Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[enlightened1]

Indian Navy ship thwarts pirate attack on US tanker in Gulf​

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NEW DELHI: An Indian Navy warship successfully repulsed a pirate attack on a US-owned tanker in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia coast. (

"A Navy ship in the Gulf of Aden prevented an attack of pirates on a private tanker flying a Norway flag and owned by US company today," a Navy spokesperson said here.

MT Nordik Spirit, the tanker owned by the Nordik Shipping Company, was sailing in the Gulf of Aden around 1500 hours when the pirates made an attempt to hijack it and fired small arms at the crew members.

"The crew immediately sent out a distress signal and the Indian navy ship, which was in the vicinity, responded to the SOS call," he said.

The warship flew out its helicopters with Marine Commandos and on seeing it, the pirates gave up their hijack attempt on the tanker, the spokesperson said.

Later, the warship accompanied the tanker and escorted it to safety.

The Indian Navy has been taking part in global anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden against the Somali sea brigands since October last year and one of its Frigates had "a kill" last November when a mother ship of the pirates was destroyed.

The Naval ships, which have a 365-day presence there, have escorted over a 100 merchant vessels in the last one year, most of them foreign-owned.

 

[Sridhar]

Indian Navy warships set off for Oman

BY :IANS
Two Indian Navy warships Tuesday set off for Oman to take part in bilateral naval exercise beginning Dec 11, an official said.
‘Guided missile frigate INS Ganga and stealth frigate INS Talwar will be participating in the exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahar’,’ Indian Navy spokesman Commander P.V.S. Satish said.
This is the seventh edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise. It will conclude Dec 16.
‘The Royal Navy of Oman’s flotilla will comprise of corvette Qahir Al Amwaaj with a helicopter, missile boat Al Batnah, coastal resupply vessel Al Maded and landing ship Temsah. Several aircraft from Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) will also take part in the exercise, including maritime patrol aircraft and Jaguars,’ Satish added.
The ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ series of joint exercises is a part of the growing cooperation, specially naval, between India and Oman. This series of exercises began in 1993 and has grown in scope and complexity over the years.


Indian Navy warships set off for Oman IDRW.ORG

 

[Sridhar]

Second phase of Sea Bird to take off soon

BY :Business-standard
The Indian Navy is all set to start work on second phase of Project Sea Bird. The Union government has cleared the proposal and necessary formalities have been completed.
The second phase of the project would include an airport at Alageri village near Ankola with the defence department’s permission. The Navy requires more land to expand the airport for civilian purpose and is waiting for the state government to acquire more land for the construction of a runway, said Commodore Rajiv Jaiswal of Kadamba Naval Air Base, Karwar.
For the second phase of the Seabird Project, no additional land is required and the Navy is in possession of enough land to construct and develop the infrastructure, he said. The second phase would include the dockyard, accommodation for the staff, air base, submarines and helicopters, he said. There are training facilities at the dockyard for the naval cadets presently, he said. It would help the cadets to acquire more skill and productivity, Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal said that the second phase would start once the funds were allotted. Totally 55 per cent of Kannadigas work in the civilian branch of the Navy at Kadamba base and of them 21 per cent are from the project affected families and 29 per cent are from Karwar. Around 9 per cent employees are from rest of Karnataka, he said. Even in non-civilian branches, considerable number of employees hail from Karnataka, he said.
He said the construction of more jetties in the second phase would result in sea erosion in the areas outside the naval base.
Navy would hold an interaction with the people in the surrounding gram panchayat and he would visit some schools in the area so that Navy can help the people and schools in possible way, he said.


Second phase of Sea Bird to take off soon IDRW.ORG

 

[Sridhar]

Navy Day celebrations , Western Naval command , Mumbai

 

[Sridhar]

Seaking 42 C performs at the Gateway, Bombay on Navy Day !

 

[Sridhar]

Monday, December 7, 2009

Indian Navy's Golden Girl--INS Viraat, All Set For A Fresh Innings After Her Refit, Sails Smooth At 50 !!

Image credit : Suman Sharma of Chindditis.

 

[Sridhar]

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

MiG-29Ks arrive in Goa on Navy Day !!

