India's first indigenously-built aircraft carrier left the Cochin Shipyard in Kochi on Monday. This indigenous aircraft carrier will undergo extensive trials from 2016, and is expected to be inducted into the Indian Navy by 2018. It needs to be tested in aviation and weapon trials.
This 40,000 tonne aircraft carrier features an angled ski-jump for take-off and "arrestor wires" for landing. The launch of this powerful aircraft carrier, catapults India into the elite club of USA, UK, Russia and France who also have built aircraft carriers with similar strength. China had built the 65,000 tonne Liaoning, but it's hull was purchased from Ukraine. As reported by officials in Kochi, INS Vikrant can carry about 30-35 aircrafts, and over 1500 personnel on board. It can handle rotary, or fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters. It can detect incoming short-range missiles, and is equipped with a long range surface-to-air combat system, with multi-function radars.
INS Vikrant was launched by Indian defence minister A K Antony in Kochi, but it is expected to be battle-ready only by 2020. The launch of this new aircraft carrier would reinforce India's naval strength, and make it's presence felt in the Indian Ocean territory, and further in the Pacific. This will help India to safeguard areas of geo-political interest, off-shore areas of strategic importance, as well as sea lanes extending from the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca. The already-operational aircraft carrier is INS Viraat, and INS Vikramaditya which has been bought from Russia, and is expected to be inducted this year.
Another boon to India was a few days ago, when the submarine INS Arihant's miniature nuclear reactor went critical. The 85 MW pressurized water reactor (PWR), achieved a critical status, after various checks of it's sub-systems. The 6000 tonne submarine was being developed in the ship-building centre at Visakhapatnam. The INS Arihant will now head to open waters, for extensive sea trials, before becoming operational for the Indian Navy.
The PWR, which uses enriched uranium as fuel, would propel the 112 m. long submarine. INS Arihant, will be eventually fitted with 12 Sagarika K-15 underwater missiles carrying nuclear warheads.
PM Manmohan Singh stated that this was a giant stride for India in the field of nuclear propulsion. If INS Arihant is tested successfully, India may complete the third leg of the Nuclear Triad; the first two legs involved the Agni series of ballistic missiles with a range of over 5500 km, and the Sukhoi 30MKIs and Mirage 2000s, which are already operational in the Indian Armed Forces. The deployment of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) is crucial to increase India second strike capabilities.
Another boon to India was a few days ago, when the submarine INS Arihant's miniature nuclear reactor went critical. The 85 MW pressurized water reactor (PWR), achieved a critical status, after various checks of it's sub-systems. The 6000 tonne submarine was being developed in the ship-building centre at Visakhapatnam. The INS Arihant will now head to open waters, for extensive sea trials, before becoming operational for the Indian Navy.
PM Manmohan Singh stated that this was a giant stride for India in the field of nuclear propulsion. If INS Arihant is tested successfully, India may complete the third leg of the Nuclear Triad; the first two legs involved the Agni series of ballistic missiles with a range of over 5500 km, and the Sukhoi 30MKIs and Mirage 2000s, which are already operational in the Indian Armed Forces. The deployment of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) is crucial to increase India second strike capabilities.
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