India’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier – INS Vikrant – Embarks On Second Phase Of Trials

The Indian Navy has developed a unique aircraft carrier indigenously. It embarked on its second sea trials on Sunday. Vikrant’s maiden sea trials started in August 2021. The carrier is scheduled to undergo a series of trials to assess all systems and equipment before delivery in the coming year.

The 262 m long indigenous aircraft carrier is 62 m at its widest. Vikrant boasts a height of 59 m – that includes the superstructure. There are 14 decks. The number includes five decks in the superstructure.

Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design has designed Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). It is a leading instance of India’s quest for ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, with over 76% indigenous content.

Image Credits: Indian Navy

The ship has more than 2,300 compartments exclusively designed for a crew comprising nearly 1,700 members. Vikrant also has accommodation designed in a gender-sensitive manner, especially for its women officers.

The ship deploys a high degree of automation for ship navigation, survivability, and machine operations. Along with that, its design allows boarding a variety of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.

On 8 August, the aircraft carrier set sail from Kochi and accomplished its maiden sea voyage. Trials had progressed as planned and system parameters proved to be satisfactory during the maiden sea voyage.

During the maiden sailing, Vikrant’s performance, including power generation and distribution (PGD), hull, main propulsion, and auxiliary equipment had been thoroughly tested.

The August trials had been reviewed by Vice Admiral AK Chawla who is the Southern Naval Command chief. He had said that those progressed per plan and added that the system parameters proved to be satisfactory.

Second Sea Trials of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant, today at Kochi. #AtmanirbharBharat @SpokespersonMoD @DefPROMumbai @indiannavy pic.twitter.com/HZrPtsqLxg

— PRO Nagpur, Ministry of Defence (@PRODefNgp) October 24, 2021

Delivery of Indian Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant may coincide with ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate the country’s 75th Independence anniversary.

With its delivery, India would be joining a group of nations that can design as well as build an aircraft carrier indigenously. The force added that with the IAC delivery, India would be able to strengthen its position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It would subsequently satisfy its dream for a blue-water Navy.

Indigenous Aircraft Carrier #Vikrant out at sea for the second sea trials, #24Oct2021.#AatmanirbharBharat#MakeInIndia@SpokespersonMoD @cslcochin @DefenceMinIndia @shipmin_india pic.twitter.com/XdwLmoYsqF

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 24, 2021

Reference: newsindianexpress.com

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