Dominance vs Denial

Smruti D

Naval aviation, which is typically carried out from land bases or aircraft carrier, is the use of air power by navies. Naval aviation makes it possible for navies to dominate the waters in which they are operating.

MiG 29K aircraft parked on INS Vikramaditya during the Phase-II of Malabar

However, given the cost involved in building, operating and maintaining a carrier group, there has been debate about the value for money that naval aviation gives to the operating navies. This debate is centred on the idea of dominance versus denial—with former being provided by an aircraft carrier and the latter by submarines.

According to Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai (retd) former Flag Officer Naval Aviation, while talking to FORCE about the importance of naval aviation says that when navies go with aircraft to sea, there is a very specific intent. That specific intent is primarily Air Defence of the force. But they are also used for shore and ship strike under certain circumstances. He adds, “Many would tend to say that you can carry out these strikes and even defend naval forces using missiles and weaponry.  Naval battles are fought and won, with each such weapon system, including manned aviation, being integral to ships and operations at sea.”

About whether he thinks aircraft carriers are a necessity, vis a vis large costs, he says that the costs of the aircraft are debatable issues. “In many ways they are a very cost-effective way of taking aviation to sea, to the far reaches of oceans, and for enabling sustained presence and effects, under diverse circumstances.  Such capacities and capabilities indeed come at a cost but the result is strategic and operational efficacy.”

India currently operates the Russian-made INS Vikramaditya along with the MiG-29K aircraft. The carrier was inducted in 2014 and the total cost of the carrier as well as platform went up to USD7 billion. As the aircraft carrier is costly, CDS Bipin Rawat has recently said that India may shelve the plans to build a new aircraft carrier, which is t