After two successive high profile visits – the President and Vice President of India – within a span of less than two weeks, IAC Vikrant headed out for the next set of sea trials on 9 January 2022. Both dignitaries, having reviewed the progress had conveyed their satisfaction and expressed their best wishes to all the stakeholders involved in project. While the maiden sea trials in August last year were to establish propulsion, navigational suite and basic operations, the second sea trial later in October-November witnessed the ship being put through its paces in terms of various machinery trials and flight trials. The ship in fact was out for 10 days proving its sustenance in the very second sortie. Various seamanship evolutions were also successfully cleared during the second sortie. Having gained adequate confidence in the ship's abilities, the IAC now sails to undertake complex manoeuvres to establish specific readings of how the ship performs in various conditions. In addition, various sensor suites of the ship would also be tested. The IAC has been a success story on numerous counts.
Be it the case of Atmanirbharta wherein 76% of the equipment is indigenously sourced or the close engagement between the Design teams of the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard Limited – a high-point in the largest and most complex warship ever to be built in the country. That the ship has been able to carry out basic flying operations from its very first sortie itself is a landmark in Indian warship construction history. Despite surging COVID cases in the country and the resultant challenges, the combined teams from multiple organisations associated with the project, are upbeat and committed to meet the timeliness. On successful completion of a series of progressive sea trials, the ship is scheduled to be commissioned as INS Vikrant later in 2022, as the nation commemorates 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'.
Vice President of India visits IAC/Vikrant
M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President, India visited the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant’ under advanced stage of construction at Cochin Shipyard Ltd at Kochi, on 2 January 2022. The Vice President of India was briefed on the uniqueness of the project and progress of construction during the visit. He was also briefed about efforts being made towards ship’s delivery and commissioning prior August 2022 to commemorate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Vice President was appreciative of the Nation’s capability in designing and constructing an Aircraft Carrier and lauded it as a shining example of our quest for ‘Atma Nirbharta’ or self-reliant India. Indian Navy is a formidable resident maritime power in the Indian Ocean Region; and the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group remains central to its concept of operations. Vikrant will provide the Indian Navy with the requisite flexibility, mobility, reach and combat power in pursuance of our national interests and also serve as a strong catalyst for peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region. An aircraft carrier also holds a position of strategic and technological eminence, and is rightly considered the pinnacle in the domain of warship design and construction. With the construction of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, India will enter into select band of countries having niche indigenous capability for designing and building of an aircraft carrier. The Indian shipbuilding industry has come a long way since the 1960s with the IAC Vikrant being the hallmark of India’s indigenous industrial capability.
The indigenous content in construction of IAC is close to 76% of overall project cost of Rs 19,341 Crs. The ship has large number of indigenous materials such as steel, besides other equipment and systems manufactured by Indian industrial houses and about 100 MSMEs. The indigenous construction of the carrier has generated employment opportunities not only within the shipyard but also for many other industries supporting the project externally. This has resulted in a “plough back” effect on the domestic economy. Close to 2000 shipyard and 13,000 non-yard personnel have been employed per annum towards construction of IAC. During the visit, Vice President was accompanied by the Governor of Kerala Mr. Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief of Staff Southern Naval Command Rear Admiral Antony George, NM, VSM, CMD Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) Madhu S Nair, and other senior officials of Navy and CSL. The Vice President was briefed about the contribution of the indigenous technologies and capabilities during the walk around of the carrier and he expressed satisfaction and appreciated the efforts of the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard towards strengthening our Indigenous warship building capabilities. Later, the Vice President visited Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and unveiled Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial. He also laid the foundation stone of a Towed Array Integration Facility and handed over an Automated Sonar Trainer to the Navy.
