INS Airavat (L24)

INS Airavat (L24) is the third amphibious warfare vessel of the Shardul class of the Indian Navy.

History

INS Airavat was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata. She began sea trials in July 2008 after completing basin trials in May. The ship was commissioned at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam on 19 May 2009, by the Chief of Naval Staff , Admiral Sureesh Mehta. She is named after, the mythological elephant Airavat, the mount of god Indra.

Safety features aboard the Airavat include anti-roll Flume Stabilisation System, smoke curtains to impede spreading of smoke and toxic gases in case of fire, as well as battle damage control systems. Fully loaded, she can operate independently at high seas for up to 45 days.

While designed for amphibious assault operations, Airavat can also be utilized for Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) missions during natural calamities, including tsunamis, cyclones, earthquakes, etc. She includes a full-functioning hospital on-board, as well as can provide stern refueling for other naval vessels.

Most of the equipment on board has been supplied by Indian companies, including Bharat Electronics Limited, HAL, Keltron, Larsen & Toubro, Kirloskar, Godrej, etc.

Deployments

11 July 2011, the Airavat made a goodwill visit to Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

References

External links

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