Flight trials aboard indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant will start in November and the warship is expected to be fully operational along with its air wing by June 2023, navy vice chief, Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, said on Thursday at a press briefing.
Admiral Ghormade added that the navy is pushing for a second carrier that can be built faster using the ship-building expertise acquired during the construction of Vikrant.
Also Read| India’s indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant to be commissioned on Sept 2
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to commission Vikrant into the navy on September 2 in Kochi, where it was built.
Vikrant will strengthen India’s deterrence against China, the navy vice chief said. “It will provide the required deterrence against the growing strength of the neighbour. It will promote peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region,” he added.
According to Admiral Ghormade, the flight trials will involve the Russian-origin MiG-29K fighter jets that will use the ‘ski-jump’ to takeoff from Vikrant’s deck and will be recovered by arrestor wires, known as STOBAR — short takeoff but arrested recovery.
The navy’s vice chief said 12 MiG-29Ks are likely to be deployed on Vikrant along with a new deck-based fighter that the navy is looking to buy as an interim measure to meet its requirements before the indigenous twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) is ready. The navy’s existing aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya operates MiG-29K fighters.
{{/usCountry}}The navy’s vice chief said 12 MiG-29Ks are likely to be deployed on Vikrant along with a new deck-based fighter that the navy is looking to buy as an interim measure to meet its requirements before the indigenous twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) is ready. The navy’s existing aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya operates MiG-29K fighters.
{{/usCountry}}“Vikrant was designed for the MiG-29K. TEDBF will be the final aircraft, for which, we are working with the Defence Research Development Organisation and Aeronautical Development Agency. We will make it a success. Also, evaluation is underway to select the right deck-based fighter for the navy. It is only an interim arrangement.” he said. TEDBF could be ready in 5-7 years, he added.
Also Read| Competition heats up for naval fighter deal ahead of Vikrant’s commissioning
India plans to buy 26 new fighters for Vikrant through a government-to-government deal to meet the navy’s requirements, with US firm Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet competing against French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation’s Rafale-M for the order.
Vikrant, which has an indigenous content of 76%, will operate an air wing consisting of 30 aircraft including the new fighters, MiG-29Ks, Kamov-31 choppers, MH-60R multi-role helicopters and advanced light helicopters.
Asked to comment on the status of IAC-2, Ghormade said the warship-building ecosystem is ready for a second India-made carrier. “We have learnt a lot. The capability to build IAC-2 exists. It is being discussed with the government and the defence ministry. We will be able to cut down construction time when the approval comes and make it fully indigenous,” he said.
Cochin Shipyard chairman, Madhu S Nair, said the second carrier can be built faster. “We are ready. By early 2024, a new large dry dock will be ready at the shipyard for constructing big platforms.”
Construction of Vikrant began in 2009 at Cochin Shipyard. The 45,000-tonne carrier has been built at a cost of ₹20,000 crore. It has been named after aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, operated by the navy from 1961-1997.
Aside from India, only the US, UK, Russia, France and China have the capability to build aircraft carriers of this size so far.
India currently operates INS Vikramaditya, bought second-hand from Russia for $2.33 billion. The navy has been arguing it needs three such floating airfields given its vast area of interest.
“Building Vikrant has been a good learning experience. It will be meaningful only if we follow it up with a second IAC. Otherwise, the skill and expertise that we have acquired will die out, and it will be a huge national loss,” former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash had said on July 28, when Cochin Shipyard formally handed over Vikrant to the navy.
Vikrant will be the fourth aircraft carrier to be operated by the Indian Navy — the first Vikrant (British origin) 1961-1997; INS Viraat (British origin) 1987-2016; INS Vikramaditya 2013 onwards.
Vikrant is 262 metres long, has a height of 61 metres (keel to mast) and its flight deck measures 12,500 square metres (equivalent to 10 Olympic-size swimming pools). It has an endurance of 7,500 nautical miles, a maximum speed of 28 knots, 2,300 compartments and can carry a crew of 1,600.