NEW DELHI: The India-US Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC), constituted under the auspices of the India - US Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), was organised in India.
The Indian Navy on Tuesday said, "A six-member US delegation headed by Rear Admiral (RAdm) Casey Moton, Programme Executive Officer (PEO), Aircraft Carriers visited various defence establishments in Delhi and Goa."
It was the 8th meeting in the series and was held from 13 to 16 May 2025.
The opening session of the Joint Working Group Meeting was held on 13 May at New Delhi, which was co-chaired by RAdm Vishal Bishnoi, Assistant Controller Carrier Projects (ACCP).
"During the meeting, the RAdm Casey Moton highlighted the importance of the Joint Working Group and the progress it has made over the last 10 years. Both sides appreciated the remarkable work undertaken by the Joint Working Group towards valuable information exchange on Aircraft Carriers. Plans for future cooperation under various aspects of Aircraft Carrier Technology were discussed and a Joint Statement was also released," the navy said.
At Goa, professional interactions were undertaken with Indian Navy's Aviation Specialists on Aircraft Carrier operations and technical aspects.
The meeting marked yet another significant milestone in the ongoing co-operation between the two countries in the field of Aircraft Carrier Technology.
The aim of JWGACTC is to understand various concepts including those of maintenance and operation and understanding the working on updated philosophy that how carrier operations happen, told a source.
These include right from the basic things like maintenance sharing methodology of carrier operations including the flying operations and new technologies in the field, said the source.
The ongoing talks under the JWGACTC have their future benefits, the source added.
There are a few things under discussion and deliberation including the training Requirement and technology of interest to work jointly.
The US Navy is credited with operating the super size aircraft carriers with the biggest one, Gerard R. Ford, having the full load displacement of 100,000 tons. While the Indian Navy may be looking for Vikrant-size replacement for Vikramaditya, the overall objective of larger and potent platforms continue.
Meanwhile, in a major accomplishment towards its strategic force accretion plan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) completed the first sea trials of Fujian its super carrier in May 2025. It has a displacement of nearly 80,000 metric tons and was completed within six years of the start of its construction.
The TNIE reported earlier that, in order to maintain its operational capabilities, the Indian Navy will continue the study for its third indigenous aircraft carrier which will be larger than the IAC-2. The Navy's confirmations for the IAC-2 on the lines of the IAC-1 commissioned as INS Vikrant were given with the document works being completed in December 2022.
It was on the sidelines of Aero India 2023 that Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar said, "Initially we will go for the repeat order with improved capabilities. And in the meantime, we will go for a study of larger carriers. By the time a third aircraft is commissioned, the life-span of INS Vikramaditya may end."
Some changes were made to the initial plans of IAC 2 which was supposed to be bigger than IAC 1 in size. "The size of INS Vikrant is 44,000 tonnes and we wanted the IAC2 to be around 65,000 tonnes."