Kochi. Amidst chanting of hymns from the Atharva Veda, the Indian Navy launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, meaning victorious in Sanskrit, India’s ancient language.
In a colourful ceremony filled with traditional pomp and fervour at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) here, Mrs Elizabeth Antony, wife of Defence Minister AK Antony, launched the imposing vessel and christened it as INS Vikrant.
Present on the occasion were Mr Antony, Shipping Minister GK Vasan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi, Western Naval Command Commander in Chief Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, Southern Naval Command Commander in Chief Vice Admiral Satish Soni, CSR Chairman and Managing Director Commodore (Retd) K Subramaniam and other officials of the Ministries of Defence and Shipping.
A multitude of Naval officers, yard workers and some members of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), the manufacturers of the indigenous warship grade steel, were also present.
The new carrier, which will be operational in 2018, derives its name from India’s first Majestic Class aircraft carrier, Hercules, which was acquired from Britain in 1957, commissioned in 1961 as INS Vikrant, and decommissioned in 1997. In the naval traditions, names of various ships are passed on to successor vessels.
At the launch, marking the end of Phase- I of the project, the imposing ramp of the 37,500 tonne Short Take off but Assisted Recovery (STOBAR) Carrier boasted the indigenous design and build capabilities of the country.
The ship has attained its designed length of about 260 m and is almost at its maximum breadth of 60 m. The main landing strip is ready.
Over 80 per cent of the structure, containing about 2,300 compartments has been fabricated, over 75 per cent has been erected, all the major machinery, such as the two LM2500 Gas Turbines developing a total power of 80 MW, the diesel alternators capable of producing about 24 MW and the main gear box have been fitted.
Soon after Vikrant floated perfectly upright, it was launched out into the Ernakulam Channel in a pontoon assisted precision manoeuvre. Vikrant was moved out of the building dock to be positioned in the refitting dock where the next Phase of outfitting will be completed.
Describing the occasion as ‘momentous’, Mr Antony said,“ Today’s launching of the IAC marks just the first step in a long journey, but at the same time, an important one.”
He said it was indeed a proud moment for the country to witness our efforts at achieving self-reliance in the field of warship design and construction, as only a very few advanced countries in the world possess the capability to design and build aircraft carriers.
India must continue the process of strengthening indigenous capability towards securing our maritime interests. ‘Our Navy must continue to maintain high operational readiness at all times to ward off any likely misadventure against our national interests’, he said.
The Defence Minister urged the Indian industry to participate whole-heartedly in the country’s shipbuilding programmes and further consolidate “our strength in this field.”
Speaking on the occasion, Shipping Minister Vasan said that by launching this great warship, which is one of the most important ships for the Indian Navy, Indian shipbuilding has demonstrated its technical capability and expertise.
(Significantly, CSL is a state-run facility under the Ministry of Shipping. It is now set to build other bigger ships, including India’s second aircraft carrier which should be 60,000 tonnes-plus).
The design and construction of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier was sanctioned by the government in January 2003. The keel of the ship was laid on 28 Feb 2009 by Mr Antony.
INS Vikrant marks a special feather in indigenous defence capabilities, this being the first ever aircraft carrier to be designed by the Directorate of Naval Design of the Indian Navy, the first warship to be built by CSL and the first warship to be built entirely using indigenously produced steel.
The construction of the ship is a truly pan Indian effort with active participation of private and public enterprises. The steel has come from SAIL’s plants in Raurkela in Orissa, Bokaro in Jharkand and Bhilai in Chattisgarh, the Main Switch Board, steering gear and water tight hatches have been manufactured by Larsen and Toubro in its plants in Mumbai and Talegaon, the high capacity air conditioning and refrigeration systems have been manufactured in Kirloskar’s plants in Pune and most pumps have been supplied by Best and Crompton, Chennai.
Bharat Heavy Engineering Limited (BHEL) is supplying the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), the massive gear box is supplied by Elecon in Gujarat, the tens of thousands of electrical cables are supplied by Nicco industries in Kokatta, and Kolkatta is also where the ship’s anchor chain cable is manufactured.
INS Vikrant will be capable of operating an aircraft mix of the Russian MiG-29K and LCA (Navy) fighters being developed indigenously by HAL. Its helicopter component will include the Kamov 31 and the indigenously developed ALH helicopters.
The ship’s ability to sense and control a large air space around it will be enabled by modern C/D band Early Air Warning Radar, V/UHF Tactical Air Navigational and Direction Finding systems, jamming capabilities over the expected Electro Magnetic (EM) environment and Carrier Control Approach Radars to aid air operations.
Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR SAM) systems with Multi-Function Radar (MFR) and Close- In Weapon System (CIWS) will form the protective suite of the ship. All weapon systems onboard the carrier will be integrated through an indigenous Combat Management System (CMS), being manufactured by Tata Power systems. The ship’s integration with Navy’s Network Centric Operations will provide force multiplication.
Design of this prestigious ship has been undertaken by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of the Indian Navy.
Created in 1956 as the Corps of Naval Constructors, to realise the dream of being a builder’s Navy through indigenisation, DND has successfully designed over 17 different classes of warships, to which around 90 ships have already been built within the country.
The Delhi class destroyers, with a displacement of about 7000 tonnes, were the biggest warships designed by DND so far. Designing of the Vikrant, at almost 40,000 tonnes, speaks of the maturing of the capabilities of DND and represents a feather in the cap of the designers particularly as it is the first aircraft carrier of its size in the world with some unique features such as Gas Turbine Propulsion.
The seamless hull and smooth lines of the ship stand as testimony to the high production standards of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). CSL, a mini Ratna PSU, has earned a reputation for quality construction and timely delivery.
Till now, CSL had the distinction of building the largest ship in India i.e., 93,500 tonne Aframax tankers. However, this complex integrated construction project enabled by a Rs 200 crore infrastructure augmentation plan involving large cranes, workshops and heavy duty machinery has seen the shipyard maturing into a competent warship builder.
INS Vikrant will now enter the second phase of construction which will see the outfitting of the ship, fitment of various weapons and sensors, integration of the gigantic propulsion system and integration of the aircraft complex (with the assistance of M/s NDB of Russia). The ship will then undergo extensive trials before she is handed over to the Indian Navy by around 2016-17.
About earlier INS VIkrant
It may be recalled that at the time of attaining our Independence, India’s visionary leaders saw the centrality of a powerful Navy and set the Navy on the right course by envisaging an aircraft carrier battle group.
INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier was acquired from Great Britain in 1957 and commissioned on 4 Mar 1961. In its 36 years of glorious service INS Vikrant was at the centre of action in the 1971 operations for liberation of Bangladesh.
Having seen many years of service as a CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off but Arrested Recovery) carrier working an angled deck and operating Sea Hawks, Alizes and Seaking aircraft, INS Vikrant was transformed into a STOVL carrier to operate Sea Harrier jump jets.
It was decommissioned on 31 Jan 1997, after 36 years of glorious service under the Indian ensign. The vessel now serves as a museum in Mumbai.
With the launch of the new Vikrant, the Indian Navy is well on its way to demonstrate its comfort with the practiced art of trapped landings and angled deck operations.
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