Indian aircraft building program news
India is currently developing its armed forces, including updating the naval fleet. An important element in the development of the Navy is the aircraft carrier construction program. In the future, it is planned to build new aircraft carriers that can increase the combat power of the fleet. Recently, several domestic and foreign media appeared Newsrevealing the plans of the Indian command regarding the construction of new aircraft carriers and the further fate of the existing ships.
In late February, the British edition of The Times reported that the command of the Indian Navy decided on its plans for the INS Viraat aircraft carrier. This ship was built in the UK at the end of the fifties under the name HMS Hermes, and in the mid-eighties it was handed over to the Indian fleet. Due to the great age of this aircraft carrier can no longer continue full service, because of what the Indian military department has been making further plans for the past few years. In late February, new information appeared on the alleged fate of the ship.
In the foreseeable future, the aircraft carrier INS Viraat will be decommissioned and rebuilt. After repair and modernization, the warship will become a floating hotel. As part of the conversion project, an 500 hotel room, restaurants, a nightclub and other tourist facilities will appear on board the aircraft carrier. According to some reports, the conversion of the ship will cost about 115-120 million dollars. The timing of the start of such work and the approximate time of introduction of the floating hotel into operation has not yet been specified.
The possible appearance of the aircraft carrier INS Vishal. Figure Bmpd.livejournal.com
Also at the end of February there were regular reports about India’s plans to build new ships with aviation group on board. According to last year’s news, the Indian naval forces want to get a ship with a displacement of about 65 thousand tons, 300 m long and 70 m wide. The proposal to equip such a ship with a nuclear power plant is very popular among fleet leaders, although so far, according to some reports , the use of other units is not excluded. The most important feature of a possible tender will be the conditions for the construction of a new ship. The aircraft carrier project should be submitted by foreign companies, but the construction of an aircraft carrier must be carried out at Indian shipyards.
According to the foreign press, the promising aircraft carrier will be named INS Vishal and will remain in service for about 50 years. It is precisely such planned lifetimes that led to the emergence of a proposal to use a nuclear power plant. Nevertheless, such questions still seem to be unresolved and the final appearance of the ship has not yet been formed. There is also no information about the completion of work on the formation of requirements for the composition of the aviation group.
It is reported that the aircraft carrier "Vishal" will have to carry up to 54 aircraft of various types for different purposes. The specific composition of the air group, for obvious reasons, has not yet been determined. Moreover, the Indian military may face some difficulties in resolving this issue. So, it is known about the plans for the unification of carrier-based aircraft with the existing types of aviation equipment of the air force and naval forces. Thus, the circle of applicants is narrowed, but in the future the situation may change.
The Russian MiG-29К / KUB and Dassault Rafale M. fighter jets can be considered as a potential payload for the INS Vishal aircraft carrier. The French edition of TTU writes that at the end of January, a high-ranking French delegation visited India in order to offer the Navy command a deck version of the Rafale fighter. How successful were the visit and negotiations within its framework is not specified.
Data on the alleged appearance of a promising aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy has not yet received official confirmation. In addition, the Indian Ministry of Defense has not yet announced the launch of a tender for the development of its project. Thus, the terms of reference may still be at the stage of formation, with corresponding consequences for the further course of work. Nevertheless, the lack of full-fledged documents and the decision on the official start of work did not prevent the appearance of very interesting publications in the press.
1 March, the Russian edition of Izvestia reported on the possible outcome of the future tender. The publication reminds that the United States and France are participating in the future tender for the development of a new aircraft carrier for India. At the same time, however, the Indian military tend to choose the Russian proposal. It is argued that the Russian 23000 project "Storm" proposed by the Krylov State Research Center could become the basis for the new Indian aircraft carrier. Information about this project, as well as the mock-up of the ship, were first presented to the general public last year at the Army-2015 forum. For obvious reasons, the 23000E project is so far only a reason for numerous discussions and disputes.
According to published data, the project "Storm" involves the construction of a ship with a displacement of 100 thousand tons in length about 300 m and width 40 m. Such dimensions will allow the ship to take on board up to hundreds of aircraft of various classes and types. For flights, aircraft will be able to use the bow springboard and the corner deck, equipped with four starting positions. The ship is proposed to equip the boiler-turbine or nuclear power plant.
It is reported that one of the main advantages of the Russian project, in comparison with foreign offers, is the developer’s willingness to transfer to the customer all the necessary technologies. The Indian leadership is currently implementing the “Made in India” program, which aims to maximize the localization of the production of important products in their own enterprises. In this case, Russia is said to be able to transfer to the Indian side all the necessary documentation and technology for the construction of an aircraft carrier.
