India’s first indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant completes basin trials

India has successfully completed basin trials of the indigenous aircraft carrier 1 (IAC 1) INS Vikrant, the official handle of Defence Public Relation Officer (PRO) for Kerala, under directorate of Public Relations of India’s Ministry of Defence, has announced.

According to official Indian MoD sources, the sea trials of the aircraft carrier are expected to start in early 2021.

The basin trials were held at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. Their completion means that the aircraft carrier is now ready to start the sea trials.

“IAC1 project enters the final phase, sea trials expected early 2021,” PRO Defence Kochi said on Twitter.

According to India’s Defense Ministry, INS Vikrant successfully completed the pre-contractors sea trials in December 2019.

INS Vikrant :

The INS Vikrant is the first indigenous aircraft carrier design being undertaken by the nation of India. It is one of two planned vessels in the new “Vikrant-class” of surface warships and has seen construction begin in 2009. The Indian Navy’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is currently under the third phase of construction.

INS Vikrant is a 260 meters long and 60 meters wide vessel displacing 37,500-tonnes. The maximum speed of the ship is announced at 28 knots, with a range of 7,500 nautical miles at a speed of 18 knots. INS Vikrant is set to receive a large crew complement composed of 160 officers and 1,400 sailors. The aircraft carrier will be able to accommodate up to 30 fighters and helicopters, including Mig-29K fighters jets and Ka-31 helicopters.

The Vikrant will be equipped with 4 x 76mm Otobreda dual-purpose cannons and backed by several surface-to-air missile emplacements. For short-ranged work against incoming aircraft or missiles, a digitally-controlled Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) will be installed. A Selex RAN-40L L-band early warning radar system will be part of the defensive network of sensor and systems processing.

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