New Delhi, July 28
The Indian Navy created maritime history on Thursday as it took delivery of the indigenous aircraft carrier ‘Vikrant’ from the public sector ship builder, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi.
Designed by Indian Navy’s in-house Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by CSL, a public sector shipyard under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS), the carrier is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier which played a vital role in the 1971 War with Pakistan.
The 45,000 tonne sea-going aircraft carrier is slated to be commissioned in a few weeks from now.
The 262-meter-long carrier is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 knots.
Built at an overall cost of close to Rs 20,000 crore, the project has been progressed in three phases of a contract between MoD and CSL, concluded in May 2007, December 2014 and October 2019, respectively.
The ship’s keel was laid in February 2009, followed by launching in August 2013.
With an overall indigenous content of 76 per cent, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier.
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