Other potential bidders, the United States and France, have some problems in this regard. Thus, the United States rarely transfer licenses for the production of complex equipment. A similar approach has been practiced by France, which has been arguing with the Indian military about the construction of Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force for several years now. The Indian side wants to get documentation and technologies that will allow it to build airplanes on its own, and France does not intend to cooperate in this way.
It cannot be ruled out that further events will develop precisely as predicted by Izvestia, but the situation around the program of building new aircraft carriers is rather complicated and is unlikely to lead to the required results quickly and simply. Construction of the next aircraft carrier is planned from the end of the last decade, but until recently, no real progress in this matter has been observed. Only in July, 2015, India sent a request for the conditions of construction of a new aircraft carrier. This document was received by Russia (Rosoboronexport), the USA (Lockheed Martin), France (DCNS) and the United Kingdom (BAE Systems). At the same time, the approximate parameters of the required aircraft carrier became known: the displacement 65 thousand tons, the length of the order of 300 m and the possibility of equipping a nuclear power plant.
What documents India received as a result of its request is still unknown. In addition, there are no reliable data on the progress of the analysis of proposals. Thus, the Indian military could already make a choice, but so far it is not amusing to announce it. It should also be noted that an official tender has not yet been launched, on the results of which a corresponding contract will be signed. Why India is slow in carrying out the most important stages of preparation for construction is not completely clear.
Due to the lack of complete information, it remains only to speculate. At the same time, a superficial consideration of the issue can lead to a conclusion about the plausibility of the Izvestia forecast. Russia in the current situation really has a good chance of obtaining a future contract. This, above all, will contribute to the existing policy of supplying equipment and the provision of various technologies.
Recall that the UK simply does not have the technology of building ships with nuclear power plants. The United States chooses not to share the critical technologies that can take them out of the competition. Thus, the main claimants to the contract are Russia and France, which are ready not only to present the project, but also to share some technologies. Interestingly, as a result of the original Indian approach to the construction of machinery, both countries can receive a contract.
Thus, the portal “Protect Russia” notes that in recent years, India has been practicing a “synthetic” approach to the construction of aircraft carriers. For example, the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya was built in Russia and equipped with Russian equipment, as well as armed with MiG aircraft. In this case, in the near future they will install Israeli-made anti-aircraft complexes.
Under construction aircraft carrier "Vikrant"? June 2015 g. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
From this point of view, the INS Vikrant ship, which is currently under construction, is even more interesting. Its hull was designed in Italy, the engines were supplied by the United States, the electronics were made by Italian and Israeli companies, Russia is responsible for the aircraft, helicopters and auxiliary equipment for their operation, and various types of air defense systems are supplied by several countries at once. Finally, the assembly of all systems into a single unit is carried out at the Indian shipbuilding plant. The result of this unusual approach should be a modern aircraft carrier with a fairly high performance.
Recalling this approach, the authors of the Protect Russia portal suggest that the new aircraft carrier INS Vihsal may be the result of the joint work of several countries. It is quite likely that they called the development of ship design by French industry using a Russian power plant based on a nuclear reactor. It should be noted, Russia and France, for well-known reasons, are the main contenders for the supply of aircraft and, as a result, the aircraft’s aircraft equipment.
A separate question - the timing of the construction of a new ship. It is currently planned that Vishal will start service in 2025. At the moment, such assumptions are confirmed only indirectly. So, before 2020, the Indian fleet should receive the aircraft carrier "Vikrant", after which the industry will be able to focus on building the next ship of this class. In addition, the development of the project takes a lot of time, which also does not allow to complete the construction program relatively quickly.
It should also be borne in mind that at present Indian specialists are working with the submitted documentation from companies from four countries, but so far they are not in a hurry to announce the start of the tender. This may also affect the construction time of the ship. Another factor negatively affecting the timing of the start of construction, may be delaying negotiations with contractors associated with different plans and wishes.
India intends to develop its aircraft carrier fleet, as well as support the industry and increase its potential. It is proposed to implement such plans with the assistance of third countries. In the context of the construction of a new aircraft carrier Vishal, foreign assistance will consist in the development of the project and assistance in setting up the production of necessary components in Indian enterprises. As a result, the Indian Navy will receive a new ship with an aviation group, and the industry will master the independent construction of such equipment. Obviously, the current program will continue over the next few years, but this does not mean that it is of no interest and should not be followed.
