INS Vikrant (1961)

INS Vikrant in 1984
History
United Kingdom
NameHercules
Builder
Laid down14 October 1943
Launched22 September 1945
CommissionedNever commissioned
IdentificationPennant number: R49
FateLaid up, 1947; Sold to India, 1957
India
NameVikrant
Acquired1957
Commissioned4 March 1961
Decommissioned31 January 1997
HomeportBombay
IdentificationPennant number: R11
Motto
  • Sanskrit: Jayema Sam Yudhi Sprdhah
  • English: I completely defeat those who dare to fight with me
FateScrapped, 2014
General characteristics
Class and typeMajestic-class light carrier
Displacement
Length700 ft (210 m) (o/a)
Beam128 ft (39 m)
Draught24 ft (7.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts; 2 Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range
  • 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 6,200 nmi (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Complement1,110
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × LW-05 air-search radar
  • 1 × ZW-06 surface-search radar
  • 1 × LW-10 tactical radar
  • 1 × Type 963 aircraft-landing radar
Armament16 × 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (later reduced to 8)
Aircraft carried21–23
Aviation facilities

INS Vikrant (from Sanskrit vikrānta, "courageous") was a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. The ship was laid down as HMS Hercules for the British Royal Navy during World War II, but was put on hold when the war ended. India purchased the incomplete carrier in 1957, and construction was completed in 1961. Vikrant was commissioned as the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy and played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

In its later years, the ship underwent major refits to embark modern aircraft, before being decommissioned in January 1997. She was preserved as a museum ship in Naval Docks, Mumbai until 2012. In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction and scrapped in November 2014 after final clearance from the Supreme Court.