New Delhi: India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant’ – the largest warship to have ever been built in India – will be commissioned on September 2, 2022, the Ministry of Defence stated today.
Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB), the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier which played a vital role in the 1971 war.
‘Vikrant’ means victorious and gallant, the foundation for prestigious IAC was firmly established in April 2005 by ceremonial Steel Cutting. In order to push the indigenisation drive, the Warship grade steel required for the construction of IAC was successfully indigenised through the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Indian Navy. The hull fabrication progressed thereafter and the ship’s keel was laid in February 2009. The first phase of ship construction was completed with the successful launch of the ship in August 2013.
The 262 metres long and 62 metres wide ‘Vikrant’ displaces approximately 43000 Tonnes when fully loaded, having a maximum designed speed of 28 Knots with an endurance of 7500 Nautical Miles. The ship has around 2200 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1600 that include specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and sailors. The carrier is designed with a very high degree of automation for machinery operations, ship navigation and survivability. The carrier is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art equipment and systems. The ship boasts a fully-fledged state-of-the-art Medical Complex with the latest medical equipment facilities that include a major modular Operation Theatre (OT), emergency modular OT, physiotherapy clinic, ICU, laboratories, CT scanner, X-Ray machines, Dental complex, Isolation ward and telemedicine facilities among other facilities.
The ship would be capable of operating an 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 Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR), the IAC is equipped with a ski-jump for launching aircraft, and a set of three ‘arrester wires’ for their recovery onboard.
In spite of COVID-related imponderables and restrictions, adversely affecting the availability of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and supply chain, the readiness of the ship’s propulsion and power generation equipment/ systems in the harbour was tested as part of Basin Trials on November 20.
‘Vikrant’ has successfully completed multiple phases of Sea Trials from August 21 to date, where the ship’s performance, including the response of the ship’s hull to various conditions of operations, manoeuvring trials, main propulsion, Power Generation and Distribution (PGD), ship’s Navigation and Communication systems, endurance testing of propulsion machinery, electrical & electronic suites, deck machinery, lifesaving appliances, integrated trials of a majority of equipment/ systems and trials of other auxiliary equipment were ascertained and proved to the satisfaction of Indian Navy’s trials team and ship’s crew.
In line with the prevailing practices being followed by other advanced countries having experience in building Aircraft Carrier, the deck integration trials of fixed-wing aircraft and exploitation of Aviation Facility Complex will be carried out post commissioning of the ship when the operational command & control of the ship including flight safety is with the Navy.
‘Vikrant’ has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country viz. BEL, BHEL, GRSE, Keltron, Kirloskar, L&T, Wartsila India etc. as well as over 100 MSMEs. The indigenisation efforts have also led to the development of ancillary industries, besides the generation of employment opportunities for 2000 CSL personnel and about 13000 employees in ancillary industries.
A major spin-off of building an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is the development and production of indigenous warship grade steel for the ship through a partnership between the Navy, DRDO and SAIL, which has enabled the country to become self-sufficient with respect to warship steel. The indigenous content of the project is approximately 76%.
With the commissioning of ‘Vikrant’ on September 2, 2022, India would join the select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier.
The induction and reincarnation of ‘Vikrant’ is thus not only another step towards strengthening our defence preparedness but also a humble tribute to the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters for the independence of the nation and our brave soldiers during the 1971 war, the Ministry said.
– global bihari bureau