On the materials of the sites:
http://thetimes.co.uk/
http://ttu.fr/
http://izvestia.ru/
http://defendingrussia.ru/
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/
In late February, the British edition of The Times reported that the command of the Indian Navy decided on its plans for the INS Viraat aircraft carrier. This ship was built in the UK at the end of the fifties under the name HMS Hermes, and in the mid-eighties it was handed over to the Indian fleet. Due to the great age of this aircraft carrier can no longer continue full service, because of what the Indian military department has been making further plans for the past few years. In late February, new information appeared on the alleged fate of the ship.
In the foreseeable future, the aircraft carrier INS Viraat will be decommissioned and rebuilt. After repair and modernization, the warship will become a floating hotel. As part of the conversion project, an 500 hotel room, restaurants, a nightclub and other tourist facilities will appear on board the aircraft carrier. According to some reports, the conversion of the ship will cost about 115-120 million dollars. The timing of the start of such work and the approximate time of introduction of the floating hotel into operation has not yet been specified.
The possible appearance of the aircraft carrier INS Vishal. Figure Bmpd.livejournal.com
Also at the end of February there were regular reports about India’s plans to build new ships with aviation group on board. According to last year’s news, the Indian naval forces want to get a ship with a displacement of about 65 thousand tons, 300 m long and 70 m wide. The proposal to equip such a ship with a nuclear power plant is very popular among fleet leaders, although so far, according to some reports , the use of other units is not excluded. The most important feature of a possible tender will be the conditions for the construction of a new ship. The aircraft carrier project should be submitted by foreign companies, but the construction of an aircraft carrier must be carried out at Indian shipyards.
According to the foreign press, the promising aircraft carrier will be named INS Vishal and will remain in service for about 50 years. It is precisely such planned lifetimes that led to the emergence of a proposal to use a nuclear power plant. Nevertheless, such questions still seem to be unresolved and the final appearance of the ship has not yet been formed. There is also no information about the completion of work on the formation of requirements for the composition of the aviation group.
It is reported that the aircraft carrier "Vishal" will have to carry up to 54 aircraft of various types for different purposes. The specific composition of the air group, for obvious reasons, has not yet been determined. Moreover, the Indian military may face some difficulties in resolving this issue. So, it is known about the plans for the unification of carrier-based aircraft with the existing types of aviation equipment of the air force and naval forces. Thus, the circle of applicants is narrowed, but in the future the situation may change.
The Russian MiG-29К / KUB and Dassault Rafale M. fighter jets can be considered as a potential payload for the INS Vishal aircraft carrier. The French edition of TTU writes that at the end of January, a high-ranking French delegation visited India in order to offer the Navy command a deck version of the Rafale fighter. How successful were the visit and negotiations within its framework is not specified.
Data on the alleged appearance of a promising aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy has not yet received official confirmation. In addition, the Indian Ministry of Defense has not yet announced the launch of a tender for the development of its project. Thus, the terms of reference may still be at the stage of formation, with corresponding consequences for the further course of work. Nevertheless, the lack of full-fledged documents and the decision on the official start of work did not prevent the appearance of very interesting publications in the press.
1 March, the Russian edition of Izvestia reported on the possible outcome of the future tender. The publication reminds that the United States and France are participating in the future tender for the development of a new aircraft carrier for India. At the same time, however, the Indian military tend to choose the Russian proposal. It is argued that the Russian 23000 project "Storm" proposed by the Krylov State Research Center could become the basis for the new Indian aircraft carrier. Information about this project, as well as the mock-up of the ship, were first presented to the general public last year at the Army-2015 forum. For obvious reasons, the 23000E project is so far only a reason for numerous discussions and disputes.
According to published data, the project "Storm" involves the construction of a ship with a displacement of 100 thousand tons in length about 300 m and width 40 m. Such dimensions will allow the ship to take on board up to hundreds of aircraft of various classes and types. For flights, aircraft will be able to use the bow springboard and the corner deck, equipped with four starting positions. The ship is proposed to equip the boiler-turbine or nuclear power plant.
It is reported that one of the main advantages of the Russian project, in comparison with foreign offers, is the developer’s willingness to transfer to the customer all the necessary technologies. The Indian leadership is currently implementing the “Made in India” program, which aims to maximize the localization of the production of important products in their own enterprises. In this case, Russia is said to be able to transfer to the Indian side all the necessary documentation and technology for the construction of an aircraft carrier.
