The first made-in-India aircraft carrier, known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1), whose construction began in 2009, started sea trials (one of the last phases of trials) on August 4, 2021 and successfully completed it on August 8, 2021 in Kochi. The first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier, IAC-1 will be one of the most potent marine assets for the nation. Once in service, it will enhance Indian Navy’s capability to travel far from its home shores to carry out air domination operations, and will be known as INS Vikrant. Its combat capability, reach, and versatility will enhance formidable capabilities in the defence of the country and help secure India’s interests in the maritime domain. With more than 76 per cent indigenous components, it is expected to be commissioned into the Indian Navy by August 2022 after it completes the aviation trials.
According to experts, having an aircraft carrier is essential for a navy to be considered a ‘blue water’ navy for being capable to project a nation’s strength and power across the high seas. Generally, an aircraft carrier leads as the capital ship of a carrier strike/battle group. It is usually escorted in the group by destroyers, missile cruisers, frigates, submarines, and supply ships because it is a valuable and sometimes a vulnerable target.
The IAC is being built at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and is designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of National Design (DND).
Around 550 Indian firms including about 100 MSMEs were registered with the Cochin Shipyard Limited to provide various services in the construction of the IAC.
Significance of IAC-1
IAC-1 is of great value for India that has emerged as the crown jewel of Indian naval shipbuilding. It also makes India the World’s ninth country after Britain, China, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, and the US to indigenously design, build, and integrate an aircraft carrier. With the success of IAC-1, India has now joined this elite club and demonstrated its capacity and self-reliance to build what is considered to be one of the most advanced and complex battleships in the world.
Over 76 per cent of the material and equipment on board IAC-1 is indigenous, including 23,000 tonnes of steel, 2,500 km of electric cables, 150 km of pipes, 2,000 valves, and a wide range of finished products including rigid hull boats, galley equipment, air-conditioning, refrigeration plants, and steering gear. Over 50 Indian manufacturers were directly involved in the project, and about 2,000 Indians received direct employment on board IAC-1 every day. Over 40,000 others were employed indirectly.
As per Navy calculations, about 80–85 per cent of the project cost (approximately ₹ 23,000 crore) has been ploughed back into the Indian economy.
India’s earlier aircraft carriers were either built by the British or the Russians. Currently, the Navy’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, was commissioned in 2013 started out as the Soviet-Russian Admiral Gorshkov. Earlier, two carriers—INS Vikrant and INS Viraat—had been commissioned into the Navy in 1961 and 1987, which were originally British-built HMS Hercules and HMS Hermes.
Salient Features of IAC-1
Though the Indian Navy has not officially revealed specific details of the weapons and aircraft that the future INS Vikrant will carry, the new warship is comparable to India’s existing carrier INS Vikramaditya, which is a 44,500-tonne vessel capable of carrying up to 34 aircraft, including both fighter jets and helicopters. It will be “the most potent sea-based asset”, which will operate the Russian-made MiG-29K fighter aircraft and Kamov-31 Air Early Warning Helicopters, both of which are already in use on the INS Vikramaditya. It will also operate the soon-to-be-inducted American-built MH-60R Seahawk multirole helicopters, and the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), built by Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
IAC-1 will offer an incomparable military instrument and project air power over long distances, including air interdiction (AI), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), offensive counter-air (OCA) and defensive counter-air (DCA), airborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and airborne early warning (AEW). With 2,300 compartments, it consists of 14 decks and can accommodate 1,700 people. It also has specialised cabins to accommodate women officers. Its cruising speed will be 18 knots, whereas it will run at a top speed of 28 knots, and can endure up to 7,500 nautical miles. The 262 metres long, 62 metres wide carrier is claimed to be the largest ship built at the Cochin Shipyard. The weight of the state-of-art aircraft carrier is 40,000 tonnes and the height is 59 metres.
Nomenclature of the Warship
INS Vikrant was the name of India’s much-loved first aircraft carrier, a Majestic-class 19,500-tonne warship, which was a source of immense national pride over several decades of service. Acquired from the United Kingdom in 1961, it played a stellar role in the 1971 war with Pakistan leading to the birth of Bangladesh. It was decommissioned in 1997.
Navy’s Future Plan
The Navy has been seeking approval to build a third aircraft, which, if approved, will become India’s second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2), and it will be known as INS Vishal. It is intended to be a giant 65,000-tonne vessel. As per Navy officials, if India approves the IAC-2 project, it will be over 10 years before the warship is commissioned.
However, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who is tasked with prioritising acquisition for the armed forces, has a different opinion in this regard. He is of the view that Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar islands should be developed as “unsinkable” Naval assets instead of investing in another carrier.
Global Scenario
While the United States Navy has 11 aircraft carriers, China too is moving ahead aggressively with its aircraft carrier programme. It has two carriers now, a third is in the making, and another two are likely to be commissioned within a decade. Besides, Italy and the United Kingdom have two each, whereas Thailand, Spain, Russia, and France have one each. Thus, there are a total of 22 aircraft carriers right now in service, the world over.
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