INS Vikramaditya

About INS Vikramaditya:

• It is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which entered into service with the Indian Navy in 2013.
• 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. 

Q1) What is an aircraft carrier?

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft — in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for land-based aircraft.

Source: Vikramaditya back in action after 2.5 yrs, Navy to get 2 more Romeo helicopters to deploy on board

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