Immediate Support Vessel
Indian Navy fast armed patrol vessel class for coastal and offshore security
Two 23m Immediate Support Vessels are in the first phase of a six-boat Indian Navy conversion to uncrewed operation. On 14 September 2026 the Indian Register of Shipping certified the collision-avoidance software the conversion relies on.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026
Timeline for Immediate Support Vessel
Indian Register clears navy USV software
Autonomous Systems: Land & SeaBackground
The Immediate Support Vessel is an Indian Navy class of fast, armed patrol boats for coastal and offshore security. Its roles include surveillance, inserting and extracting Marine commandos, coastal security and protecting offshore assets. The Navy commissioned its first batch in 2014; Rodman of Spain and Abu Dhabi Ship Building built boats for the class.
Shephard reported a speed of 40 knots, heavy machine guns and twin Caterpillar engines driving water jets. Range figures differ: Shephard gave 500 nautical miles, while Marine Technology News gives 400 nautical miles and describes the boats working with frigates and larger units in mid-ocean.
The Indian Navy now uses the class to test uncrewed operation. Two 23m boats are in the first phase of a six-vessel conversion, using ISACA collision-avoidance software certified by the Indian Register of Shipping in September 2026.
The patrol boats lose their crews
Accurate Industrial Controls holds a 2022 contract to convert six Indian Navy patrol boats to uncrewed operation, and two 23m Immediate Support Vessels are in its first phase alongside a 13m interceptor. In mid-September 2026 (reported on the 14th by Marine Technology News) India's classification society passed ISACA, the company's collision-avoidance software, as meeting International Maritime Organization standards; approval followed 2,500 hours of trials and five audited milestones.
For the class, the certificate matters more than the hulls. It gives the Navy a third-party record that the software can keep a crewless boat clear of other traffic at SEA. No date has been published for the converted vessels entering service.