Defence: INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya

INS Vikrant

  • INS Vikrant (IAC-I) is the first aircraft carrier built in India.
  • Built by – Cochin Shipyard (CSL) in Kochi, Kerala
  • Motto – Jayema Sam Yudhi Sprdhah which is taken from Rig Veda
  • It features a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery(STOBAR) configuration with a ski-jump.
  • Naming – In memory of INS Vikrant which was India’s first aircraft carrier, which it acquired from the United Kingdom in 1961.

INS Vikramaditya

  • It has been renamed in honour of Vikramaditya, a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India.
  • History
    • The carrier served with the Soviet Navy and later with the Russian Navy (as Admiral Gorshkov) before being decommissioned in 1996. 
    • It was later bought by India in 2004 for $2.33bn.
    • It was commissioned in 2013 after refurbishing. 
  • Features
    • It has an overall length of about 284 meters and a maximum beam of about 60 meters.
    • The ship has a total of 22 decks. It can carry more than 1,600 personnel, including crew.
    • Displacement: 44,500 Tonnes
    • It has a maximum speed of more than 30 knots and can achieve a maximum range of 7,000nmi.
    • It can endure up to 45 days at sea.
    • It is powered by 08 new-generation steam boilers.
    • The ship has the ability to carry over 30 aircraft comprising an assortment of MiG 29K/Sea Harrier, Kamov 31, Kamov 28, Sea King, ALH-Dhruv and Chetak helicopters.
    • The aircraft carrier can be armed with a wide range of weapons, including anti-ship missiles, beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, guided bombs, and rockets.
    • The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art launch and recovery systems along with aids to enable smooth and efficient operation of ship-borne aircraft. 

 

This entry was posted in General Studies 3, Science and Technology. Bookmark the permalink.