Proud & historic day for India as the reincarnated #Vikrant sails for her maiden sea trials today, in the 50th year of her illustrious predecessor’s key role in victory in the #1971war
Largest & most complex warship ever to be designed & built in India.
Many more will follow... pic.twitter.com/6cYGtAUhBK
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 4, 2021
India has put the first aircraft carrier of its own construction Vikrant to sea for testing.
"Pride Day for India: the reincarnated Vikrant set off today for its first sea trials 50 years after its illustrious predecessor played a key role in winning the 1971 war," the Indian Navy command said. The mentioned Vikrant is a British-built aircraft carrier that served in the Indian Navy from 1961 to 1997.
The new Vikrant has been under construction since 2008 at the Cochin shipyard in India with the assistance of the Italian holding company Fincantieri and Nevsky PKB. The influence of the latter is noticeable in the shape of the flight deck. In most parameters, the ship is similar to the Vikramaditya-the Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, sold to India in 2012. However, Vikrant is designed as an aircraft carrier and its internal space is used more efficiently.
The displacement of the ship is 37.5 thousand tons, it is able to take on board up to 14 MiG-29K fighters, Ka-28, Ka-31 and HAL Dhruv helicopters. Earlier, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that Vikrant will join the country's Navy in 2022.
Anton Valagin
