NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has decided to forgo its plan to have the bigger Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2) and is pushing for the repeat order of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1) inducted recently as Indian Naval Ship Vikrant.
Addressing media persons ahead of Indian Navy Day 2022 in New Delhi, Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said: “As far as IAC-2 is concerned, we are still working on various aspects such as its size and the capabilities desired. Right now we have put on hold the order since we had only recently commissioned Vikrant. We are very happy with the ship, and the way it performed in the trials. A lot of expertise has been gained in building IAC-1 in the Cochin shipyard. A lot of ancillary industries have come up which is Atma Nirbhar in full bloom.``
“We are also examining if we should repeat order an IAC-1 instead of going for an IAC-2 to capitalize on the expertise available in the country. This is now in the discussion stage and we have not firmed up our mind nor have we taken it to the Government.”
Sources in the Indian Navy had said: “The idea of junking off the IAC2 project is basically due to the funding constraint. It would have required over Rs 50,000 crore for life cycle cost for around 40 years.”
The Indian Navy has been pushing for a third aircraft carrier, weighing 65,000 tons with a nuclear-propulsion system. The IAC2 would have been able to house around 55 aircraft, including 35 fixed-wing combat aircraft and 20 rotary-wing aircraft.
An aircraft carrier, the officer asserted, adds to the surge capability as the fighter jets operating from land will always have their limitations.
As reported earlier by The New Indian Express, the officials had said, given the Chinese belligerence in the Indian Ocean, the country will have to extend air power into far-off areas like the Malacca Strait on one side and the 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.”
The IAC-2 would have been equipped with a catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) aircraft launch system. CATOBAR is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier. It enhances the aircraft’s payload capacity.
Currently, the Indian Navy has two aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant in its inventory. But, INS Vikrant is yet to get operationalized in the waters.
Both the carriers are short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) designs, using an angled bow/ski-jump to provide additional lift for embarked aircraft on take-off.
As per the officials, the push for having three aircraft carriers has been with the aim that “You need to have two aircraft carriers in operation while another one in maintenance.”, it suits the operational requirements given the situation with China and Pakistan.
Admiral Hari Kumar, speaking on eight former Indian Navy officials detained in Qatar, said, “This has been taken up with all agencies involved and at the highest leadership in the country. There is a continuous effort and we are hopeful that it will be resolved.”
Indian Navy has been always working towards being a gender-neutral force and, the Chief informed, that a total of 3,000 Agniveers have joined the Sailor's training facility at INS Chilka in November, out of which 341 are women. Adding further, CNS also announced that from next year women officers will be inducted across all branches.
Speaking on the presence of Chinese ships, research vessels and fishing ships in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) he said that there are about 4-6 Navy ships, then some research vessels and also fishing vessels as also around 60 odd ships of extra-regional forces. “We always keep an eye and ensure that they do not undertake any inimical activities.”
The process of acquiring the 30 high altitudes, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is going on. “It is at a stage where we are discussing the rationalisation of the numbers. The Indian Navy is currently operating with two HALE UAS on lease and “their performance is quite good.”