TSAMTO, December 1. The first aircraft carrier developed and built by the Indian defense industry, the Vikrant (IAC-1-Indigenous Aircraft Carrier), successfully completed mooring tests on November 30, 2020, which included checking the systems and equipment installed on Board.
According to the Press Trust of India, referring to the Ministry of defense of India, during the tests, the power plant was checked (installation of the main power plant and equipment for generating electricity was completed in February), the main gearbox, transmission, steering mechanisms and other equipment. The aircraft carrier will begin sea trials in the first half of 2021.
The construction of the ship is significantly behind the originally agreed schedule and with a huge excess of cost. The keel-laying ceremony for the first national aircraft carrier was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi on February 28, 2009, and the launch took place in August 2013. After the completion of the Vikrant, India will become the sixth country in the world (after the United States, Russia, great Britain, China and France) that is able to independently build an aircraft carrier-class warship. As planned, an air group of up to 36 aircraft and helicopters, including MiG-29K fighters, Ka-28, Ka-31 and Dhruv helicopters, will be based on Board the Vikrant.
The total displacement of the aircraft carrier will be about 40,000 tons, the maximum length-262 m, width-60 m, draft – 8.4 m. It will be equipped with a gas turbine power plant that includes 4 General Electric LM 2500 turbines with a total capacity of 80 MW, which will allow for a maximum speed of more than 28 knots. The cruising range will be about 8,000 nautical miles at a speed of 18 knots.