The Hindu : Kerala News : <I>INS Viraat</I> ready to set sail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 11, 2006
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Kerala

INS Viraat ready to set sail

Staff Reporter

The aircraft carrier was in Kochi for repairs

A COLOSSUS: INS Viraat, India's aircraft carrier, at Cochin Shipyard Ltd. on Tuesday. — Photo: Vipinchandran

KOCHI: INS Viraat, the sole aircraft carrier in the Indian subcontinent, is all set to resume regular duty, after undergoing routine repairs at Cochin Shipyard Ltd.

The shipyard is among the major such centres in the country which have dry-docking facility to berth such a massive ship. INS Viraat, which can well be called a city in itself, arrived here over a month ago for operational and maintenance requirements. The formidable ship, built in 1959, stands tall with 12 floors. It was the flagship of the Royal Navy (then known as HMS Hermes) in the 1982 Falklands War between the U.K. and Argentina. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1987.

Though the Navy was not directly involved in the 1999 Kargil war, INS Viraat and the ships of the Western Fleet played a crucial role in keeping up the pressure on Pakistan.

A quote by Lord Mountbatten is prominently displayed at the ship's quarterdeck: ``Your Navy will never amount to much without an aircraft carrier." Viraat has all along lived up to the Navy's expectations and its saga continues.

The 227-metre-long and 50-metre-wide vessel carries on board 150 officers and 1,200 sailors. It has a displacement of 28,000 tonnes and can carry 30 aircraft and helicopters. The runway measures 746 feet. Once inside the vessel, one is sure to miss way, caught in the innumerable corridors and ladders which run through the length.

`Proud possession'

"It is Indian Navy's proud possession. The vessel is well maintained and is central to our operations during war and peace," asserted Captain Girish Luthra, Commanding Officer of the vessel, while speaking to mediapersons who were taken on a familiarisation visit to the ship on Tuesday evening.

He said that over the years, INS Viraat has been modernised, and expressed happiness at the hospitality enjoyed by the crew during their stay in Kochi.

A documentary screened on board showed footage of the vessel's visit to West Asia and members of the Indian diaspora there visiting the ship, a clear signal of India's maritime might and capabilities.

In this was shown a Sea Harrier scramble from the deck to chase down an aircraft, which turned out to be of Pakistan. Also mentioned was how a Harrier tracked down a B-52 bomber of the U.S., which was being refuelled mid-air, in the Gulf.

Lt. Cdr. Kapil Bhatia, Direction Officer of the ship, said: "Our aircraft can be launched within minutes and take on any threat. Viraat does not sail alone and will have support ships sailing along, to be on the guard against different threats. The Sea Harrier planes on board are armed with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, bombs and guns."

Defence Public Relations Officer, Kochi, Manohar Nambiar described the ship's role in adding teeth to the Indian Navy.

The ski jump at the front of the vessel has a 12-degree slant to ensure smooth take off of aircrafts on board. Twelve to 15 aircraft can be accommodated in the hangars beneath the runway and the rest on the sides of the flight deck. There are two lifts to carry aircraft to and beneath the deck.

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