Home-built aircraft carrier to set for sail as INS Vikrant
Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam likely to be the new base for the country's prized possession
image for illustrative purpose
Visakhapatnam: Naval personnel at the Eastern Naval Command are excited as Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is all set to commission India's first indigenous aircraft carrier as INS Vikrant on September 2. The 'prized possession' of the country is expected to be based at Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of ENC.
India has two aircraft carriers-INS Vikramaditya, which is based at Karwar on the western coast, and the other being INS Vikrant, likely to be stationed at Visakhapatnam. The City of Destiny is a strategic centre for the country's defence.
The city is home to ENC headquarters, INS Kalinga-the marine commando training centre, headquarters of submarines, Hindustan Shipyard Limited and Ship Building Centre, a futuristic naval base being developed between Rambilli and Atchutapuram to make it the main base for nuclear-powered Arihant submarines, torpedo manufacturing facility of Bharat Dynamics Limited, Naval Armament Depot and Naval Science and Technological Lab (one of the premier labs of DRDO).
The 262 meter long and 62 meter wide Vikrant displaces approximately 43,000 tonnes when fully loaded, having a maximum designed speed of 28 knots with endurance of 7500 nautical miles. The ship has around 2200 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1600 that include specialised cabins to accommodate women officers and sailors.
The engineering marvel, INS Vikrant is capable of operating air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising of MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy). Using a novel aircraft-operation mode known as Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR), the IAC is equipped with a ski-jump for launching aircraft, and a set of three 'arrester wires' for their recovery onboard.
'Vikrant' has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country viz. BEL, BHEL, GRSE, Keltron, Kirloskar, L&T and Wartsila India as well as over 100 MSMEs. The indigenisation efforts has also led to development of ancillary industries, besides generation of employment opportunities for 2,000 Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) personnel and about 13,000 employees in ancillary industries thus bolstering the plough-back effect on Nation's economy.
A major spin off of building an indigenous aircraft carrier is the development and production of indigenous warship grade steel for the ship through partnership between Navy, DRDO and SAIL, which has enabled the country to become self-sufficient with respect to warship steel. Indigenous content of the project is around 76 per cent.
The Indigenous construction of aircraft carriers is a shining example in the Nation's quest for 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' initiative. INS Vikrant is being described as the shining beacon of self-reliance in the defence sector. It is the largest ship-ever built in maritime history of India and houses state of the art automation features marking a departure from the colonial past.
The ship boasts of a fully-fledged state of the art medical complex with latest medical equipment facilities that include major modular operation theatre, emergency modular OT, physiotherapy clinic, ICU, laboratories, CT scanner, X-Ray machines, dental complex, isolation ward and telemedicine facilities.
