Slow but Steady

Smruti D

For the Indian Navy, just like the air force and army, while procurements have got a boost but the long-drawn out process of acquisitions remain. The Indian Navy’s new aircraft carrier, the IAC-1, christened as INS Vikrant, is being built by Cochin Shipyard. It is estimated to roll out by 2023. Once INS Vikrant enters operations, India will have two aircraft carriers; the first one, INS Vikramaditya, was inducted in 2014 and is currently the only aircraft carrier in service.

Keeping in view that the navy currently operates only 45 fighters, there is bound to be a shortage of fighters to be flown from these aircraft carriers. As a result, the procurement of carrier-based aircraft is underway. Meanwhile, India is also considering procurement of another aircraft carrier, the IAC-2, which will be indigenously built. It is currently in its most nascent stages of development. INS Vikramaditya, already in service and INS Vikrant, which will soon be inducted, both follow the short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) system for the launch and recovery of jets from the deck of an aircraft carrier. The IAC-2, however, will have the catapult assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system. As the IAC-2 nears induction, there is a sense of urgency to zero down on the fighter jets.

The navy first floated the tender to acquire 57 carrier-borne fighter jets in 2017, after rejecting the homemade LCA Tejas: it was found overweight and the thrust wasn’t enough for take-off from ski-jump ramp. At the time when the tender was floated, there were six global fighters that were compatible for the ski-jump aircraft carrier. Rafale, F-18 Super Hornet, MIG-29K, F-35B and F-35 C and Gripen. Of these, the F-18, Rafale and MIG-29 K stood a greater chance at inductions as these were twin-engine jets, preferable to the navy. Eventually, the only two that came to be shortlisted were Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and Boeing’s F-18 Super Hornet. The MiG-29 Ks operated by the navy are expected to be phased out in the next few