INS Viraat, world’s oldest serving aircraft
carrier, decommissioned
As the
sun set on March 6 the Naval Ensign and Commissioning Pendent was lowered for a
last time on board INS Viraat, symbolic of the end of Viraat era in the history
of Indian Navy.
INS Viraat (Sanskrit: Virāṭa meaning
Giant)
was a
Centaur-class aircraft
carrier of the Indian Navy. INS
Viraat was the flagship of
the Indian Navy before INS
Vikramaditya was commissioned in
2013. The last British-built ship serving with the Indian Navy, she was the
oldest aircraft carrier in service in the world. The ship was completed and
commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy's HMS
Hermes, and decommissioned in
1984. It was sold to India in 1987. INS
Viraat was commissioned into the
Indian Navy on 12 May 1987, and served for 27 years.
In February 2015, the navy stated that
Viraat would be decommissioned
the following year. On 23 July 2016,
Viraat sailed for the last time
under her own power from Mumbai to Kochi, where she was dry-docked and prepared
for decommissioning. She was towed out of Kochi on 23 October, returning to
Mumbai on 28 October, where she was laid up.
Viraat was formally
decommissioned on 6 March 2017. Her ultimate fate is currently undetermined.
Name:
|
INS Viraat
|
Acquired:
|
May
1987
|
Recommissioned:
|
12 May
1987
|
Decommissioned:
|
6 March
2017
|
Out of
service:
|
23 July
2016
|
Refit:
|
April
1986, July 1999, Mid-2003-November 2004, August 2008-November 2009, November
2012-July 2013
|
Homeport:
|
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
Identification:
|
Pennant
number: R22
|
Motto:
|
Jalameva
Yasya, Balameva Tasya (Sanskrit: "He who rules over the seas is all
powerful")
|
Nickname(s):
|
Grand
Old Lady
|
Status:
|
Awaiting
disposal
|
Design
INS Viraat is fitted with a 14° ski
jump to operate the Sea Harrier, a reinforced flight deck, and 1.2 inches
(3 cm) of armour over the magazines and machinery spaces. The magazine
capacity includes at least 80 lightweight torpedoes.
The vessel retains commando transport capability for up to 750 troops and
carries four LCVP landing craft in the aft section. In a
wartime scenario, the ship can embark up to 26 combat aircraft and the ship is
suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting ASW operations.
Aircraft
The aircraft on board INS
Viraat were operated by four squadrons of
the Naval air arm of the Indian Navy:
Air squadrons
|
Squadron
|
Name
|
Insignia
|
Aircraft
|
INAS 300
|
White Tigers
|
|
BAE Sea Harrier
|
INAS 552
|
The Braves
|
|
BAE Sea Harrier
|
INAS 321
|
Angels
|
|
Alouette III
HAL
Chetak
|
INAS 330
|
Harpoons
|
|
Westland Sea King
|
Royal Navy
Main article: HMS Hermes (R12)
INS
Viraat was originally commissioned by the British Royal Navy
as HMS
Hermes on 18 November 1959, 15
years after she was laid down in June 1944. She served as the flagship of the
Royal Navy's task force during the Falkland
Islands campaign in 1982 and was decommissioned from active duty in 1985.
In April 1986,
Hermes was towed from Portsmouth Dockyard to Devonport
Dockyard to be refitted, re-activated and sold to India.
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