INS Viraat: Oldest Serving Aircraft Carrier to be Decommissioned Today

Mumbai: INS Viraat, the second and the oldest serving aircraft carrier, will be decommissioned on Monday after serving the Indian Navy for nearly 30 years.

After the decommissioning of INS Viraat, the Indian Navy will be short of two aircraft carriers as INS Vikrant has already been decommissioned

Under her new name and flag, INS Viraat was commissioned into the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987.

It is the longest serving ship in the history, an official communication from the Western Naval Command said.

"INS Viraat is the second centaur class aircraft carrier in service which has spent 30 years in the Indian Navy and before that 27 years in the Royal Navy of UK," Vice Admiral Girish Luthra said.

Asked about the future of the ship, Luthra said the decision will be taken by the Union government.

According to reports the aircraft carrier will be broken up in four months if there's no buyer.

The warship sailed under her own power for the last time from Mumbai to Kochi in July 2016. Last October she was towed out of Kochi and brought back to Mumbai where she will be formally decommissioned at a ceremony.

The ceremonies of the Guinness Record holder warship shall be commemorated by releasing a book on her history, and a Special Cover by Army Postal Service.

(With PTI inputs)