The Mk IV Landing Craft Utility (LCU) is a class of indigenous amphibious landing craft built for the Indian Navy by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), designed to transport troops, vehicles and equipment from larger amphibious ships or shore facilities directly onto beaches, supporting India’s island-territory logistics and amphibious operations.[1]
Mk IV LCUs are primarily employed for logistics support to India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command, ferrying troops, vehicles, stores and equipment between the mainland, larger amphibious ships, and the numerous islands of the archipelago, as well as supporting beach-landing and amphibious-assault operations in conjunction with larger landing ships such as the Magar and Shardul classes.[1]
A series of Mk IV LCUs has been built by GRSE for the Indian Navy, reflecting continued indigenous investment in smaller amphibious lift assets to complement the larger LPD/LHD and tank-landing-ship programmes, ensuring the Navy retains flexible, lower-cost options for shallow-draught beach-landing and inter-island logistics missions.[1]
| Type | Landing Craft Utility (amphibious lift/logistics craft) |
| Builder | Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) |
| Role | Troop/vehicle/equipment beach landing; inter-island logistics |
| Primary deployment | Andaman and Nicobar Command |
| User | Indian Navy |