INS Viraat to be decommissioned in 2016.

[Koovie]

I don't think Indian navy will allow for casino but yes museum is what you can expect like old Ins Vikrant was till very recent.

Depends if somebody is ready to buy it... the IN is certainly not gonna waste tons of money in to upkeep a museum

 

[Abingdonboy]

Does that mean sea harrier fleet will be retired too? Anyway Ins Vikramaditya has taken charge of western fleet and upcoming Ins Vikrant will arrive in 3 years too so better we retire Viraat.

I guess upgraded ones having BVR can protect our shore based naval facilities in times of war at least. Since they are jump jets they don't require dedicated tarmac to take off.

The main argument for scrapping her now is the Sea Harriers are too few in number to be worth maintaining (7-8) so yes, they will be gone next year also. There is no question of keeping them around for anything else after the Viraat is decommissioned.

cant it be turned into casino or something like that for tourist???

for god sake please dont sell it for scraper please please

End of an era & i hope the navy turns it into a museum

Agreed. It should be turned into museum.

Unless some private entity is willing to purchase her and pay for her conversion into a museum and subsequent upkeep she will meet the same fate of the Vikrant and I fully expect this given what happened with the Vikrant.

To be honest I'm rather indifferent to the Viraat, I'd much prefer to have had the Vikrant turned into a museum given the role she played in the 1971 war.

 

[sancho]

The main argument for scrapping her now is the Sea Harriers are too few in number to be worth maintaining (7-8) so yes, they will be gone next year also. There is no question of keeping them around for anything else after the Viraat is decommissioned.

The main reason is not the lack of fighters, but the technical condition of the carrier itself and the huge ammount of costs it requires to keep it maintainable. It was more in the dock than out at sea in the recent years, so hardly of any use other than to say IN has a carrier.
If the condition would be better, it still could be used as an helicopter carrier, in disaster relief or amphibious operations.

 

[nair]

The main reason is not the lack of fighters, but the technical condition of the carrier itself and the huge ammount of costs it requires to keep it maintainable. It was more in the dock than out at sea in the recent years, so hardly of any use other than to say IN has a carrier.
If the condition would be better, it still could be used as an helicopter carrier, in disaster relief or amphibious operations.

The question is does viraat has the power left in her.....

 

[sancho]

The question is does viraat has the power left in her.....

Doubtful, as said it was more in the docks for repair than anything else. The Harriers on the other side might still be used, be it from INS Vikramaditya or shore bases.