Sunday 13 May 2012

GRAND MOTHER'S DAY -- INS VIRAAT

TODAY IS MOTHER'S DAY FOR ALL OF US AND ALL PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD NO SURPRISES IN THAT. BUT TODAY IS ANOTHER DAY TO CELEBRATE. 


INDIA'S SOLITARY AIRCRAFT CARRIER AFFECTIONATELY CALLED AS THE 'MOTHER' OF ALL INDIAN NAVAL SHIPS CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY YESTERDAY AFTER BEING COMMISSIONED INTO THE INDIAN NAVY ON MAY 12 1987.

IT'S MOTTO IS- "JALAMEV YASYA  BALAMEV TASYA"[ HE WHO CONTROLS THE SEA IS ALL POWERFUL]


INS VIRAAT



HISTORY:


The British warship- earlier known as HMS Hermes- was acquired by the Indian Navy On May 12, 1987 after completing 28 years under the Union Jack and having participated in the Falklands Campaign of the Royal Navy in 1982. 


"In the last 25 years, INS Viraat has done over 40,000 hours of steaming and traversed over 5,00,000 nautical miles across the proverbial seven seas. The ship has undertaken over 20,000 hours of flying from its deck," Navy officials said here today. 

Currently commanded by Captain Ajendra Bahadur Singh, the 19th Commanding Officer of the ship, INS Viraat has the rare distinction of being commanded by three officers who rose up to become the chiefs of Indian Navy. 

"Ship has seen 18 Commanding Officers of which three- Admirals Madhvendra Singh, Arun Prakash and Nirmal Verma- went on to become Chief of Naval Staff," they said. 




INS Viraat was also the flag ship of the western fleet during Operation Parakram. "With its full strength of Sea Harriers fighter aircraft embarked, Viraat was central to the Western Fleet deployment for over six months. She was at sea with Capt (now Vice Admiral) D K Joshi as the Commanding Officer and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) JS Bedi as the Fleet Commander," they said. 

The ship underwent last major modernisation and life enhancement refit in 2008-09, which gave it a life extension of a few more years. 

Born in November 1959 as HMS Hermes, INS Viraat is also one of the longest serving aircraft carrier in the history of naval operations anywhere in the world. 



STRUCTURE:


Viraat is fitted with a 12° 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 INS Viraat can embark up to 30 combat aircraft. INS Viraat is suited for two missions: supporting amphibious operations and conductingf ASW operations.


AIR GROUP:




(Capacity for 30 total)


COMBAT DATA SYSTEMS


The ship has been fitted with
  • Italian SELEX (former ELMER) communication suites
  • CAAIS action data automation; Link 10
  • SATCOM systems

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