INS Viraat

Career

Builder:	Vickers-Armstrong
Purchased:	April 1986
Commissioned:	May 1987
Major Refits To Date:	April 1986, July 1999
Expected Decommission:	2012^[1]
General Characteristics
Machinery:	2 Parsons geared steam turbines, 76,000 shp (57 MW) and 4 boilers with 400 psi
Length:	226.5 m
Draught:	8.8 m
Beam:	48.78 m
Displacement:	23,900 tons (standard) and 28,700 tons (full)
Maximum Speed:	28 knots (52 km/h)
Maximum Range:	6500 miles at 14 knots.
Aircraft:	28 aircraft, including Sea HarriersMk.51 and Mk.52 Sea King Mk.42 HAL Chetak HAL Dhruv
Complement:	1207 crew, 143 Aircrew

INS Viraat (Sanskrit: विराट) (R22) is a Centaur-class aircraft carrier currently in service with the Indian Navy. The name Viraat means "giant".

History

INS Viraat was originally commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Hermes on 18 November 1959. During her career as Hermes, she served as the flagship of the Royal Navy's task force in the Falkland Islands campaign. She would serve the Royal Navy another three years until she was stricken from active duty in 1985.

The Indian Navy purchased the vessel in April 1986 and gave it an extensive refit at Devonport Dockyard to allow for continued operability into the next decade. New fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved NBC protection, and deck landing aids were installed in this refit. Boilers were converted to operate on distillate fuel. In September 1993, the engine room of Viraat flooded, temporarily putting the vessel out of service for several months. By 1995, the vessel was back in service and had a new search radar.

Between July 1999 and April 2001, INS Viraat completed another life-extension refit which is expected to extend her serviceability till 2010. This refit upgraded propulsion systems, added a package of sensors to sound emergency alerts, and introduced modern communication system. In addition, long-range surveillance radar, weapon systems, and new hangar with fire curtains was installed. The lift system was revamped to reduce reaction time in the event of an attack and a new flood alarm system was installed. In early June 2001 Viraat returned to service after nearly two years of refit.

The vessel also took part in the International Fleet Review in Mumbai in February 2001. The vessel had to be towed back to dry dock for another refit in mid-2003 and returned to service only in November 2004, during which the vessel was fitted with the Barak SAM.

In 2004, India bought the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia for US$1.5 billion; it is expected to enter service in 2008 as INS Vikramaditya.However INS Viraat would be repleaced by 2011-2012 by a new Vikrant class carrier.

Structure

Viraat is fitted with a 12° ski jump to operate the Sea Harrier, a reinforced flight deck, 1.2 inches of armour over magazines and machinery spaces. The magazine capacity includes 80+ lightweight torpedoes. The vessel retains commando transport capability, for around 750 troops and carries four LCVP landing craft aft.

File:Viraat lengthy.jpg

INS Viraat, showing Sea Harrier force on deck.