 

[Sridhar]

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Chindits Column: 'Return of the Tail Hookers' -- MiG-29K - a Boy's Dream, Harrier - a Man Among Men !!!

'Tail hookers' a glamorous parlance in the art of naval aviation was christened into the Indian Navy way back in 1960. Lt Cdr RS Tahiliani (Naval Test pilot) was the first of the tail hookers to engage the wire in the Sea Hawk. This boost to the Indian Naval might is now a bright chapter in the history book of the way the tail hookers rampaged East Pakistan during the 1971 war.


The Sea Hawk operated from the esteemed INS Vikrant, launching from her deck with a catapult and landing on board by hooking the tail hook into her wires.



Catapult Launch : Tail Hook landing


The professionalism and skill needed to master the art of tail hooking required to be and was par excellence. The greats of the White Tiger squadron of Sea Hawks stood tall in this exquisite art of naval aviation.

After the Sea Hawk’s magnificent domain for over two decades they made way for the VSTOL jump jets, the Sea Harriers. The White Tigers had gone unconventional as the aircraft added a new dimension to pure flying with the Ski jump launch and vectored to vertical thrust landings. Precision tail hooking of the wire on deck had given way to the precision spot landing on the deck as the Sea Harrier landed vertically.


Ski Jump launch : Vertical landing


The sight of the Sea Harrier in hover in still air is eye popping. Anyone seeing this has always been left in awe and unable to convince the brain what the eye had seen.

Two decades later naval aviation looked ahead to power pack its force. The gruesome and powerful MiG 29K was shortlisted and Cdr Surendra Ahuja (Naval Test Pilot) flew to Russia to evaluate the aircraft. He flew eight sorties in Russia and his confident, just and exhaustive report saw the light turning towards the return of the Tail Hookers.

Cdr S Ahuja (Test Pilot) evaluated the MiG-29K prototype No 312

To hone the skills enabling achievement of the difficult art of tail hooking Indian Naval pilots are being sent to Kingsville, Texas, USA to fly the T- 45C Goshawks. Capt Surendra Ahuja once again leading from the front was the first Indian Naval pilot to successfully hook the wire of an American carrier and went on to complete the course which smoothened the way for the green horns (younger pilots).


The day had finally come and the contract for the MiG 29K aircraft was signed bringing in the ‘Return of the Tail Hookers’. The MiG 29K aircraft is a fourth generation fighter with multirole capability and the design to operate from the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Ten pilots left the Indian shores to undergo flying training in Russia on the MiG 29K aircraft which arrived on December 4, 2009 and will begin flying this month after being commissioned into INAS 303 squadron as the ‘Black Panthers’.


The Harrier is a difficult aircraft but is a man's dream, unlike the MiG 29K which has skill potential and not killing potential (yet to be proven) and is called a boy's dream. The tail hookers are back and will be in full swing when INS Vikramaditya joins the Indian Naval team. This would be a big boost to the naval might and emphatically be the ‘Game Changers’.

Chindits: Chindits Column: 'Return of the Tail Hookers' -- MiG-29K - a Boy's Dream, Harrier - a Man Among Men !!!

 

[Sridhar]

India to 'fence' naval harbours

India to 'fence' naval harbours


By Sunil Raman
BBC News, Delhi

Mumbai's police have acquired new craft to patrol the city's coastline

India is planning to secure its naval harbours with electronic fences, the BBC has learnt.
The fences are part of the Integrated Harbour Defence System to secure the harbours "against clandestine threat from sea", security officials say.
It is part of a plan to protect the country's coastline after November 2008's deadly attacks in Mumbai.
Ten gunmen had used boats to sail into Mumbai and carried out the attacks which killed over 170 people.
The Integrated Harbour Defence System will have diver detection sonars, high resolution radars with shore-based command and control system, among other things, officials said.
Radars will also be installed at distances of every 80km (50 miles) on the coastline.
The sonars and radars will pick up any movement near the harbour up to a distance of 70km (43 miles).
'Not enough'
The electronic sea fences will be fixed on the sea bed close to a harbour to stop any diver or a boat from swimming or sailing through.
Only when a warship or a boat enters or leaves the naval harbour would the "electronic net" will be lifted for the ship to sail through.
Officials say India is also ordering sophisticated equipment to secure its 7,500km (4,660 miles) coastline dotted with nearly 200 ports.
The government plans to install transponders on every fishing vessel and trawler that sails into the high seas, officials say.
Mumbai alone has over 24,000 fishing vehicles, and Gujarat another 45,000 vehicles.
An Indian fishing vessel was hijacked in the seas off Gujarat by the gunmen who attacked Mumbai.
Former Indian intelligence chief Arun Bhagat is, however, sceptical about the measures to secure the coastline.
"The urgency which should have propelled state governments after the Mumbai attacks did not last long," Mr Bhagat said.
"Except for some states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, other coastal states have done little".


