Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, the oldest aircraft carrier in service in the world, might become an aircraft carrier museum. The last British-built ship in the Indian Navy is planned to be decommissioned after it participates in the International Fleet Review 2016, which will take place in February in Visakhapatnam , India.
The Indian Government said it received a letter from the Indian coastal district Dakshin Kannada for setting up an Aircraft Carrier Museum on INS Viraat, at Mangaluru.
Some other coastal states have also shown their interest. Accordingly, all the coastal State Governments including State Government of Karnataka have been requested to convey their commitment in view of large financial support required for this project.
The Centaur class Aircraft Carrier, INS Viraat was the flagship of the Indian Navy, before the INS Vikramaditya was commissioned in 2013. INS Viraat was completed and commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy’s HMS Hermes and was transferred to India in 1987.