While the United States Navy has 11 aircraft carriers, China too is moving ahead aggressively with its aircraft carrier programme. The expertise gained by the Navy and the country over the past 60 years in the “art of maritime aviation” should not be wasted either.
A third carrier will provide the Navy with surge capability, which will be essential in the future, they have argued.Īlso, it is argued that now that India has developed the capability to build such vessels, it should not be whittled away. The former Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat had spoken against investing in another aircraft carrier, and had suggested that the Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands could instead be developed as “unsinkable” naval assets.īut Navy officials have said that to defend the vast Indian Ocean Region, persistent air power is required day and night. Navy officials have argued that to project power, it is essential that India is able to venture far out on the oceans, which can be done best with an aircraft carrier.įor the government to be convinced of the need for IAC-2, however, a “change in mindset” is required, sources in the Navy had told The Indian Express earlier. Former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh had said that the Navy could not remain a “tethered force”. The Navy has been trying to convince the government of the “operational necessity” of having a third carrier. This proposed carrier, to be named ‘INS Vishal’, is intended to be a giant 65,000-tonne vessel, much bigger than both IAC-1 and the ‘INS Vikramaditya’. Since 2015, the Navy has been seeking approval to build a third aircraft carrier for the country, which, if approved, will become India’s second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2). (Source: Indian Navy) Now that India has shown the capability, will it build more carriers? Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1) at sea.
It boasts a fully-fledged state of the art medical complex with the latest medical equipment facilities including major modular OT, emergency modular OT, physiotherapy clinic, ICU, laboratories, CT scanner, X-Ray machines, dental complex, isolation ward and telemedicine facilities, the release said. The carrier is equipped with the latest state of the art equipment and systems. The carrier is designed with a very high degree of automation for machinery operations, ship navigation and survivability. The ship has around 2,200 compartments designed for a crew of around 1,600, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and sailors. The 262 m long and 62 m wide ‘Vikrant’ displaces approximately 43,000 tonnes when fully loaded, and has a maximum designed speed of 28 knots (about 52 km/h) with an endurance of 7500 NM, the Navy said. What else will be there on the new ‘Vikrant’? The indigenisation efforts led to the development of ancillary industries, and generated employment opportunities for 2,000 CSL personnel and about 13,000 employees in ancillary industries, thus bolstering the plough-back effect on the nation’s economy, the release said.
This includes 23,000 tonnes of steel, 2,500 km of electric cables, 150 km of pipes, and 2,000 valves, and a wide range of finished products including rigid hull boats, galley equipment, air-conditioning and refrigeration plants, and steering gear.Īccording to the official release, major Indian industrial houses, viz., BEL, BHEL, GRSE, Keltron, Kirloskar, L&T, Wartsila India, etc., as well as over 100 MSMEs were involved in building of the indigenous equipment and machinery on board. The indigenous content of the project is approximately 76%, the Navy has said. It said that a major spin-off of building the indigenous aircraft carrier has been that the country has become self-sufficient with respect to warship steel. The warship-grade steel required for the construction of the IAC-1 was indigenised through Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in collaboration with Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Indian Navy, the Navy said. (PTI Photo/File) What indigenous components does the new ‘Vikrant’ have? In its official release on August 25, the Navy said: “The induction and reincarnation of ‘Vikrant’ is…not only another step towards strengthening our defence preparedness but also our humble tribute to the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters for the independence of the nation and our brave soldiers during the 1971 war.” The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1) in Kochi. Last year, as the IAC-1 started her first sea trial, the Navy hailed the “proud and historic day for India as the reincarnated ‘Vikrant’ sails for her maiden sea trials…, in the 50th year of her illustrious predecessor’s key role in victory in the 1971 war”.
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