Navy takes delivery of Made-in-India aircraft carrier 'Vikrant'

Warship maker Cochin Shipyard Limited on Thursday delivered Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 'Vikrant' to the Indian Navy for commissioning next month. The carrier, which was designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, has been christened after her illustrious predecessor, India's first Aircraft Carrier, which played a vital role in the 1971 war. 

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Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 'Vikrant'

The aircraft carrier is 262 meter-long with a full displacement of around  45,000 tonnes. It is much larger and more advanced than her predecessor. The ship is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 knots. It has been constructed at an overall cost of around Rs 20,000 crore.

The defence ministry and Cochin Shipyard Limited inked a pact in May 2007, and the warship's keel was laid in February 2009, followed by launching in August 2013. Aiming to realise the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, about 76 per cent of indigenous content was used in constructing the carrier.

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"IAC is a perfect example of the nation's quest for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and provides thrust to Government's Make in India initiative," an Indian Navy spokesperson said.

With its delivery, India now joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to design and build an aircraft carrier indigenously.

IAC Vikrant has been built with a 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. 

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The ship would 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. 

Before being delivered to the Indian Navy, Vikrant underwent several sea trials between August 2021 and July 2022, during which ship's performance, including hull, auxiliary equipment, aviation facilities, main propulsion, PGD, weapon and sensors, as well as sea keeping and manoeuvring capabilities were proved satisfactory in accordance with trial protocols and system parameters. 

Its induction into the Indian Navy would bolster India's position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.