INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

Just Me

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Work on aircraft carrier to restart by month-end

The Hindu : Cities / Kochi : Work on aircraft carrier to restart by month-end

Over a year after its half-hearted launch, the maiden indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) of the Navy will be re-docked at Cochin Shipyard by the end of January for resumption of work.

Once back at the building bay for completion of work in the first phase, the carrier — currently weighing about 17,500 tonnes — will have its propulsion, shafting, generation and other engineering equipment fitted over the next five to six months before it gets floated out again.

Quite a bit of structural work, probably up to the flight deck, which would give the vessel some shape, will also happen during this phase of construction.

Some hurdles
Time and cost overruns have marred the construction of the 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, whose keel was laid in early 2009.

After a collaborative effort by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) resulted in the production of carrier-grade steel within the country, the project hit another roadblock when reduction gearboxes made by the Gujarat-based Elecon Engineering Company Limited fell short of requirements.

"Further construction of the carrier wasn't possible without the huge gearboxes going in. The systems have now passed muster," said a Navy source.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had earlier sanctioned Rs.3,200 crore for building the country's first indigenous fleet air defence platform. For the first phase of construction Rs.1,160 crore was the estimated cost. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is learnt to have approached the CCS with an appeal for additional funds to meet the cost overrun.

Bad news from Russia
The Navy's highly ambitious plan of operating three carrier battle groups (CBG) in the long-term, which would ensure availability of two CBGs at any given point, suffered a serious jolt as the delay in the construction of the indigenous carrier was followed by ominous news from Russia of a boiler accident aboard INS Vikramaditya, formerly Admiral Gorshkov, which India bought from Russia following protracted negotiations.

The boiler malfunction has deferred the induction of the Vikramaditya by a year, while, the indigenous carrier's entry into active service will at best happen in 2018 — nearly five years later than originally planned.

As the first IAC, to be named INS Vikrant on completion, undergoes birth pangs at the Cochin Shipyard, a second carrier, presumably a bigger one weighing almost 60,000 tonnes, is on the drawing board at the Directorate of Naval Design in New Delhi.
 

Crusader53

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Personally, I think India should think about talking to the UK about a third CVF equipped with Catapults and Arresting Gear. Which, could be followed by 1-2 more constructed in India. This would allow India to get back on track and provide a balanced fleet that would work well with its Western Allies and be an excellent counter to the PLAN.


Just saying...
 

Bheeshma

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There are no allies only aligned interests. I wouldn't trust any of the so called western allies.
 

Crusader53

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There are no allies only aligned interests. I wouldn't trust any of the so called western allies.



It would be a very sad world without friends. Nonetheless, I think your prejudice is showing. Very unbecoming......Yet, I'll pray for you.:namaste:
 

shuvo@y2k10

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i don't think we will purchase any more ac from abroad since we have a very bad expierience with admiral gorshkov deal.also once iac-1 is ready our naval shipbuilding designers will have much more expierience to design a bigger carrier.
 

Armand2REP

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i don't think we will purchase any more ac from abroad since we have a very bad expierience with admiral gorshkov deal.also once iac-1 is ready our naval shipbuilding designers will have much more expierience to design a bigger carrier.
That's good because there really aren't anymore second hand carriers to buy.
 

binayak95

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Personally, I think India should think about talking to the UK about a third CVF equipped with Catapults and Arresting Gear. Which, could be followed by 1-2 more constructed in India. This would allow India to get back on track and provide a balanced fleet that would work well with its Western Allies and be an excellent counter to the PLAN.


Just saying...
How long are we going to buy aircraft carriers? First the vikrant, then viraat and vikramaditya. And now you are saying to buy the queen Elizabeth class. Better to learn how to build your own.
 

Crusader53

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How long are we going to buy aircraft carriers? First the vikrant, then viraat and vikramaditya. And now you are saying to buy the queen Elizabeth class. Better to learn how to build your own.

Well, a Brand New Aircraft Carrier has a life of ~40-50 Years. So, by time they would need to be replaced. The type may have gone the way of the Battleship. So, should India tie up so many resources for just a couple of ships??? Especially, with a backlog of other types! (Destroyers, Frigates, Support Ships, etc. etc.)
 

arnabmit

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IAC is supposed to have a ski ramp. IACII does not. Anyway it doesn't look like when this image was taken, construction had reached deck level.

Yes it is... you can tell by the missing ski ramp.
 

Armand2REP

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IAC is supposed to have a ski ramp. IACII does not. Anyway it doesn't look like when this image was taken, construction had reached deck level.
Ouais, but the ski ramp has yet to be installed. That is how you can tell.
 

Defcon 1

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Hi, I have a question. What advantages will Mig29K provide over NLCA Mk-II? There doesn't seem to be much difference in specs.
 

nishantgupta

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Hi, I have a question. What advantages will Mig29K provide over NLCA Mk-II? There doesn't seem to be much difference in specs.
Ignoring the point about difference in specs, the main advantage is that the Mig29K is currently flying while NLCA Mk-2 will take a long time to even test fly. Hell we are currently working on getting NP-2 in the air while NP-1 has just had 4 test flights...and these are Mk-1's.

Now assuming that you meant for IAC-1, while the ship is scheduled for commission in 2018, there is no way that Mk-2 will be flying by then for flying on IAC. IN has already ordered Mk-1's which will possibly be used for training pilots for the eventual Mk-2's. My feeling: We will have a mix of Mk-2's and Mig-29K's on IAC-1 as well as Vikramaditya.
 

nishantgupta

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Hi, I have a question. What advantages will Mig29K provide over NLCA Mk-II? There doesn't seem to be much difference in specs.
Now on the point of specs.... Where did u see that there is hardly any difference in specs???? I will really like to see the source for this...
 

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