Navy writes to 9 shipyards for new aircraft carrier project

The Navy has asked nine Indian shipyards to respond by July 21 to a potential tender for building the country’s largest warship, the second indigenous aircraft carrier or IAC-2.

The Navy has asked nine Indian shipyards to respond by July 21 to a potential tender for building the country’s largest warship, the second indigenous aircraft carrier or IAC-2.

Ships anchored at Cochin Shipyard in Kerala. The shipyard, a state-owned company, has capacity to build large vessels. (File Photo)

Expression of intent has been sought from Mazagon Dock Limited, Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Cochin Shipyard Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilder and Engineers and private sector yards Pipavav, Larsen & Toubro, ABG and Bharti, a navy officer said on Friday.

But not all are likely to respond as building a 65,000-tonne carrier is quite complex. The IAC-II will use the catapult assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system for launching and recovery of aircraft. The navy officer said “latest launch systems” could also be considered, hinting at a US technology of offer.

India and the US have set up a working group to explore carrier technology. The US has offered the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), developed by General Atomics, to expand the operational capability of the IAC-2. The Gerald R Ford, to be commissioned into the US Navy next year, will be the world’s first carrier to use the EMALS.

The IAC-2 (to be named Vishal), which will carry up to 50 aircraft, follows the 40,000-tonne IAC-1(Vikrant) being built at the Cochin Shipyard and scheduled for induction in 2018-19. India will be the fifth country to have designed and built aircraft carriers of this size.