India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant starts second phase of sea trials

The first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) of India, Vikrant, set sail on October 24, 2021, for the second sea trials before its planned induction into the Indian Navy by August 2022.

As per an official, the indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant has sailed out on October 24 from Kochi for the second sea trials.

After the first sea trials, the Indian Navy had said that the performance of the key systems of the warship was found to be satisfactory.

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

Vikrant warship- Indigenous aircraft carrier

• Vikrant, the 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, the largest and the most complex warship to be built in the country, had successfully completed a five-day maiden sea voyage in August 2021.

• The warship has been built at a cost of around Rs. 23,000 crores.

• The construction of the indigenously produced warship had also propelled India into a select group of nations that have the capability of building state-of-the-art aircraft carriers.

Vikrant: Key details

• Vikrant warship will operate MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters, and MH-60R multi-role helicopters.

• The warship has over 2,300 compartments that are designed for a crew of around 1,700 people. It also includes specialized cabins to accommodate women officers on the mission.

• As per the officials, Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

• The Indigenous aircraft carrier is 262 meters long, 62 meters wide and it has a height of 59 meters. The construction of the country’s ambitious warship started in 2009.

• The warship has been built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). India has currently only one aircraft carrier- INS Vikramaditya.

Indian Navy boosting capabilities

The Indian Navy significantly has been focusing on bolstering its overall capabilities in view of China’s growing efforts to increase its military presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean is considered the backyard of the Indian Navy and is also extremely critical to the country’s strategic interests.