag Officer Sea Training". NDTV.com.
  26. "Joint Sail Voyage by Indian Navy Sail Training Ship Tarangini and Royal Navy of Oman Sail Training Ship Shabab Oman from Muscat to Kochi". pib.gov.in.
  27. "Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, AVSM, NM assumes Charge as commandant Indian Naval Academy". pib.gov.in.
  28. "Rear Admiral SJ Singh, NM appointed as the Flag officer Sea Training (Fost)". pib.gov.in.
  29. "Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM assumes Charge as Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST)". pib.gov.in.
  30. "Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM assumes Charge as Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST)". pib.gov.in.
  31. "Navy Gets A New Flag Officer Sea Training". pib.gov.in.
  32. "New Flag Officer Sea Training takes charge". The Hindu. 13 February 2020.
  33. "Rear Admiral Dhankhar is New Flag Officer Sea Training". www.outlookindia.com/.
  34. "RAdm Rahul Vilas Gokhale, NM Takes Over as Flag Officer Sea Training | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in.
  35. "RAdm Susheel Menon takes charge as flag officer sea training". The Times of India. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

Bibliography
  • Singh, Anup (2018), Blue Waters Ahoy!, The Indian Navy 2001-2010, HarperCollins Publishers India, ISBN 9789353025526
  • Hiranandani, G.M. (2010), Transition to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991-2000, Lancer Publishers, ISBN 9781935501268
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