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The Indian Navy on Tuesday (May 19) commissioned warship INS Airavat into the naval fleet at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) base in Visakhapatnam. The new warship is capable of carrying 10 main battle tanks, 11 combat trucks and 500 troops. According to a naval officer, apart from undertaking amphibious operations, INS Airavat is capable of providing viable platform for operating both Sea King and Dhruv helicopters. The warship is also equipped with two indigenous rocket launchers to support its amphibious operations.
The warship was commissioned by chief of naval staff admiral Sureesh Mehta. Earlier INS Airavat was formally handed over to the Navy in Kolkata on March 30 this year. The massive warship has been upgraded with weapon sensors and indigenous radar systems, which can foil any enemy attacks. INS Airavat is 132nd ship to be commissioned in the Indian Navy. Informing more about the newly inducted warship, sources said that INS Airavat features remote propulsion control, battle damage control and automated power management systems.
The powerful warship also comes with advanced fire-resistant mechanisms and can act as a fleet tanker. The ship can also come up very helpful during disaster relief missions and humanitarian assistance. According to naval officers, INS Airavat is capable of operating on the high seas for as long as 45 days. After inducting the new warship in India navy, admiral Mehta said that by 2012 Indian navy will get six submarines and more warships, built by using indigenous technology.
