India's largest naval ship - a city in the sea - Haveeru Online, Feb 18, 2016 |
India’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya which is currently in the Maldives on a goodwill visit, was described as a marine city that never sleeps by its second commanding officer. The largest naval ship of the South Asian superpower, it was commissioned three years ago and accommodates over 1,600 people and 34 aircrafts. The carrier measures an impressive 385 metres in length and 60 metres in breadth. With the height of a 13-storey building, the draught of the ship is around 100 feet according to its officers, totalling its height to nearly 23 stories.
The warship with the namesake of a legendary emperor of India is accompanied by two other naval ships, INS Deepak and INS Mysore. INS Vikramaditya’s second commanding officer stated that the fleet’s goodwill visit to the Maldives is an attestation to the resilient relations between the two South Asian neighbours. The naval fleet had first stopped by Colombo, Sri Lanka and is scheduled to return to India this Thursday.
The most prominent feature of the INS Vikramaditya is its flight deck or runway. Though considerably smaller than the typical airport runway, it easily accommodates the fighter planes and rescue and search operation aircrafts carried by the ship. The arresting gear on the runway can rapidly decelerate landing aircrafts travelling at a speed of 250 km/h to rest within 90 metres. He explained that in cases where aircrafts are unable to decelerate and stop, they can take off from the runway at the same speed again.
The use of mobile phones are strictly prohibited aboard the aircraft carrier, which features facilities such as a gym, recreational area and a 16-bed infirmary which also offers treatments such as physiotherapy. The ship’s galley is also notable, housing its own bakery which creates its own food to feed the 1,600 souls on board every day. The galley also stocks 120 tonnes of food, including over 100,000 eggs, prior to every voyage.
INS Vikramaditya was originally commissioned as a carrier serving the Soviet Union and later the Russian Navies. It was later purchased by India in 2004 and renovated on a budget of USD 1.3 billion. |
High Commission of India Male, Maldives |
