India's CV Vikrant now on sea trials, keen on 3rd CV

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Times of India

Indian Navy keen on 3rd aircraft carrier to retain edge over China even as 2nd delayed yet again
NEW DELHI: The commissioning of India�s second aircraft carrier has been delayed .. ..
(FULL ARTICLE AT LINK ABOVE)

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Related:

New Indian Express

�Third aircraft carrier is essential for India given China�s activities�
A third aircraft carrier is a necessity for India due to operational and tactical reasons, especially in the context of China�s growing imprint on the Indian Ocean, said a senior Navy officer.
Published: 24th December 2020 07:56 AM | Last Updated: 24th December 2020 07:56 AM | A+A A-
By Mayank Singh
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: A third aircraft carrier is a necessity for India due to operational and tactical reasons, especially in the context of China�s growing imprint on the Indian Ocean, said a senior Navy officer.
�Three aircraft carriers are tactically needed with one each on the Eastern and Western sea board at any given time while the third will be under refit,� the officer said.
�To deny it just for financial crunch is misplaced understanding. We require a third aircraft carrier for operational and tactical reasons.� India currently has one serving aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, while another indigenously built INS Vikrant is scheduled to be commissioned by 2022. Earlier this month in Kolkata, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, had said that submarines and aircraft carriers �have their advantages and disadvantages.�
The officer said the Navy cannot lose a skill mastered in the last 60 years as it takes time to develop the skill-set in terms of operational design and development. An aircraft carrier, the officer asserted, adds to the �surge capability� as the fighter jets operating from land will always have their limitations.
Given the Chinese belligerence in the Indian Ocean, the officer said the country will have to extend air power into far-off areas like the Malacca Strait on one side and Gulf of Aden on the other. �Concentration of force is a principle of war. If you have two operationally ready carriers, you can be active in two areas. If needed, you can move it, bringing a different environment to the battle.�
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Update:

MINTFO

India�s locally built aircraft carrier goes on maiden sea trials

News
Ian Fernandez
08/05/2021

India�s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) �Vikrant�, designed by Indian Navy�s Directorate of Naval Design and built at Cochin Shipyard Limited, has commenced its maiden sea trials, the Indian government said in its Press Information Bureau (PIB) on August 4.
�The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and height of 59 m including the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure. The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers,� India�s PIB reported.
(...EDITED)

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Navy Recognition

Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant successfully completes third sea trials
Naval News January 2022 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry
POSTED ON THURSDAY, 20 JANUARY 2022 13:37

INS Vikrant, also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 (IAC-1), is an aircraft carrier constructed by the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the Indian Navy. It is the first aircraft carrier to be built in India.
The indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is 262 meters (860 ft) long and 62 meters (203 ft) wide and displaces about 45,000 metric tons (44,000 long tons). It features a STOBAR configuration with a ski jump. The deck is designed to enable aircraft such as the MiG-29K to operate from the carrier.
Vikrant is powered by four General Electric LM2500+ gas turbines on two shafts, generating over 80 megawatts (110,000 hp) of power. The gearboxes for the carriers were designed and supplied by Elecon Engineering.
The shipborne weapons of the INS Vikrant include 2x32 cells VLS for a total of 64 Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles, four AK-630 30 mm rotary cannon, and four Otobreda 76 mm naval guns.
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