BBC News - India to 'fence' naval harbours

 

[RAM]

India to 'fence' naval harbours

India to 'fence' naval harbours

India is planning to secure its naval harbours with electronic fences, the BBC has learnt.The fences are part of the Integrated Harbour Defence System to secure the harbours "against clandestine threat from sea", security officials say. It is part of a plan to protect the country's coastline after November 2008's deadly attacks in Mumbai. Ten gunmen had used boats to sail into Mumbai and carried out the attacks which killed over 170 people.

The Integrated Harbour Defence System will have diver detection sonars, high resolution radars with shore-based command and control system, among other things, officials said.

Radars will also be installed at distances of every 80km (50 miles) on the coastline. The sonars and radars will pick up any movement near the harbour up to a distance of 70km (43 miles).

'Not enough'

The electronic sea fences will be fixed on the sea bed close to a harbour to stop any diver or a boat from swimming or sailing through. Only when a warship or a boat enters or leaves the naval harbour would the "electronic net" will be lifted for the ship to sail through. Officials say India is also ordering sophisticated equipment to secure its 7,500km (4,660 miles) coastline dotted with nearly 200 ports. The government plans to install transponders on every fishing vessel and trawler that sails into the high seas, officials say. Mumbai alone has over 24,000 fishing vehicles, and Gujarat another 45,000 vehicles.

An Indian fishing vessel was hijacked in the seas off Gujarat by the gunmen who attacked Mumbai.

Former Indian intelligence chief Arun Bhagat is, however, sceptical about the measures to secure the coastline. "The urgency which should have propelled state governments after the Mumbai attacks did not last long," Mr Bhagat said. "Except for some states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, other coastal states have done little".

BBC News - India to 'fence' naval harbours

 

[AJSINGH]

Marcos

MARCOS
MARCOS (previously named as Marine Commando Force (MCF)) is an elite special operations unit of the Indian Navy. "MARCOS" is short for "Marine Commandos", and MCF is an acronym for "Marine Commando Force".

The force started off as the Indian Marine Special Force, the first batch qualifying in February 1987. It was later renamed as the Marine Commando Force (MCF) in 1991. The force has gradually acquired experience and a reputation for professionalism over the two decades it has been in existence. It is one of India's highest trained and best equipped forces.

The force was initially trained by the other special forces of the country, including those under the Home Ministry, the Army, Air Force, Police and paramilitary units. This was later supplemented by foreign training facilities, notably the SEALS of the US Navy. Over the years, the force set up its own training facility, first as an adjunct of the operational company at Mumbai, later as the Naval Special Warfare Tactical Training Centre. Wide exposure to different forms of warfare have been obtained through field operations in counter insurgency and anti terrorist operations within the country, and joint exercises with more than a dozen countries across the world.

STRENGTH AND ACTIVITIES
The MCF presently has approximately 600 personnel,though actual strength remains classified.

Operations undertaken:

