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  1. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Spending figures alone don't tell the story. Our land forces & need to defend two large borders of several thousand kms each eat up too much of the funds. Currently, UK & France spend less than us - but both already have the things like full size SSBNs carrying out year-round deterrence...
  2. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Check revised figures (not initial allocations) especially of last few years (even pre-covid). Things aren't rosy for CAPEX. That was always the plan, going directly to IAC-2 after Vikrant is ready. What issues? CLWR-B1 is proven & operational and if nuclear carrier was warranted a...
  3. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Then carry them externally as and when needed as F-35 does with HAWC. Supersonic too (FC/ASW is F35 IWB-capable). Cuz attacking ships isn't the only job of a carrier-based aircraft. They're also meant to project airpower onto enemy shores/coastal targets.
  4. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    IAF is different. Aircraft are their only big ticket item and Air the only domain to think of. IN on the other hand has 3 different domains - Air, surface & subsurface, each of which requires large, capital-intensive investments to develop capabilities in. For Navy, aircraft, ships, submarines...
  5. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Neither carrier will be operating at max aircraft load. And any which way, only 1 carrier will actually be working at any given time (hopefully). The squadrons of a carrier aren't gonna sit idle for ~6 months when that ship is in refit. IN can't allow that much gap for carrier flying pilots...
  6. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    That's what I used to think but the reality is that big ticket CAPEX spending is almost always a sore issue. We aren't able to conclusively sanction even 1 IAC-2, let alone 2. Not only that, the scope of our ambition is also dropping down to size that befits our pockets. Gone are the dreams of...
  7. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Yea - the problem is mainly the propulsion so any time the ship is out at sea its a liability, regardless of what aircraft its carrying. Much better to buy new LHDs like Juan Carlos or Mistral. Yes upfront cost will be more but they will deliver actual capability and the upkeep won't be a...
  8. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Then why are we buying MRCBF? We already bought enough 29Ks for 2 carriers no? We are not uber rich that's precisely why we can't afford to keep throwing money at a ship that will cost more to maintain vs the capability it delivers. It's only been 30 years since Kuznetsov was inducted. Guess...
  9. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    SH will not require any refit at all. Minor alterations like re-mapping the route to & from the elevator to hangar is likely, but then again you have to do that for any new aircraft. The rest of the stuff it interfaces with (like arresting gear) won't need to be replaced (SBTF tests certified...
  10. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    All I can say is that we don't have the kind of CAPEX to throw around on acquiring a new fighter every decade for the Navy, especially when the existing fighters are still capable and have life left. The expenditure during that period (2030s-40s) will be perhaps even tighter than it is now due...
  11. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    I'm willing to bet cash money that Vikky is going to be laid up sometime next decade. Either way, the pitifully small amount of time that ship is capable of spending out at sea every year (even now when its still relatively new) doesn't really justify the incorporation of a brand new aviation...
  12. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Having spent the full cost of buying new-build aircraft there's no way we'll retire MRCBF early. Not to mention TEDBF doesn't bring any revolutionary technological advantage over either Rafale/SH, its only a marginally better platform in capability terms. It's certainly not like what F35 is to...
  13. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Do you seriously think they would conduct traps or takeoffs from Vikrant and not tell anybody? The maiden trap on a carrier is a landmark event, no less than commissioning itself. When the fixed wing flight ops do happen, it's going to be a huge event. It might even happen after the ship is...
  14. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Bhai this isn't some blueprint drawing that give you every detail. The shape of island, the stern, etc are very clearly depicting Vikky for those who can identify.
  15. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Posted before? Is this patch official? They actually put Vikramaditya on the patch meant for IAC-1? :facepalm:
  16. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    That's what I thought too but Sandeep Unnithan keeps insisting that P-76 itself is the SSN project.
  17. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Woops...forgot this baby :laugh: Ka-31 AEW&C Helicopters
  18. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    The Indian Navy Carrier Strike Group of the Future Project-71 Vikrant aircraft carrier ...with MiG-29K Multirole Fighters ...and ALH Dhruv multimission Helicopters Project-15B Visakhapatnam-class Destroyer Project-17A Nilgiri-class Frigate(s) All MFSTAR & Barak 8-equipped vessels...
  19. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    RAN-40L it is.
  20. Gessler

    INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

    Yes, forgot about the Asters. Still nowhere near the area-defence capabilities of Barak-8 though. 30km vs 70-90km.
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