Vikrant is India’s most complex warship to have been indigenously built by Cochin Shipyard for the Indian Navy.
Cochin Shipyard Limited is the largest public sector shipyard and the only shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
About Vikrant
The launching of the IAC in Aug 2013 had catapulted the nation into the elite League of Nations capable of designing and building an Aircraft Carrier.
It is the first time in the country that a ship of the size of an Aircraft Carrier is completely modeled in 3D and production drawings extracted from the 3D model.
The IAC is the largest warship built in the country having a displacement of about 40,000 tonnes.
The Aircraft Carrier is a mini floating city, with a flight deck area covering the size of two football fields.
INS Vikrant, is likely to be commissioned in 2022.
At present, India has only one aircraft carrier, the Russian-origin INS Vikramaditya.
The vessel is named Vikrant after the decommissioned maiden carrier of the Navy.
It will have an air component of 30 aircraft, comprising MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 airborne early warning helicopters and the soon-to-be-inducted MH-60R multi-role helicopter, besides the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters.
The shipborne weapons include Barak LR SAM and AK-630, while it has MFSTAR and RAN-40L 3D radars as sensors.
It has a pair of runways and a ‘short take off but arrested recovery’ system to control aircraft operations.
Significance
The combat capability, reach and versatility of the aircraft carrier will add formidable capabilities in the defence and help secure India’s interests in the maritime domain.
It would offer an incomparable military instrument with its ability to project air power over long distances.
