INS Vishal

Career (India)
Name: INS Vishal
Owner: Ministry of Defence
Operator: Indian Navy
Builder: Cochin Shipyard Limited
Launched: 2022(Expected)[1]
Commissioned: 2025(Expected)[2]
General characteristics
Type:Vikrant-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:65,000 tons
Length:980 feet (300 m)
Beam:200 feet (61 m)
Draught:28 feet (8.5 m)
Installed power:Nuclear reactors
Propulsion:Two shafts [3]
Speed:28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range:Unlimited except by food supplies
Complement:1400
Armament:4 x Otobreda 76mm dual purpose cannons
  • Surface-to-Air Missile Launchers
  • Close-In Weapon System (CIWS)[4]
Aircraft carried:Fixed wing possible mix of: 65

Rotary wing possible mix of:

INS Vishal (Sanskrit: Vishal "giant"[5]) (IAC-II) is the second Vikrant-class aircraft carrier currently in its design phase, which will be built by Cochin Shipyard Limited for the Indian Navy and the second aircraft carrier built in India. The proposed design of the second carrier features significant changes from INS Vikrant (IAC-1), like an increase in displacement to over 65,000 tons and will be nuclear-powered with CATOBAR system to launch heavier aircraft like larger fighters, AEW (airborne early-warning) aircraft and mid-air refueling tankers.[6]

Vishal's proposed design would make India the third nation after United States and France to operate a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.[7][8]

Design and development

In April 2011, Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma stated that construction of the second carrier was some years away as there were a number of higher spending priorities for the navy.[9] The design stage of IAC-II began in 2012, and was undertaken by the navy’s Naval Design Bureau. The navy decided not to seek outside help in preparing the design concept and implementation plans, but might seek help from the Russian Design Bureau later to integrate Russian aircraft into Vishal. IAC-II is proposed to be a flat-top carrier with a displacement of 65,000 tons, 25,000 tons more than Vikrant and having a CATOBAR system, unlike the STOBAR system on IAC-I.[10]

Carrier air group

Decision regarding the carrier air battle group still remains unclear because of the lack any official comment regarding the subject but most experts believe that it may consist of naval variant of Tejas as well as future 5th generation fighter jets like Navalised AMCA and UCAVs that Indian navy may choose to develop.The Indian navy evaluated the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which is being used by the US Navy in their latest Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. General Atomics, the developer of the EMALS, was cleared by the US government to give a technical demonstration to Indian Navy officers, who were impressed by the new capabilities of the system. The EMALS enables launching varied aircraft including unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV). The carrier is expected to enter service by 2025.[11][12][13] On 1 August 2013 Vice Admiral RK Dhowan, while talking about the detailed study underway on the IAC-II project, said that nuclear propulsion was also being considered.[14]

Naval planners believe that, with INS Vishal likely to enter service in the early 2020s, they should plan on operating UCAVs from that carrier, as well as an AEW aircraft, and medium and light fighters. According to a naval planner, it "could greatly expand our mission envelope with UCAVs, using the pilot-less aircraft for high-risk reconnaissance and SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences). Mid-air refueling would let us keep UCAVs on mission for 24-36 hours continuously, since pilot fatigue would not be a factor."[15]

References

  1. ↑ Launching INS Vishal,http://idrw.org/?p=44119
  2. ↑ New Aircraft Carrier For India,http://thediplomat.com/2013/07/indias-muddled-carrier-plans/
  3. ↑ Indian Navy to freeze design of INS Vishal : Mulls Nuclear Propulsion
  4. ↑ LIST OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS UNDER CONSTRUCTION:2013,http://world-defece-review.blogspot.com/2013/02/list-of-aircraft-carriers-under.html#ixzz2nvBh8WNd
  5. ↑ Navy eyes high-tech options for future aircraft carriers ,
  6. ↑ Sandeep Unnithan (2 December 2009). "First indigenous aircraft carrier to be launched next year: Navy chief". India Today. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  7. ↑ http://idrw.org/?p=44119
  8. ↑ India’s Muddled Carrier Plans, http://thediplomat.com/2013/07/indias-muddled-carrier-plans/
  9. ↑ "Second indigenous carrier a long way off: Navy Chief". The Hindu. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "India starts work on second indigenous aircraft carrier". IBN Live. Jul 17, 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  11. ↑ "India plans a 65,000-tonne warship". The New Indian Express. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Navy eyes high-tech options for future aircraft carriers". Business Standard. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Indian Navy seeks EMALS system for second Vikrant-class aircraft carrier". Naval Technology. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Eye on future, India mulls options for nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Times of India 1 August 2013
  15. ↑ UCAVs on INS Vishal