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| Viraat at Sea |
Centaur Class
They were initially
planned as a class of eight vessels; an intermediate in
size between the war built Colossus and Majestic class light carriers and the planned
Audacious class fleet carriers. Unfortunately World War II was no different from any other period of
long hostility, when it ended - work was suspended; with the last four of class
being cancelled outright, whilst the first four vessels were left to be completed
in time. Taking the better part of 2 decades to finnish constrcution. Although to be fair this was not just due to funding issues, the post war period was
a period of such change and development in naval aviation, let alone aviation
as whole that many new technologies had to be inserted into their design and modifications made. Therefore, it was unsurprising that upon their completion the individual
vessels differed greatly from each other; expressing each of the various
thoughts on naval aviation which were prevalent at the time in their own way.
HMS Centaur was the first to be completed, hence class was named for her, but she was commissioned in 1954. Centaur featured an axial flight deck (aircraft land and take off on the same axis, Figure 26) and was thus unsuitable for operating the jets which at that time were rapidly supplanting the traditional piston engine aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm. So upon commissioning Centaur was sent to Portsmouth Dockyard for six months, emerging, after a not insubstantial reconstruction with an angled (or co-axial/two direction) flight deck. Centaur’s service life was short though; she was decommissioned in 1964 and scrapped in 1965...principally because it was uneconomical to keep on modifying her in comparision to other available vessels.
Figure 26. HMS Centaur in her original axial design
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HMS Hermes
The final vessel in the four Centaurs, was originally names HMS Elephant, but in an unusual volte-face the Admiralty changes its mind; and she was called Hermes (the name had originally been selected for the last of the class anyway). Hermes was/is special, not just because she had a longer service life than any of her sisters in British hands; she has in fact had the longest service history of any British Aircraft Carrier; she was completed in 1959 and this piece is written in 2009, thus it 50 years and this author knows at this moment still counting.
The final vessel in the four Centaurs, was originally names HMS Elephant, but in an unusual volte-face the Admiralty changes its mind; and she was called Hermes (the name had originally been selected for the last of the class anyway). Hermes was/is special, not just because she had a longer service life than any of her sisters in British hands; she has in fact had the longest service history of any British Aircraft Carrier; she was completed in 1959 and this piece is written in 2009, thus it 50 years and this author knows at this moment still counting.
Initially HMS
Hermes was employed as a light attack carrier by the Royal Navy, but it was
converted to the commando carrier role after its sister Albion was retired, in
the 1970s. This change was short lived, and Hermes
was returned to its original role of operating fixed wing aircraft by the
beginning of the following decade. To facilitate this role, Hermes was fitted
with a ski-jump; enabling it to operate the then new Sea Harrier aircraft. It
was in this configuration that HMS Hermes
saw action and active service in the 1982 Falklands War; acting as both the
flagship and principle strike of the aircraft carrier task force.
Summation of History
Hermes survived the longest as a
conventional carrier and survived the longest in service of the Royal Navy,
even operating the Blackburn Buccaneer. However, there was no chance of Hermes being able to operate the
Phantom FG.1 due to its modifications.
Overall though, the Centaur’s were unusual as a class of naval vessel, in that they proved most successful in roles that they were not originally designed for; for example Albion and Bulwark's helicopter assault capability which was world leading... and the loss of which in 1980 was just as important a factor in the Argentinian Junta's decision to launch the Falklands war as the retirement of the Ark Royal in 1978 and the announced retirement of the Falklands patrol ship, Endurance. It left a horrendous gap in the ability of British government to project power globally or even to conduct expeditionary operations - it was a gap which was only partially filled when HMS Ocean was commissioned in 1998. It's also true that the loss of the last ‘semi-proper’ carrier, HMS Hermes, has had truly damaging effect long term on the Royal Navy and the role it has played in recent history, something which the new Queen Elizabeth’s with their greater potential in comparision to the Invincibles, might go some way to correcting.
Outline of Design
Overall though, the Centaur’s were unusual as a class of naval vessel, in that they proved most successful in roles that they were not originally designed for; for example Albion and Bulwark's helicopter assault capability which was world leading... and the loss of which in 1980 was just as important a factor in the Argentinian Junta's decision to launch the Falklands war as the retirement of the Ark Royal in 1978 and the announced retirement of the Falklands patrol ship, Endurance. It left a horrendous gap in the ability of British government to project power globally or even to conduct expeditionary operations - it was a gap which was only partially filled when HMS Ocean was commissioned in 1998. It's also true that the loss of the last ‘semi-proper’ carrier, HMS Hermes, has had truly damaging effect long term on the Royal Navy and the role it has played in recent history, something which the new Queen Elizabeth’s with their greater potential in comparision to the Invincibles, might go some way to correcting.
Outline of Design
Figure 29. INS VIRAAT as it was commissioned in the Indian Navy
It was in 1985
therefore that the Indian Navy acquired the by then already vintage British Centaur class aircraft carrier HMS Hermes[2].
The purchase only happened after the Indian Government, agreed the costs of
purchase and the extent of its refit; an extensive development. Two years later, on the 12 May 1987 the former HMS Hermes was commissioned as the INS Viraat into the Indian Navy. The vessel was fitted out with a compliment
of Sea Harrier VSTOL jump jets and Sea Kings; an air group composition much the same as HMS Hermes had carried in the Falklands. Upon completion of the refit,
there was also slight increase in the full load displacement of INS Viraat over HMS Hermes, to 28,700 tons and but the vessel retained her steam
turbines with 76,000 shaft horsepower.
