New Delhi:President Droupadi Murmu will board the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and witness 'Naval Operations' at sea on Thursday.
"The Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu will embark on indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and witness 'Naval Operations' at sea on November 7, 2024," a Ministry of Defence release read.
The scheduled operations include surface ship manoeuvres, battle actions, submarine exercises, and an air power demonstration. The demonstration will feature take-offs and landings by deck-based fighter aircraft and helicopters, along with a fly-past by naval aircraft, the Navy added.
Ceremonial welcome at Goa Naval Air Station
Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff, will receive the President at INS Hansa, the Naval Air Station at Goa. President Murmu will be given a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by 150 personnel. Thereafter, she will embark on the INS Vikrant at sea off the coast of Goa.
INS Vikrant, a maritime jewel
Named in honour of its historic predecessor, which played a significant role in the 1971 war, INS Vikrant is the largest ship ever built in India’s maritime history and comes with 76 per cent indigenous content. Its machinery and equipment were developed by major Indian industrial houses and over 100 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The ship was commissioned in September 2022.
State-of-the-art design
Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) designed INS Vikrant. It was built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a public sector shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. State-of-the-art automation features gave teeth to the warship which measures 262.5 metres in length and 61.6 metres in width, with a displacement of approximately 43,000 tonnes.
The vessel has an endurance of 7,500 nautical miles. The vast ship with around 2,200 compartments can accommodate a crew of about 1,600, including women officers and sailors. A high degree of automation in machinery operations, ship navigation, and survivability are its special features.
Capabilities and aircraft operations
Built with the latest technology, INS Vikrant can operate an air wing of up to 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, and indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (Navy).
At present, Indian Navy, which was the first maritime force in Asia to operate an aircraft carrier, operates two aircraft carriers. The Navy's second aircraft carrier, the 44,500-tonne INS Vikramaditya, remains one of the most formidable warships in service.
Purchased from Russia in 2013 under a 2.3 billion dollar deal, INS Vikramaditya, a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier, was renamed in honour of Emperor Vikramaditya. The vessel is comparable to a 20-storey building. It has 22 decks and can carry over 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets and Kamov helicopters.