Operation Pawan (Hindi for Wind): Part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in 1988.
Operation Cactus: Part of the Indian Navy contingent defending the democratic government of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives from a coup. The force played a supporting role in India's successful military aid in helping foil the attempted coup by Sri Lankan militants from the PLOTE and ENDLF. A group of 47 mercenaries attempted to escape by sea with 23 hostages, on a hijacked vessel, MV Progress Light. The MCF was pressed into service along with INS Godavari, a multi role frigate carrying Seaking helicopters, Alize aircraft operating from the Navy's base at Kochi. INS Godavari trailed the hijacked vessel for a couple of days, firing intermittently with her guns on the vessel's superstructure. An Alize anti-submarine aircraft dropped two depth charges near the vessel, causing the motley collection of militants to come up on the upper decks and surrender. A contingent of the Marcos operating from Ratmalana Airfield on the outskirts of Colombo, with some help from the Sri Lankan Army in terms of specialised equipment, thereafter boarded the ship and accepted the surrender of the militants and took them into custody.
Operation Leech, which resulting in the slaying of a number of Burmese rebels at Narcondum Island in the North Andaman group of Islands. A small contingent of marcos was reputed to have been involved in the murky operation, which has found intermittent mention in various media.
Operation Tasha, which was instituted after Operation Pawan wound up, and was more a coastal security operation on the Tamil Nadu coast to thwart operations of the LTTE there, than something belonging to the realm of special operations.
Operation Swan, which was a similar exercise on the Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts, after the December 92 blasts in Mumbai, wherein the MARCOS were used for patrolling.
The MARCOS are presently deployed at the Wular Lake in Kashmir, one of Asia's largest fresh-water lakes, where they have achieved significant success in counter insurgency operations against Kashmiri separatists and foreign militants.
Protecting offshore oil rigs and platforms. The MARCOS maintain a quick reaction team at Mumbai, to deal with threats to the offshore oil assets at Bombay High.
In its first ever action in the Gulf of Aden, MARCOS thwarted an attempt by pirates to capture the Indian merchant vessel MV Jag Arnav on November 11, 2008.[1]
Operation Black Tornado: MARCOS stormed the Trident and Taj Hotels at Mumbai during the recent terrorist attacks on 27 November, 2008 during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks [2], wounding one terrorist at the Taj, and sustaining two injuries. The second team deployed at the Trident Hotel at Nariman Point (the erstwhile Oberoi Towers) curiously failed to make contact with the militants there, later known to have holed up on the 18th floor, despite having spent hours in the hotel. The marcos were subsequently replaced by men from the National Security Guard on their arrival from Delhi later in the day, and withdrew to a supporting role.
On 13 December 2008 MARCOS units operating from the Indian Naval warship INS Mysore foiled a pirate hijack attempt of Ethiopian vessel MV Gibe off the Somali coast. In the process twenty three pirates were arrested[3]
TRAINING
Training includes the following:-

Open and closed circuit diving.
Basic commando skills including advanced weapon skills, demolitions, endurance training and martial arts.
Para training.
Intelligence training.
Operation of submersible craft.
Offshore operations.
Anti terrorist operations.
Operations from submarines.
Skydiving.
Various special skills such as language training, insertion methods, etc.
Explosive ordnance disposal techniques.
Typical qualifying rates are very low, due to which the force is presently understaffed in relation to its sanctioned strength. The selection process is two staged. Personnel wishing to serve with the MCF are first required to qualify a 3 day aptitude test of physical fitness, that screens out 80% or more of aspirants. Those reporting for selection then undergo an arduous five week screening process culminating in a 'hell's week' of sleep deprivation and grueling physical activity. Only about 20 - 25% of these trainees finally get to wear the marco badge.

Training lasts between a year and a half and two years, which sees the trainee pass through the basic diving and commando skills, which are conducted both at the inhouse training facility at the NSWTTC, and at various armed forces, para military, home ministry and civilian establishments across the country. This phase prepares a marco for life as a general duty combatant in the force, and he has to undergo further training to take his place in a Prahar (the smallest independent section that can independently undertake operations). Basic training is followed by six months to a year of advanced training in specialised skills, that help the marco integrate into a Prahar with one or (usually multiple) responsibilities.

Activities
The Marcos are capable of undertaking operations in all types of terrain, but are specialised in maritime operations.

They have been active in Jammu and Kashmir as part of the Army's counter-terrorist efforts. Their main task is to control the infiltration of terrorists from across Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir through the Jhelum River and Wular Lake, a 65 square kilometer freshwater lake. Some Marcos personnel are also attached with the Army special forces units conducting counter-terrorism operations in the area.

The Force has undertaken numerous joint exercises with special forces from around the world, including some of the best known naval special force units of the developed world. 2003 saw MCF participation in joint training exercises called Exercise Balance Iroquois 03-1/Vajra Prahar, with Special Operations Forces in Mizoram

September 2005 again witnessed joint Indo-US naval exercises called Malabar 05, which had significant special operations content.

