News Analysis India

Tag: Aircraft carrier

  • Ambiguity continues over status of Navy’s third aircraft carrier

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The ambiguity over Indian Navy’s third aircraft carrier continues even as China is adding to its maritime might. The Navy has been strongly pushing for a third aircraft carrier. The proposed indigenous aircraft carrier-2 (IAC-2, expected to be 65-70,000 tonnes) will supplement INS Vikramaditya (46,000 tonnes), and INS Vikrant, the 44,500-tonne IAC-1 that is expected to join service this month after almost a six-year delay.

    The Navy has been maintaining the three carriers-based force structure so that it can operate two of them in maritime zones on each side of the Indian coastline — eastern and western coasts. This can only happen when the Navy has three carriers as one can be used as a substitute when either of the first two undergoes maintenance. 

    Aircraft carriers are known to have lengthy maintenance schedules. The cycle of maintenance can lead to an absence of a carrier for years, as has been the case with the refit of India’s lone Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya which started in the beginning of 2021 and still continues. It has been delayed due to a fire onboard in July.

    With one aircraft carrier still under maintenance and one yet to be inducted, the Indian Navy will be operating without one for some more time. 

    This is the state of affairs when China has been successful beating deadlines in adding to its military might. It started manufacturing its first aircraft carrier in 2012 and commissioned its third indigenous one, Fujian, in June this year.

    China has become the biggest Navy with 355 warships and submarines while India’s total fleet strength is 130. “Keeping in mind our pace, even if we take a decision on the carrier today, it will take over a year to begin the process of manufacturing,” said a defence source.

    NEW DELHI: The ambiguity over Indian Navy’s third aircraft carrier continues even as China is adding to its maritime might. The Navy has been strongly pushing for a third aircraft carrier. The proposed indigenous aircraft carrier-2 (IAC-2, expected to be 65-70,000 tonnes) will supplement INS Vikramaditya (46,000 tonnes), and INS Vikrant, the 44,500-tonne IAC-1 that is expected to join service this month after almost a six-year delay.

    The Navy has been maintaining the three carriers-based force structure so that it can operate two of them in maritime zones on each side of the Indian coastline — eastern and western coasts. This can only happen when the Navy has three carriers as one can be used as a substitute when either of the first two undergoes maintenance. 

    Aircraft carriers are known to have lengthy maintenance schedules. The cycle of maintenance can lead to an absence of a carrier for years, as has been the case with the refit of India’s lone Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya which started in the beginning of 2021 and still continues. It has been delayed due to a fire onboard in July.

    With one aircraft carrier still under maintenance and one yet to be inducted, the Indian Navy will be operating without one for some more time. 

    This is the state of affairs when China has been successful beating deadlines in adding to its military might. It started manufacturing its first aircraft carrier in 2012 and commissioned its third indigenous one, Fujian, in June this year.

    China has become the biggest Navy with 355 warships and submarines while India’s total fleet strength is 130. “Keeping in mind our pace, even if we take a decision on the carrier today, it will take over a year to begin the process of manufacturing,” said a defence source.

  • India should use its island territories as aircraft carrier

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  To ramp up the country’s security ring in the Indian Ocean in the backdrop of worrisome Chinese activities, India should utilise its island territories and use the peninsular mainland territory to its optimum, says a senior government official.

    Commenting on the third aircraft carrier for Indian Navy, the official said: “India should develop its island territory as an unsinkable aircraft carrier and also use the peninsular landmass jutting into the Indian Ocean to its advantage.”

    On the Chinese threat in the Indian Ocean with a possible deployment of its aircraft carrier in the future, the official said China has other areas which need focus. “The Chinese have other priorities such as Taiwan and Japan before they can come to Indian Ocean. And if they try to deploy a carrier, we are capable enough to handle them, he added.

    The Indian Navy has been pitching for the third aircraft carrier for long. The logic put across is that the country should have at least two active carriers at any given time. In such a case availability of three aircraft carriers will give options of deploying one each on the eastern and western seaboard and the third can be put to the maintenance and repair cycle. 

    China has been constructing aircraft carriers at a fast pace with a projected plan to operate 10 carriers by 2050. At present their third and most advanced aircraft carrier is being built with the first one, Liaoning, being commissioned in 2012 and second, Shandong, ready in 2019.

  • India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant sets off for sea trials from Kochi

    By Express News Service

    KOCHI: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC 1), which is expected to be inducted into the Indian Navy as INS Vikrant during the first half of 2022, has set off for sea trials from Kochi on Wednesday. The Navy in a tweet described the moment as a proud and historic day for the nation. It is the largest and most complex warship ever to be designed and built in India.

    The design of the aircraft carrier began in 1999, and the keel was laid in February 2009. The carrier was floated out of its dry dock on 29 December 2011 and was launched on August 12, 2013. The basin trials were completed in December 2020. The combat capability of the aircraft carrier is expected to add formidable capabilities and help secure India’s maritime interests in the region.

    The 40,000 tonne vessel set off from Kochi Port at 9.30 am on Wednesday. A big team of 1,200 people, comprising Navy officers, engineers from Cochin Shipyard, original equipment manufacturers and experts have boarded the aircraft carrier and the team will be analysing the performance of various equipment on board the vessel for the next three months. The functioning of propulsion system, power generation and distribution system, turbines and other equipment will be evaluated.

    The 40,000 tonne aircraft carrier was built at Cochin Shipyard at a cost of Rs 23,000 crore. The vessel has 75 percent indigenous equipment and is the most complex warship ever built by India. After completing sea trials, the Navy will start flight trials of fighter jets and helicopters to be operated from the deck of IAC. The Navy will be operating Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Chetak helicopters, MH-60R multirole helicopters and MiG-29K fighter jets from the deck of the aircraft carrier.