Page 302 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

active duty.

Ships in the Indian Navy

54.

(a) AIRCRAFT CARRIER 01 (g) BALLISTIC MISSILE SUB 01

AMPH TPT DOCK CONVENTIONALLY-
(b) 01 (h) 14
POWERED ATTACK SUB

LANDING SHIP
(c) TANKS 08 (i) CORVETTES 22

DESTROYERS MINE COUNTER-
(d) 11 (j) 04
MEASURE VESSELS

(e) FRIGATES 14 (k) FLEET TANKERS 04

NUCLEAR-POWERED
(f) 01
ATTACK SUB

Aircraft Carriers

55. An aircraft carrier is basically a sea-going airbase. It allows a country to

project air power outside its own territory without a land base. In most
cases, it serves as the capital ship. Aircraft carriers are escorted by other

kinds of ships.

56. The Indian Navy presently has one aircraft carrier in active service,
named in honour of Vikramaditya, a legendary first century BC emperor

of Ujjain. Originally built as Baku and commissioned in 1987, the

carrier served with the Soviet (until the dissolution of the Soviet Union)
and Russian Navies before being decommissioned in 1996 as she was

too expensive to operate on a post-Cold War budget. The carrier was

purchased by India on 20 January 2004 after years of negotiations at a
final price of $2.35 billion. The ship successfully completed her sea

trials in July 2013 and aviation trials in September 2013. She was