Bases
The MCF currently operates out of the naval bases at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Port Blair.

Plans are afoot to shift the existing training facility the (Naval Special Warfare Training and Tactical Centre) to a new facility to be set up at the erstwhile Naval Academy in Goa on the lines of the Indian Army's Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) in Warangte, Mizoram.

Equipment
Small Arms: AK-47 and variants, AKS-74U, AK103,Cross Bow Cyanide Tipped, APS, INSAS 5.56 mm, Tavor Assault Rifles, Commando Carbines HK MP5 sub-machine gun with variants, M4 carbine. The 7.62 mm SLR assault rifle and the SVD_Dragunov sniper rifle is used in long range and sniping roles respectively and Uzi.
Support Weapons: Carl Gustav 84mm RL (M2), C90 RL, FN 7.62 mm MMGs, 40 mm grenade launchers, automatic grenade launchers, shoulder fired anti aircraft missiles,
Transport: H-3 Sea King,Chetak and HAL Dhruv helicopters, Cosmos CE-2F/X100 two-man submarines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MARCOS_(India):goodstuff::dfi-1:

 

[sayareakd]

These are the only commandos in India, which are capable of operating in land, sea and air. They are well equipped with weapons specially silencer weapons.

 

[Sridhar]

India, Oman Navies To Conduct Joint Exercise

Navies of India and Oman will conduct joint exercise code named Naseem Al Bahar off Oman from December 11 –16. This will be the seventh Indo-Oman bilateral Naval exercise.
Two Indian warships, guided missile frigate Ganga and stealth frigate Talwar will participate in the bilateral exercise. The Royal Navy of Oman task force would comprise the corvette Qahir Al Amwaaj with a helicopter, the missile boat Al Batnah, coastal resupply vessel Al Maded and landing ship Temsah. Several aircraft from Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) will also take part in the exercise, including maritime patrol aircraft and Jaguars.
A press release issued by the Indian Defence Ministry on Dec. 8 said, ‘The Naseem Al Bahr series of bilateral Naval exercises is a significant facet of the growing co-operation between India and Oman. This series of exercises between the Navies of the two nations commenced in 1993 and has grown in scope and complexity over the years. Six exercises conducted thus far have met the underlying aims of facilitating mutual learning and cross pollination of best practices.’ A wide range of exercises would be conducted during the sea exercise phase.
Based on a comprehensive defence MoU signed by the defence ministers of the two nations in Dec 2005, India and Oman both desire to strengthen their Naval co-operation which has already proven to be robust and not restricted to the Naseem Al Bahr series alone, added the press release.


India, Oman Navies To Conduct Joint Exercise | India Defence Online

 

[sob]

Indian navy sailor B.K. Gurung holds his position on the foc'sle of USS Mustin (DDG 89) during a visit, board, search and seizure drill April 7, 2007, while under way in the Philippine Sea. The drill is part of exercise Malabar 07-01, a U.S. and Indian naval exercise held off the coast of Okinawa, Japan.

 

[sob]

 

[sob]

 

[F-14]

the MARCOS is set up on the lines of the SEALS of the US Navy and operate on a similar Modus Operndi they have been quite successful in CoIn operations In and around the wallur lake in J&k

 

[Sridhar]

Exclusive: After Sukhoi, Prez to do a Viraat...Supreme Commander to Inspect Ops Demo at Anchorage During Carrier's Golden Jubilee on Dec 23 !

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, after seeing the prowess of the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s frontline fighter Sukhoi-30MKI, is all set to get the feel of the Indian Navy and its assets on December 23 at the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command, onboard the country's only aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, in its Golden Jubilee year.


Originally the HMS Hermes in the UK Royal Navy, Viraat turned 50 on November 18 this year, for which the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma attended a quiet function in the Goa-based naval base INS Hansa.

The President, also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, will get a first hand capability demo and ops-demo (Operations Demonstration) of the aircraft carrier and also its complement of the Sea Harrier fighter jets, which will fly down for a fly-past demonstration to the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, from Goa. Right now out of the eight Harriers left in service in the Navy, only five fighters and one trainer are operational.

