Context
INS Vikrant, India’s first home built aircraft carrier has commenced sea trails, marking the most important milestone before its entry into service with the Navy next year.
About the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), p71
- The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is 262 m long, 62 m wide, and 59 m high including the superstructure.
- The Vikrant will be India’s second operational carrier along with INS Vikramaditya that was bought from Russia.
- Structure
- There are 14 decks, including five in the superstructure.
- The ship has over 2,300 compartments and is designed for a crew of around 1700 people. It also has specialized cabins to accommodate women officers.
- The ship has a very high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation, and survivability.
- Speed: ‘Vikrant’ has a top speed of about 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.
- The ship can accommodate an assortment of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
- Designed by: Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND).
- Built at: Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS).
- Indigeneous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) supports the “AtmaNirbhar Bharat” with more than 76% indigenous content.
The Snapshot
- In the works since 2009, to be commissioned in 2022
- IAC is: 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and height of 59 m
- Has 14 decks
- Has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers
- Top speed of around 28 knots and cruising speed of 18 knots
- Endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles
- 550 Indian firms including about 100 MSMEs worked with Cochin Shipyard Limited on the construction
- Will operate MiG-29K fighter aircraft, Kamov-31 Air Early Warning Helicopters, MH-60R multi-role helicopter and the indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters.
|
Strategic significance
- With the successful delivery of IAC, India would join the select group of nations (US, Russia, France, UK and China) with the capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier.
- It will be a real testimony to the ‘Make in India’ thrust of the Indian Government.
