Page 13 - ADT SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2022 Online Magazine

capable of operating air wing consisting of
30 aircraft comprising of MIG-29K fighter jets,
Kamov-31 Airborne Early Warning (AEW) heli-
copters, MH-60R Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)  SHIPBUILDING
helicopters, in addition to indigenously manu-
factured Dhruv MkIII maritime helicopters. The
Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also soon expected
to decide on a new navy carrier-borne fighter
aircraft. The two contenders are Boeing’s F/A-18
E/F Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale
M (Marine). The selected aircraft will operate off
both INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.

India’s sole fully operational aircraft carrier, is INS
Vikramaditya which was commissioned into the
Indian Navy at Severodvinsk, Russia in November
2013. Originally, the Russian Navy carrier Admiral
Gorshkov, it was substantially refurbished for
the Indian Navy, but delivery was delayed by
over five years, slipping from August 2008 to
November 2013. INS Vikramaditya is capable of
operations up to a range of over 7,000 nautical tion systems, manoeuvring trials sea acceptance trials of various
miles and can carry over 30 aircraft and heli- aviation handling systems etc., were undertaken.
copters comprised of the MiG 29K, Kamov 31,
Kamov 28, Sea King, Dhruv and Chetak helicop- INS Vikrant has around 2200 compartments designed for its crew
ters. The aircraft carrier can accommodate over of around 1600 that include specialised cabins to accommodate
1,600 personnel on board, has a displacement women officers and sailors. It has 2300 kms of cabling and 120 km of
of 44,500 knots and is over 285 meters long and piping. The carrier is designed with a very high degree of automa-
60 meters wide. It can attain a top speed of tion for machinery operations, ship navigation and survivability. The
over 30 knots. carrier is equipped with the latest state of the art equipment and
systems. (The ship boasts of a fully-fledged state of the art Medical
POWER PROJECTION Complex with latest medical equipment facilities that includes major
modular OT, emergency modular OT, physiotherapy clinic, ICU, lab-
INS Vikrant is powered by four gas turbines in a oratories, CT scanner, X-Ray machines, Dental complex, Isolation
COGAG (Combined Gas and Gas) propulsion ward and telemedicine facilities etc.)
configuration generating 88 MW of power and
propelling the carrier to a top speed of 28 knots INS Vikrant is essentially a mammoth steel structure of 21,500 tonnes
and delivering an endurance of 7,500 NM. INS and the entire DMR grade specialty steel needed for it was supplied
Vikrant is powered by General Electric LM2500 by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Approximately 30,000
Gas Turbines. The LM2500 gas turbine kits were tonnes of the specialty steel were supplied by SAIL, negating the
assembled and tested by HAL’s Industrial & need for imports of the same. The steel supplied by SAIL comprised
Marine Gas Turbine Division in Bangalore and of special DMR grade Plates developed in collaboration with Indian
the kits were manufactured at GE’s Evendale, Navy and DMRL. The DMR plates of Grade 249 A were used for the
Ohio, facility. HAL’s team was actively involved in hull and vessel interiors and Grade 249 B for the flight deck of this
integrating the LM2500 gas turbines with on INS warship. The entire quantity of speciality steel, except for the bulb
Vikrant. The Indian Navy now has 18 GE Marine bars, was supplied by SAIL’s integrated steel plants at Bhilai, Bokaro
engines in service, with additional engines in and Rourkela.
production for Project 17A warships.
The aircraft carrier project originally known as the Indigenous Aircraft
The maiden sea trials of INS Vikrant began Carrier-1 (IAC-1) programme, went ahead in three contract phases
in August 2021, following which another four between India’s MoD and CSL. These were concluded in May 2007,
phases of sea trials were undertaken, with the Dec 2014 and Oct 2019 respectively. The ceremonial steel cutting
last completed in July 2022. Over the course for the new carrier took place in April 2005 and its hull fabrication
of these extensive user acceptance trials, was progressed thereafter with the ship’s keel laid in February 2009.
extensive trials and testing of the vessel and The first phase of ship construction was completed with successful
all its equipment/systems, including endurance launch of the ship in August 2013. In spite of various teething prob-
testing of propulsion machinery, electrical & lems due to its complexity, the launching of the ship of this size in
electronic suites, deck machinery, life-saving about 3 years’ time from keel laying was considered as a creditable
appliances, ship’s navigation and communica- achievement even by international standards, CSL officials said.
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