By Staff Correspondent
In a significant boost to self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commission the aircraft carrier IAC-1 (INS Vikrant) on 2 September in Cochin. PM Modi will officially induct the vessel to the Indian Navy at a specially arranged venue inside the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). The aircraft carrier will bolster India’s position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.
Indian Navy created maritime history on 28 July 2022 by taking delivery of the prestigious IAC-1 Vikrant from her builder CSL, Kochi. The warship is designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by CSL, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS).
The carrier was christened after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier (AC), which played a vital role in the 1971 war.
The 262-meter-long carrier has a total displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes which 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. Built at an overall cost of close to Rs. 20,000 Crores, the project has progressed in three Phases of contract between MoD and 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%, the IAC has been described as a perfect example of the nation’s quest for ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ and provides a thrust to Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. With the delivery of Vikrant, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an AC.
Vikrant has been described to have 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. The ship would be capable of operating an air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising 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 an acronym for 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 many indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), Keltron, Kirloskar, Larson & Toubro, Wartsila India etc. as well as over 100 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The indigenisation efforts have also led to the development of ancillary industries, generating employment opportunities and bolstering plough back effect on the economy, both locally and pan-India.
A significant spin-off of this is the development and production of indigenous warship-grade steel for the ship through a partnership between the Navy, DRDO and Steel Authority of India (SAIL), which has enabled the country to become self-sufficient concerning warship steel. Today all the warships in the country are manufactured using indigenous steel.
Several design iterations, including 3D Virtual Reality models and advanced engineering software, were used by the DND in shaping the carrier’s design. CSL had also upgraded their shipbuilding infrastructure and enhanced productivity skills during the ship’s building.
Delivery of Vikrant was marked by the signing of acceptance documents on behalf of the Indian Navy by the Commanding Officer Designate of Vikrant, representatives of Naval Headquarters and Warship Overseeing Team (Kochi) and by the Chairman and Managing Director on behalf of Cochin Shipyard Ltd., in the presence of Senior officers of Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard.
Vikrant had been delivered to the Indian Navy by CSL following extensive user acceptance trials conducted between Aug 2021 and Jul 2022, during which ship’s performance, including hull, main propulsion, PGD, auxiliary equipment, aviation facilities, weapon and sensors, as well as sea keeping and manoeuvring capabilities were proved satisfactory per trial protocols and system parameters.
The delivery of Vikrant is the culmination of a long design, build and trials phase, during which both the Indian Navy and CSL had to overcome a multitude of unprecedented technical and logistic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and changed geo-political scenario. The successful delivery of the indigenous carrier, a significant milestone activity and historical event, is testimony to the dedicated efforts of a large number of stakeholders within the Indian Navy, shipyard, industry, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and MSMEs for over two decades.
