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Vessel Type: Aircraft Carrier.
Name & Pennant Number with Commission Date:
INS Viraat R22 (former HMS Hermes R12) - 20 May 1987.
Structure: The vessel has been fitted with a 12º ski jump to operate the Sea Harrier, a reinforced flight deck, 1.2 inches of armour over magazines and machinery spaces. The magazine capacity includes 80+ lightweight torpedoes. The vessel retains commando transport capability, for around 750 troops and carries four LCVP landing craft aft.
Displacement: 23,900 tons standard and 28,700 tons full load.
Dimensions: Length - 226.5 metres.
.................Beam - 48.78 metres.
.................Draught - 8.8 metres.
Main Machinery: Has four boilers with 400 psi. Also has two geared steam turbine engines with 76,000 shp and two shafts.
Maximum Speed: 28 knots.
Maximum Range: 6500 miles at 14 knots.
Complement: 1350 (incl. 143 Officers with the air group)
Air Group: Fleet Defense; Sea Harrier Frs Mk.51 (Capacity for 30)
..............Airborne Early Warning; Ka-31 Helix-B (By 2001)
..............ASW/ASV; Sea King Mk.42B and Ka-28 Helix-A
..............Cdo. Assault & Vertrep*; Sea King Mk.42C
*Vertical Replinshment
Radar: Air Search; One Bharat/Signaal RAWL 02 radar at C/D-band frequency.
.........Air/Surface Search; One RAWS 08 radar at E-band frequency.
.........Navigation; Two Bharat Rashmi radars at I-band frequency.
.........Fire Control; Refer to 'Weapons' sub-section.
.........Tacan; FT 13-S/M
Sonar: One Graseby Type 184M hull-mounted sonar, with active search & attack capability from 6-9 khz.
Combat Data System: Italian Elmar communication suites have been fitted. CAAIS action data automation; Link 10. Has SATCOM (SATellite COMmunications) systems on-board.
Weapons: The Israeli Barak SAM system has been fitted, with fire control provided by an EL/M-2221 STGR radar. Two 40mm Bofors guns are used for air defense and were accompanied by a pair of 30mm AK-230 gatling guns (for protection against anti-ship missiles) till the latter was replaced by the Barak system. Fire control for the Bofors and AK-230 guns, which were installed in 1996, were provided by a pair of Plessey Type 904 radars at I/J-band frequency. One of these radars has since been replaced with the EL/M-2221 STGR radar.
Countermeasures: A Bharat Ajanta ESM is used for intercept purposes. Two Knebworth Corvus chaff launchers are used as decoys.