Speaking of the Indian aircraft carrier, everyone may be more interested in the tractors on it than the carrier-based aircraft. However, using tractors on aircraft carriers is actually nothing new.

Speaking of the Indian aircraft carrier, everyone may be more interested in the tractor on it than the carrier-based aircraft . India's second aircraft carrier "Virat" once used a tractor as a tractor to tow " Sea Harrier " and "Sea King". If you add in the first aircraft carrier, the old "Vikrant" The big rooster is simply a "farmhouse" scene.

Russian tractors on the Indian aircraft carrier

The rooster on the Indian aircraft carrier is actually the mascot

However, the use of tractors on the aircraft carrier is actually nothing new. For example, tractors have been used as tractors on the USS Yorktown and Essex-class aircraft carriers. Although tractors have many disadvantages due to their large size, high impact, inflexible turning and operation, poor low-speed performance, and sometimes poor tire grip, they are not cheap.

The tractor on the Yorktown aircraft carrier

is this tractor

However, the problem is that after World War II US aircraft carriers generally replaced the current tractor trolleys, which are really good to use, while India is still "Villa" in the 21st century. It is unjustifiable to continue to use tractors on the "Special". Why can't it be justified? Because the carrier-based aircraft during World War II were very light, weighing a few tons, they could be towed by a tractor without any problem. However, today’s jet carrier-based aircraft are getting heavier and heavier, many weighing 20 or 30 tons, which can be towed by a tractor.” "Sea Harrier", do you think it can also tow MiG-29K?

Of course, with such a big tractor, even the Su-34 can drag it.

Moreover, India is not without technology in this area. It has developed a special tractor for aircraft carriers. Although the body is a bit tall, it can still get by. It is used, but the Indian Navy does not use it. It's like a car has an automatic start-stop function, but some people still like to press the brakes when waiting for a traffic light. The reason is just habit and unwillingness to accept new things. Of course, India has changed this habit on the "Vikramaditya" and the new "Vikrant".

The tractor body in India is really high

India still prefers tractors

After talking about tractors, let’s talk about other things. Recently, something new has appeared on the Indian domestic aircraft carrier "Vikrant", which is a wheeled crane. Yes, there are pictures showing a yellow crane appearing on the deck of the aircraft carrier together with the MiG-29K aircraft. This scene attracted a large number of people.

There is a gray crane next to it

MiG 29K is on board

However, this time India follows "international practice", which means that aircraft carriers in various countries are generally equipped with wheeled cranes in addition to fixed cranes. For cranes, for example, there are flight deck cranes on US aircraft carriers. They also have a special name called "Tilly". Specifically, these wheeled cranes are actually mainly responsible for accident rescue work. For example, if a carrier-based aircraft is damaged during landing, it does not run off the runway and fall into the sea, but stops on the deck. At this time, there must be Special equipment is used to clean up damaged carrier-based aircraft, and "Tilly" does this job.

Flight Deck Crane Tilly

You must know that carrier-based aircraft are very heavy. For example, the "Super Hornet" weighs nearly 15 tons when empty. Add in oil and bombs, and it will really fall on the deck, even if it is It is broken into several pieces and cannot be lifted by hand. If the fixed crane cannot reach it, a movable wheeled rescue crane is needed. Their maximum lifting capacity can generally reach more than 30 tons.

Aircraft carrier crane rescue training

The crane truck is usually placed in the hangar

In addition, wheeled cranes on aircraft carriers can also assist in the maintenance operations of the flight deck and on-deck equipment, assist in engine replacement of carrier-based aircraft, and can even be used Check the strength of the flight deck. For example, during the outfitting of my country's aircraft carrier Shandong, there were pictures showing eight cranes appearing on the deck at the same time. It was speculated that it was used to simulate the pressure of carrier-based aircraft on the flight deck and the impact on the balance of the entire ship.

Eight cranes appeared on the deck of the Shandong ship at the same time

So the aircraft carrier is equipped with wheeled cranes. This time it is really not a strange thing in India, but a common phenomenon. In addition, there are many other construction machinery on the aircraft carrier, such as forklifts, fuel trucks, sweepers, etc. It is far from just carrier-based aircraft.

The US military’s deck cleaning vehicle

The “sweeping monk” on the Russian aircraft carrier

A closer look