Amidst flowing superlatives like a ‘momentous occasion’ (AK Antony) and a ‘national initiative’ (retired Commodore K Subramaniam, the CMD, Cochin Shipyard Ltd), INS Vikrant, the country’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier was launched on Monday at Kochi, Kerala. The launch meant that it was taken out of the dry dock, where its hull, the lower and upper deck was built, and pontoon assisted float of the newly named ship was then moored in the refitting dock.
This is where the super structure of the carrier will be built in the next few years; another runway developed and hangars for the all the aircrafts (both fighter jets and helicopters) constructed. The carrier is expected to house 25-30 aircrafts and is expected to be commissioned in the Indian Navy by 2018.
From 2016, the fully constructed ship will be put through various phases of trials. The ship was dubbed Vikrant, also the name of the country’s first British-built aircraft carrier that went into service in 1961, and furloughed in early 1990s. The new Vikrant is expected to partially satisfy the navy’s long standing demand for three aircraft carriers.
The other aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is the renamed Russian cruiser, Admiral Gorshkov, that is now almost ready after many hiccups and a 100 per cent price hike.
Very soon, build will begin on the second indigenous aircraft carrier that is undergoing intense design exercises. That will be bigger than both Vikrant and Vikramaditya, displacing about 65,000 tonnes, and could have nuclear propulsion.
The recently acquired MiG-29s will be flying from both the aircraft carriers that will be in current operation. So will the naval LCAs when they come to be built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
With all these aircraft carriers raising the surf of the Indian Ocean, the country’s navy will become a formidable force. As it is, carriers that the navy will sail, will induct them in the select club of six nations that build and operate their own aircraft carriers. These are the USA, the UK, France, Russia, Italy.
This is where the super structure of the carrier will be built in the next few years; another runway developed and hangars for the all the aircrafts (both fighter jets and helicopters) constructed. The carrier is expected to house 25-30 aircrafts and is expected to be commissioned in the Indian Navy by 2018.
From 2016, the fully constructed ship will be put through various phases of trials. The ship was dubbed Vikrant, also the name of the country’s first British-built aircraft carrier that went into service in 1961, and furloughed in early 1990s. The new Vikrant is expected to partially satisfy the navy’s long standing demand for three aircraft carriers.
The other aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is the renamed Russian cruiser, Admiral Gorshkov, that is now almost ready after many hiccups and a 100 per cent price hike.
Very soon, build will begin on the second indigenous aircraft carrier that is undergoing intense design exercises. That will be bigger than both Vikrant and Vikramaditya, displacing about 65,000 tonnes, and could have nuclear propulsion.
The recently acquired MiG-29s will be flying from both the aircraft carriers that will be in current operation. So will the naval LCAs when they come to be built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
With all these aircraft carriers raising the surf of the Indian Ocean, the country’s navy will become a formidable force. As it is, carriers that the navy will sail, will induct them in the select club of six nations that build and operate their own aircraft carriers. These are the USA, the UK, France, Russia, Italy.