Preparations are on in full swing on the carrier to receive the First citizen of the country. People's Post, which was invited to the Western Naval Command for the Navy Week and for a walk-through on Viraat on its Golden Jubilee celebration year, was told by senior officers that since the President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, she has full right to and also should inspect the military capability of the country and its armed forces and and get a hands-on of it. She will be witness to the ops-demo by the fixed wing aircraft and chopper elements of the 50 year old carrier, at the anchorage, as there would be no sailing, and she would leave after four to five hours at the Dockyard.

Copyright: People's Post

Chindits: Exclusive: After Sukhoi, Prez to do a Viraat...Supreme Commander to Inspect Ops Demo at Anchorage During Carrier's Golden Jubilee on Dec 23 !

 

[Sridhar]

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

50 Year Old INS Viraat on its First Operational Cruise After Refit Off Goa, All Set For an Extended Life With Upgradations and Add-ons






INS Viraat, back after a year-long refit at the Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Southern Naval Command, is all set for a fresh innings and is being seen to go on for another seven - eight years, is currently on its first operational sail outside the harbour in the Arabian Sea, off Goa.

After it was commissioned in the UK Royal Navy in 1959, it served till 1984 after which it was decommissioned and bought by the Indian Navy. Captain Vinod Pasricha was the commissioning Commanding Officer of the warship in 1987 along with its complement of British Sea Harriers. The carrier was envisaged as being in service for 10 years, but since no other carrier was on the horizon, it went through a major refit in 1999-2000 to extend its life for another eight years, but when it was officially declared that the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, renamed INS Vikramaditya, would be joining the Indian Navy only in 2012, the carrier went through another one-year refit last year at Kochi, to extend its life for another five to seven years.

Sources have confirmed to People's Postthat the under water hull of the carrier has been done up in a big way, besides other upgradations and additions. The radar of the ship and its electronic surveillance system, which are indigenously made, have been upgraded, and its boilers and propulsion systems have been renewed. The habitability of the sailors has been improved majorly, with new washrooms coming up for them, better living rooms and lounges. An officer said, "The sailors accommodation was of utmost importance, as it was not upto the mark, but now it has been improved with new fittings and washing areas coming which will definitely bring in a lot of change. The refit , which has been jointly done by Naval Dockyard and Cochin Shipyard, has costed around 120 crores."

The 227 meter long carrier, capable of housing 25 aircraft, has got its flight deck grit blasted for better friction for the aircraft to land and take off and the deck has also been fitted with better lightings for night flying. The carrier has been fitted with digital maps of oceans, digital RPMs on the bridge and digital displays in the Ops room, for the first time, which enable the Commanding Officer to take stock of the real time situation outside the warship all around her waters. The displays give out the maritime domain awareness if a situation develops. Viraat, which has 14 decks, nine lower and five upper, has been fitted with heavy machine guns (HMGs) in place of light machine guns (LMGs), for self defence. These HMG are three, one in front and two at the back near the flight deck, and can fire 50-60 rounds in two seconds and are indigenously made. There are better communications systems onboard for shore to sea and vice versa communication.

The ship has two headquarters, HQ-1 and HQ-2, for information about in-house systems and their functioning, two engines and four boilers. The ship who has had three Commanding Officers, who went on to become Chiefs of Naval Staff, is getting ready for a work-up, which is done by a naval team from the shipyard which conducted the refit to see the functioning of the ship and its maintainence by its crew. Viraat, the biggest ship of the Indian Navy as on date, can house 1500 crew members. A physical and written exam will be conducted shortly of the crew members by the work up team from Kochi, and also the ship will get ready to receive its first woman Supreme Commander for its operational inspection later this month. With its 50-bed floating hospital, a gymnasium, seperate Admiral and Commanding Officer's cabins and all the state of the art facilities, a weapons complement of 16 Barak missiles, two Israeli mounts of 40/60, and two AK-230 guns, Chetaks, Seaking 43 Bs and Sea Harriers, Viraat seems to go a long way, till a replacement comes in.
Copyright: People's Post

Photos: Suman Sharma

Chindits: 50 Year Old INS Viraat on its First Operational Cruise After Refit Off Goa, All Set For an Extended Life With Upgradations and Add-ons

 

[F-14]

thats the M-4 Comando the Marcos are trained to specialist in handelling any rifles or wepons systems