INS Vikrant, the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, is presently undergoing Air Certification and Flight Integration Trials with Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft for achieving ‘Combat ready’ state at the earliest.
As part of the trials, maiden day landing of MiG-29K and the indigenous LCA (Navy) was achieved on 06 Feb 23. Since then, day and night landing trials of all helicopters in the Naval inventory have been progressed.
In continuance with the impetus on the Aviation Trials, the Navy has achieved another historic milestone by undertaking maiden night landing of MiG-29K on 24 May 23.
This challenging accomplishment, within three months of maiden day landing demonstrates the resolve, skill and professionalism of the Indian Navy, Vikrant crew and Naval Pilots.
About INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant is the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship ever built in India by M/s Cochin Shipyard Ltd and designed by the Warship Design Bureau (formerly Directorate of Naval Design) of the Indian Navy. Its construction involved participation of a large number of private and public firms.
The total development cost for the Aircraft Carrier touched Rs 23,000 crore (US$2.9 billion).
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 02 Sep 22 in the presence of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, the Carrier is a big boost to the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision of the Government of India.
Since its maiden sailing on 04 Aug 21, INS Vikrant has undergone extensive Sea trials
General Characteristics:
Displacement:
45,000 tonnes of loaded displacement
45,000 tonnes (44,000 long tons; 50,000 short tons) standard
Length: 262 m (860 ft)
Beam: 62 m (203 ft)
Height: 59 m (194 ft)
Draught: 8.4 m (28 ft)
Depth: 25.6 m (84 ft)
Decks: 14
Installed Power:
4 × General Electric LM2500 Gas Turbine (88 MW)
2 × Elecon COGAG Gearbox
Propulsion: Two shafts
Speed: 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi
Crew: 196 officers, 1,449 sailors (including air crew)
Sensors and Processing Systems :
Elta EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA multifunction radar
Selex RAN-40L 3D L-Band Air Surveillance Radar
Electronic Warfare & Decoys:
DRDO Shakti EW suite
Kavach anti-missile system
Maareech Advanced Torpedo Defence System
Armament:
32 cell VLS Barak 8 SAM (Range : 0.5 km (0.31 mi) to 100 km (62 mi)
4 × Otobreda 76 mm (3 in) dual purpose cannons
4 × AK-630 CIWS
Aircraft carried: 36 Aircraft
Fixed-wing: MiG-29K
Rotary-wing: Kamov Ka-31, MH-60R, HAL Dhruv
Aviation facilities: 12,500 m2 flight deck
Source for General Characteristics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Vikrant_(2013)
News Source: https://pib.gov.in/
