Maharashtra INS Vikrant
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Docked in Mumbai's harbour for over five years is the ship Vikrant, Indian Navy's first Aircraft Carrier which was acquired in 1961 and decommissioned in 1994. Vikrant was originally laid out as a Carrier during WW-2 as HMS Hercules, but was never completed during the war. It was in the fifties that India acquired it for the Navy and it was the flagship of the Navy for years to come. Having taken part in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, the ship saw a major refit in the eighties with the addition of a Ski-Jump and requipping of its fighter squadron with the Sea Harrier. When it became economically unfeasible to operate the ageing carrier, the Indian Navy decommissioned the Vikrant in 1994, and it has been resting in the harbour ever since. Due to the fame it acquired during the 71 War and also due to legendary status the ship has acquired during its lifetime, the Maharashtra State government proposed to convert the Vikrant into a Maritime Museum. The process of converting the Vikrant into a museum is said to take atleast an year. |
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