During the
period 1999-2001 INS Viraat underwent
major repairs, refitting and other necessary improvements with the aim of
allowing the ship have 10 years more service. This work was mostly carried out
in the dry dock at Kochi. The most important of all the upgrades was the
installation of the Barak missile defence system, a new radar suite,
communications system, and strengthened elevators. Unfortunately though the
extensive work did not allow for smooth sailing, and the Viraat had be tugged back dry dock a little over 18 months after this
was finished. Viraat had to be tugged
back to dry dock for a rehab barely two years after an extensive
life-extension, which was intended to give it a 10-year lease of life. The Viraat was unavailable to the Navy for
two years during this period.
Weapon Systems/Sensors
Figure 31. Barak Missile VLS on
the INS Viraat
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| Barak Missile on Display |
The Barak system
is further reinforced in its role of providing the last line of defence for the Viraat by two 40mm Bofors guns; weapons
which also provide defence against any small boats which penetrate the escort
perimeter. The fire control for the Bofors was installed in the INS Viraat’s 1996, a pair of Plessey Type
904 radars at I/J-band frequency. One of these radars however was replaced,
when the Barak system was installed, by its EL/M-2221 STGR radar.
Aircraft Carried
When the Viraat was sold to the Indian government it was sold along with a quantity of sea harriers; aircraft which have already been described[3]; the current air group includes 12 or 18 of the aforementioned Sea Harrier V/STOL fighters compliment by seven or a eight Sea King or Kamov 'Hormone' ASW helicopters or AEW. In emergencies, the Viraat can operate up to 30 Harriers as she did in the 1982 Falklands War.
History of Service
Figure 32. Viraat + Nimitz at sea
The Indian Navy evaluated vessels
from several countries; particularly the Garibaldi
class of Italian ships, Hermes was
decided upon. The vessel, as has been stated, underwent a very extensive refit
in the Devonport Dockyard to allow for a minimum of another decades operation. Even
with this extensive refit, accidents happen, and in September 1993, the
engine room of Viraat flooded;
temporarily putting the vessel out of service for 15 months. However, the
extend time in drydock was taken advantage off by the Indian Navy to install a new
search radar; it was back in service with this radar in 1995.
During the next few years Viraat became a regular sight operating
as parts of Indian navy task groups in the Indian ocean, the wear and tear of
this service is testified to by the fact that between July 1999 and April 2001,
INS Viraat completed another life-extension refit. This refit was required to
extend here life expectancy to at least 2010. The largest changes were in
propulsion and sensory systems; but it also included a new communications suite,
upgraded weapons, a further new long range surveillance radar and fire curtains.
Although it only officially
returned to service in July 2001, and was still in refit in April, INS Viraat
was a key part (for the Indian navy) in the International Fleet Review in
Mumbai in February 2001. This event was marked by Wing commander Ashoka
Padmanabhan’s flight pass in a Tigermoth-B970. However, perhaps due to
distraction of this pomp, the vessel had to be towed back to dry dock for another
refit in mid-2003, with propulsion problems. In usual fashion the Indian Navy
took advantage of Viraat’s enforced
dock time to fit the Barak SAM, Viraat
successfully returned to service only in November 2004.
The Viraat’s return to form was typified
by her performance during the joint Indo-US Exercise Malabar 2005; in which she
performed according to all observers in a most proficient manor. This was put
down to the qualities of her crew, although many also said that the quality of
the ship and its equipment outfit had a role to play in this. Malabar was a
‘full war’ exercise, so Viraat was fitted out with her wartime ‘official’
compliment of aircraft, and marines (she is still fitted out with LCVPs for
operating in the Commando Carrier role).
These capabilities and her size means that INS Viraat is, unlike the
case with most dual missioned naval vessels, very well suited for carrying out
her two missions. The primary is supporting amphibious operations, with both
strike aircraft and helicopters; the other is the conducting ASW operations and
fleet defence. As Flagship though, its primary, overriding role in Indian
policy is that of projecting Indian power and presence anywhere it is required in
the South Asia region.
After four year service, Viraat moved into Cochin Shipyard's dry
dock late in 2008 to undergo the mandatory maintenance refit and repair and it will
stayed there until the end of June 2009. After the end of this refit/repair
period there have been very official rumours that the Viraat might still be in service in 2015; meaning including the period
of service as Hermes with the British
Royal Navy, the vessel has served 55 years, well over the 25 years service
originally planned. All in all Viraat’s
continued service suggest that those who felt she was no longer viable for the
Royal Navy in 1985 were very, very wrong.
Figure 33 Viraat at sea
[2]
There are reports that this annoyed the Russians as they had been hoping to sell the Indians a vessel... although considering the time that has been taken with the Vikramaditya class transfer, perhaps it was a sensible decision.
[3]
(p24 -25)
I found this on an old pen drive and decided to put it up... I did run a spell check, both in word and on this... anyway am thinking of restarting the series, in which case the next post will be on the Gerald R Ford class carrier.