Other potential bidders, the United States and France, have some problems in this regard. Thus, the United States rarely transfer licenses for the production of complex equipment. A similar approach has been practiced by France, which has been arguing with the Indian military about the construction of Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force for several years now. The Indian side wants to get documentation and technologies that will allow it to build airplanes on its own, and France does not intend to cooperate in this way.
It cannot be ruled out that further events will develop precisely as predicted by Izvestia, but the situation around the program of building new aircraft carriers is rather complicated and is unlikely to lead to the required results quickly and simply. Construction of the next aircraft carrier is planned from the end of the last decade, but until recently, no real progress in this matter has been observed. Only in July, 2015, India sent a request for the conditions of construction of a new aircraft carrier. This document was received by Russia (Rosoboronexport), the USA (Lockheed Martin), France (DCNS) and the United Kingdom (BAE Systems). At the same time, the approximate parameters of the required aircraft carrier became known: the displacement 65 thousand tons, the length of the order of 300 m and the possibility of equipping a nuclear power plant.
What documents India received as a result of its request is still unknown. In addition, there are no reliable data on the progress of the analysis of proposals. Thus, the Indian military could already make a choice, but so far it is not amusing to announce it. It should also be noted that an official tender has not yet been launched, on the results of which a corresponding contract will be signed. Why India is slow in carrying out the most important stages of preparation for construction is not completely clear.
Due to the lack of complete information, it remains only to speculate. At the same time, a superficial consideration of the issue can lead to a conclusion about the plausibility of the Izvestia forecast. Russia in the current situation really has a good chance of obtaining a future contract. This, above all, will contribute to the existing policy of supplying equipment and the provision of various technologies.
Recall that the UK simply does not have the technology of building ships with nuclear power plants. The United States chooses not to share the critical technologies that can take them out of the competition. Thus, the main claimants to the contract are Russia and France, which are ready not only to present the project, but also to share some technologies. Interestingly, as a result of the original Indian approach to the construction of machinery, both countries can receive a contract.
Thus, the portal “Protect Russia” notes that in recent years, India has been practicing a “synthetic” approach to the construction of aircraft carriers. For example, the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya was built in Russia and equipped with Russian equipment, as well as armed with MiG aircraft. In this case, in the near future they will install Israeli-made anti-aircraft complexes.
Under construction aircraft carrier "Vikrant"? June 2015 g. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
From this point of view, the INS Vikrant ship, which is currently under construction, is even more interesting. Its hull was designed in Italy, the engines were supplied by the United States, the electronics were made by Italian and Israeli companies, Russia is responsible for the aircraft, helicopters and auxiliary equipment for their operation, and various types of air defense systems are supplied by several countries at once. Finally, the assembly of all systems into a single unit is carried out at the Indian shipbuilding plant. The result of this unusual approach should be a modern aircraft carrier with a fairly high performance.
Recalling this approach, the authors of the Protect Russia portal suggest that the new aircraft carrier INS Vihsal may be the result of the joint work of several countries. It is quite likely that they called the development of ship design by French industry using a Russian power plant based on a nuclear reactor. It should be noted, Russia and France, for well-known reasons, are the main contenders for the supply of aircraft and, as a result, the aircraft’s aircraft equipment.
A separate question - the timing of the construction of a new ship. It is currently planned that Vishal will start service in 2025. At the moment, such assumptions are confirmed only indirectly. So, before 2020, the Indian fleet should receive the aircraft carrier "Vikrant", after which the industry will be able to focus on building the next ship of this class. In addition, the development of the project takes a lot of time, which also does not allow to complete the construction program relatively quickly.
It should also be borne in mind that at present Indian specialists are working with the submitted documentation from companies from four countries, but so far they are not in a hurry to announce the start of the tender. This may also affect the construction time of the ship. Another factor negatively affecting the timing of the start of construction, may be delaying negotiations with contractors associated with different plans and wishes.
India intends to develop its aircraft carrier fleet, as well as support the industry and increase its potential. It is proposed to implement such plans with the assistance of third countries. In the context of the construction of a new aircraft carrier Vishal, foreign assistance will consist in the development of the project and assistance in setting up the production of necessary components in Indian enterprises. As a result, the Indian Navy will receive a new ship with an aviation group, and the industry will master the independent construction of such equipment. Obviously, the current program will continue over the next few years, but this does not mean that it is of no interest and should not be followed.
On the materials of the sites:
http://thetimes.co.uk/
http://ttu.fr/
http://izvestia.ru/
http://defendingrussia.ru/
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/
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