In a major milestone, the Indian Navy on Thursday took delivery of the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant from the builder Cochin Shipyard Limited(CSL), Kochi. The ship has undergone all the mandatory trials and is likely to be commissioned into service by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month.
With the delivery of Vikrant, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier. The other countries are the US, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China.
Designed by Indian Navy's inhouse Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by the public sector CSL, the aircraft carrier costing about Rs 20,000 crores is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India's first Aircraft Carrier which played a vital role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Coinciding with the celebrations to commemorate 75th anniversary of India's independence 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the reincarnation of Vikrant is a true testimony to the country's zeal and fervour in pursuing capability build up towards enhanced maritime security, navy officials said here.
The 262 metre long carrier weighs 45,000 tonnes which is much larger and advanced than her predecessor. The ship is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 Knots.
The project progressed in three phases of contract between the defence ministry and the CSL, concluded in May 2007, Dec 2014 and Oct 2019 respectively.
The ship's keel was laid in February 2009, followed by launching in Aug 2013. With an overall indigenous content of 76 percent, the IAC is a perfect example of the nation's quest for "Aatma Nirbhar Bharat” and provides thrust to the 'Make in India' initiative.
Vikrant has been built with high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, and has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed wing and rotary aircraft. The ship will be capable of operating air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising of MIG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy).
Using a novel aircraft-operation mode known as STOBAR (Short Take- Off but Arrested Landing), the IAC is equipped with a ski- jump for launching aircraft, and a set of 'arrester wires' for their recovery onboard. The ship has large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country like Bharat Electronics Limited(BEL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited(BHEL), Garden Reach Ship and Engineers(GRSE), Keltron, Kirloskar, Larsen and Toubro and Wartsila as well as over 100 MSMEs. The indigenisation efforts has also led to development of ancillary industries, besides generation of employment opportunities and bolstering plough back effect on economy, both locally as well as pan-India. A major spin-off of this is the development and production of indigenous warship grade steel for the ship through a partnership between Navy, Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) and Steel Authority of India (SAIL), which has enabled the country to become self-sufficient with respect to warship steel. Today all the warships being built in the country are being manufactured using indigenous steel.