Indian Navy gets delivery of aircraft carrier 'Vikrant'

KOCHI: Indian Navy took the delivery of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 'Vikrant' from Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi on Thursday.

"Indian Navy has created maritime history today by taking delivery of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (AC) 'Vikrant from her builder Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. 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 is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India's first Aircraft Carrier which played a vital role in the 1971 war. Coinciding with the celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India's independence 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the reincarnation of Vikrant is a true testimony to the country's zeal and fervour in pursuing capability build up towards enhanced maritime security," said the Indian Navy.

With an overall indigenous content of 76 per cent, IAC is 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 Aircraft Carrier.

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. 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 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.

The ship has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country viz. BEL, BHEL, GRSE, Keltron, Kirloskar, Larsen & Toubro, 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 and bolstering plough back effect on the economy, both locally as well as pan-India. A major 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 with respect to warship steel. Today all the warships being built in the country are being manufactured using indigenous steel, added the Navy.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier would soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy as Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant which would bolster India's position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.