What a ship. India’s sole aircraft carrier INS Viraat could remain in service till 2020, according to the man who looks after foreign cooperation for the Navy, Rear Admiral Anil Chawla, previously skipper on the venerable warship. And this is a very real possibility now. I reported here in August last year that the navy was seriously exploring the possibility of extending the Viraat’s life even further than already planned. She was supposed to down anchor for the last time at the very latest by 2013. I took the first photo above in Kochi in 2009 when the Viraat was under a comprehensive refit programme. The second picture shows a seriously clunky scale model of the Viraat that will be the centrepiece of the navy’s tableau at the Republic Day parade this year. Tells you a bit about this fascinating ship. More than half a century old, and the navy still couldn’t think of a better centrepiece for the whole “show of strength” carnival next week.
So does this mean that the Vikrant and Vikramaditya are gonna be bogged down with 'unexpected' delays?
India to buy 3 more French Scorpene submarines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1BrmJ6yKkI&feature=player_embedded
Flog the Old lady for all she's worth. 🙂
A point of reference-2 out the 3 British Invincible Class carriers which were the successors of the Viraat have retired last month albeit a forced retirement due to economic reasons, although one of them (HMS Illustrious)is in operation.
What is our fascination with keeping vintage platforms in operation? The Viraat and the Jalashwa not to mention the lone Foxtrot sub still in service? Couple that with the 30 yr old Gorshkov which we will be inducting (yes it's 70% new but it was still inducted 30 yrs back,right?) in 2012.
Don't these old platforms require a lot of maintenance to keep them afloat? Why doesn't the Navy count the cost of maintenance while deploying platforms not to mention reduced operational time and the risk to safety?
Tats
dear mr. aroor,
can you elaborate on why there would be a need for an extension on the viraat? thanks
Just because it "can" doesn't mean it "should."
though viraat has got a new life of another 10 tears,it remains to be seen for how long can we sustain the operations of the harrier jump jets.without them viraat it just a toothless junk of heavy metal.the indigenous LCA tejas naval version is ages away from operationalisation,which makes the harrier the only option,which itself needs some serious retrofit.hope it alo gets the same indian "jugaad "to keep it alive as viraat got
Shiv, is there any report of how much all these half-yearly-bandages to this ship have cost us so far?
But harrier???
To all worried readers:
As Viraat is going to swim in billon years old sea, it is no harm to use 50 years old ship. It is just the frame that is 50 years old. All the other components will be regularly changed ….
In Nov 1980, a MiG-21FL of No.47 Squadron, operating from Chabua successfully intercepted a Chinese Illyusin 18 aircraft that strayed into Indian Territory. The aircraft was let go but not before it was photographed by the pilot, Wg Cdr M S Vasudeva, who was the CO of the Squadron at that time. Photo Courtesy: Illustrated History of 47 Squadron
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Galleries/History/1970s/Misc/Archer-Interception.jpg.html
do we really need an aircraft carrier, when our neighbours are our enemies?
When is the IAC-II coming?? Shivji can you kindly throw some light on this project?? Wiki says it will be a CATOBAR platform with a displacement of above 65,000 tons. Issat true??
May be indian navy want to operate 3 carrier.But sure she will be just a helicopter carrier, because even though she has life in it but what about Harrier.Indian Navy has left with just 8 Harriers FRS Mk.1. But Still Helicopter carrier is not a bad option. Operating LCA may possible but too costly to modify INS Viraat to Handle them.
Navy to decommission INS Virat by 2018
http://www.sify.com/news/Navy-to-decommission-INS-Virat-by-2018-news-lbtvaechija.html?ref=content_widget_news