Team-BHP - New INS Vikrant Launched

Quote:

Originally Posted by amit_purohit20 (Post 3211244)

NO I dont even feel the Hull is complete. It looks that the rear end is yet to be joined. I might be wrong but its just my perception.
Although my engineering common sense suggests that the hull (the structure that floats) has to be complete before its launched in the sea.

Somehow the shape of the hull itself looks odd to me especially the back end where the aircraft will start its take-off.

You are right. The hull is complete however flight deck+island+overhangs along the breadth remain to be completed. See below pic.

New INS Vikrant Launched-b_id_409924_chindockyardvikrant.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by vnabhi (Post 3211116)

Yes, a proud moment indeed for the country and also for SAIL. But during my MT(A) training in Bhilai, I was told that Rourkela makes flat products and Bhilai round products. So I guess the steel for the carrier must have come from Rourkela , not Bhilai.

SAIL's plants at Bhilai, Rourkela, Bokaro and Durgapur have contributed towards the manufacturing of Vikrant.

Source: http://www.ajaishukla.blogspot.in/20...f-vikrant.html

The above article is a good read. Of particular interest is the how the project specifications evolved over time.

-- Wind

Quote:

Originally Posted by F150 (Post 3211463)

When will we reach nimitz level aircraft carriers ?
!

Why do we need a Nimitz class type aircraft carrier at all??? Do you want India to become the next "Big Brother" or rather Big Bully of the world??

The only reason to have something like the Nimitz class carrier is for what is called "Gunboat Diplomacy", ie to be able to project your military power far far away from your shores and apply heavy military pressure during diplomacy. That is why the USA maintains 10 super carriers.

Let's not blindly follow America, which in my view is the worst example to follow in terms of military policy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 3211595)

Any idea what fighter jets can be launched from this carrier? AFAIK the sloping runway was used only for Harrier jump jets which required short runway.

Does Vikrant have steam catapults to accelerate the jets to Vmax speed required for takeoff like the USS nimitz class carriers or does it solely depend on the sloping launch pad?

The INS Vikrant is a STOBAR type carrier, ie Short take-off, but arrested recovery. It is designed to carry the Mig29K and naval version of the HAL Tejas, apart from Kamov Ka31 helicopters.

The next carrier planned to be built in India, is almost sure to be a CATOBAR type carrier and will probably carry future aircraft like the HAL/Sukhoi FGFA or HAL's Medium Combat Aircraft.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 3211595)

What you are referring to sloping runways are called ski jumps. The INS Vikramaditya that will be joining the Navy later this year or early next year has ski-jump and its fighter wing will be comprised of MiG-29K/KUBs of the 303 Squadron.

The MiG-29K can easily take-off from ski-jumps, so can Su-33s and Su-39s. So the MiG-29Ks should not have any problem operating out of ski jump equipped INS Vikrant as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skanchan95 (Post 3211877)

Correct. Ski jumps are a cheaper way to launch jets off a carrier as they don't need the heavy and complex catapult equipment. However, with catapults one can launch more weight - meaning more heavily armed aircraft with a greater fuel load, which translates to more capability.

While the MiG-29 can indeed take off easily from a ski jump it will not be able to carry as much of a weapons or fuel load as compared to the same plane being launched by a catapult. So range and fighting ability will be compromised to some extant. Besides, the Navy doesn't have air-to-air refuellers to extend the range of its MiG-29s. Launching off a ski jump will mean they will have fairly short range - more in the nature of a fleet defence interceptor than an offensive sea-land deep strike aircraft. For the latter role the aircraft needs to be able to carry large amounts of bombs/missiles and a heavy fuel load.

This is also why the Navy is operating MiG-29s instead of the more capable Su-33s; the MiG is much lighter than the heavyweight Sukhoi.

The next carrier is expected to be a full CATOBAR carrier and will be able to launch heavily armed aircraft on deep penetration raids. This is a good first step towards gaining that capability. Besides, even this carrier, when she goes into service, will be able to control the trade routes along the Indian Ocean, which is the Navy's goal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by julupani (Post 3211500)

Why do we need a Nimitz class type aircraft carrier at all??? Do you want India to become the next "Big Brother" or rather Big Bully of the world??

Well said. Remember that this carrier represents a huge amount of money that could have otherwise been spent on the social needs of our country - education, health, housing, transport, etc. Also, a carrier can never sail alone, it must always be protected by its escorting destroyers, frigates, and submarines, and all that will cost even more.

The only reason for us to have a carrier is to be able to control the sea lanes of trade over the Indian Ocean on which our economy is so dependent, and to be able to deny the same to any rival.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacifica (Post 3213901)

.....
This is also why the Navy is operating MiG-29s instead of the more capable Su-33s; the MiG is much lighter than the heavyweight Sukhoi.
....

I dont think the Mig-29Ks that will be in use on the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant are less capable than the Su33. Remember not to confuse the standard Mig29s with the Mig29Ks. The Mig29Ks are a more recent development, having come into production only in the mid-2000s, as a sort of ultimate iteration of the Mig29. Its something along the lines of the SU30MKI being an final iteration of the SU30/27.

In fact even Russia is replacing the Su33s operating on its sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov with the Mig29Ks.

All of us need to realize that the INS Vikrant is the first carrier and also the first warship of this magnitude that we are building in India. It's an immense achievement and a mammoth task.

The ski jump ramp on the INS Vikrant is sufficient for all the carrier launched fighters that we have planned for the next couple of decades viz. the Mig 29 and the naval LCA. Both aircraft types will be able to launch with their full combat loads i.e. a full load of weapons and fuel using the ski-jump ramp. Tests with the full combat load on a ski jump has already been done on the INS Vikramaditya which we will receive from Russia.

Coming to the superstructure, just the hull is in place. The flight deck is still incomplete and the island also has to be installed. Weapons and sensors come in later. However, this is a very good learning opportunity for CSL and will be invaluable for the designing and construction of the INS Vishal which will be truly "Vishal" at over 60,000 tonnes fully loaded.

On a side note, I really prefer advancement through hands on experience rather than the Chinese way where they bought the defunct Russian carrier Varyag stating it will be a casino and then converting it to an operational carrier. The next carrier that they are building now will take a really long time while the INS Vishal should take comparatively lesser time now. The Varyag is also a ski jump carrier with Su 33s. However, the Su 33s will never be able to take off with the full combat load from the Varyag.