INS Vikramaditya is a flagship of the Indian Navy, in service from 2013. It was originally a Russian Kiev-Class ship before being modified into a full-fledged aircraft carrier after its purchase by India.

About INS Vikramaditya:

• It is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which entered into service with the Indian Navy in 2013.
• It has been renamed in honour of Vikramaditya, a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India.

History:

• The carrier served with the Soviet Navy and later with the Russian Navy (as Admiral Gorshkov) before being decommissioned in 1996. 
• It was later bought by India in 2004 for $2.33bn.
• It was commissioned in 2013 after refurbishing. 

Features:

• It has an overall length of about 284 meters and a maximum beam of about 60 meters.
• The ship has a total of 22 decks. It can carry more than 1,600 personnel, including crew.
• Displacement: 44,500 Tonnes
• It has a maximum speed of more than 30 knots and can achieve a maximum range of 7,000nmi.
• It can endure up to 45 days at sea.
• It is powered by 08 new-generation steam boilers.
• The ship has the ability to carry over 30 aircraft comprising an assortment of MiG 29K/Sea Harrier, Kamov 31, Kamov 28, Sea King, ALH-Dhruv and Chetak helicopters.
• The aircraft carrier can be armed with a wide range of weapons, including anti-ship missiles, beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, guided bombs, and rockets.
• The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art launch and recovery systems along with aids to enable smooth and efficient operation of ship-borne aircraft.

Facts Of INS Vikramaditya

• Captain C R Praveen Nair is the current Commanding Officer (CO) of the INS Vikramaditya, assuming office in 2019.

• On 8 December 2015, Indian Defence-Ministry sources stated that the INS Vikramaditya would receive its first major overhaul in September 2016 as part of the “Make in India” initiative. The state-owned Cochin Shipyards and the Pipavav Shipyard will overhaul the carrier once it is in dry dock.
• A State Bank of India ATM was opened onboard Vikramaditya on 21 January 2017, making it the first Indian Navy ship to have an ATM.
• Vikramaditya is capable of launching Aircraft without Catapult, unlike in US Aircraft Carriers. This type of launching and recovery of Aircraft is called Short Takeoff but Arrested landing (STOBAR). In this procedure, the aircraft lines up with the ski ramp and opens full throttle while applying brakes at the same time. When the throttle is completely open, the pilot releases the brakes and the Aircraft Takes off with the help of the Ski ramp.
• Not only Vikramaditya is heavily armed, but it also hosts a variety of soft-power assets such as a fully equipped hospital, survey systems and can also serve as humanitarian relief & disaster relief (HADR) platforms to deal with any natural calamity such as tsunami, earthquake etc.

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