After a major refit of 15 months, India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is carrying out sea trials, to be followed by extensive sea trials in March. The aircraft carrier is expected to complete the trials soon and is expected to perform operational roles. The IN operates MiG-29K fighter jets from the aircraft carrier.
The aircraft carrier will be handed over to the Indian Navy by March 31 and the MiG-29K fighter operations will start in April 2023. The ship was sent for a major overhaul in Karwar in December 2021.
The INS Vikramaditya, formerly the Kiev-class warship Admiral Gorshkov, was inducted into service in 2013. The carrier was invested by India on 20 January 2004 after years of negotiations with Russia at a price of $2.35 billion.
At present, India has two aircraft carriers, namely INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat, while it is planning to develop a third one, INS Vishaal by 2030.
About INS Vikramadity: The floating airfield has an overall length of about 284 meters and a maximum beam of about 60 meters, stretching as much as three football fields put together. Standing about 20 storeys tall from keel to the highest point, the sheer sight of this 44,500 tonne mega structure of steel is awe inspiring. The ship has a total of 22 decks.
Brief Specifications
STOBAR Carrier
Length OA: 284 m
Displacement: 44,500 T
Maximum Beam: 60 m
Speed: over 30 kts
04 propellers
powered by 08 Boilers,
Aircraft component: MiG 29K, Kamov 31, Kamov 28, Seaking, ALH, Chetak
With over 1,600 personnel on board, INS Vikramaditya is literally a ‘Floating City’. With a capacity of over 8,000 tonnes of LSHSD, she is capable of operations up to a range of over 7,000 nautical miles or 13000 kms.
Source for Specifications: https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/ins-vikramaditya
