In recent years, there has been frequent news from within the Indian Navy that it will build a "three aircraft carrier fleet". According to the Indian plan, two of the three aircraft carriers are deployed on the east and west coasts, and one is in reserve, so that "100% control" of the Indian Ocean can be achieved. However, the ambitious shipbuilding plan needs to be supported by corresponding capital and technical strength. On December 3, the Indian Navy Chief of Staff Karambier Singh replayed the old tune again, declaring that the Indian Navy was determined to acquire a third aircraft carrier. He said that as a recognized US$5 trillion economy, India needs an influential and sustainable navy to protect its expanding strategic interests.
Vikrant (IAC-1) completed its first mooring test on November 30.
The Indian Navy has a 46,000-ton displacement Vikramatia aircraft carrier, modified by Russia; the first domestically-made aircraft carrier Vikran The special ship (IAC-1) completed its first mooring test on November 30 and is scheduled to start sea trials next year. It has been postponed for 6 years and is scheduled to enter service in 2022. As for the third aircraft carrier, the second domestically-produced aircraft carrier Vishal (IAC-2), planning has begun in 2012 and is still in the conceptual design stage. Earlier, the Indian Navy even planned to introduce the design of the British Queen Elizabeth. This serves as a copy of the copy. The launch of this third aircraft carrier is obviously not enough to rely on the bold words of the Chief of Naval Staff!
Under the epidemic situation, the Vikrant completed the mooring test
. Over the years, the debate on the IAC-2 project in India has never stopped. One is the sky-high cost of building an aircraft carrier, and the other is that the aircraft carrier is in the The overall combat effectiveness in the “stop” environment. It is estimated that it will cost 800 to 900 billion rupees (10.8 billion to 13.5 billion U.S. dollars) to build a conventionally powered aircraft carrier with a displacement of 65,000 to 70,000 tons, which can carry 50 to 60 fixed-wing or rotor platforms, and a speed of 30 knots. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a historic recession in the Indian economy. Correspondingly, the Indian Navy will spend only 260 billion rupees (approximately US$3.5 billion) in purchasing new equipment and platforms in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Although from the operational and theoretical level, the Indian Navy does need a third aircraft carrier, the actual price paid is the sacrifice of other military projects and weapon system requirements. According to the "Maritime Capability Vision Plan" (MCPP) disclosed by the Indian Navy, 24 submarines (18 conventional submarines + 6 nuclear submarines) are expected to be deployed by 2030, but there are only 15 submarines in active service. Has been in service for 19 to 33 years. In addition, surface warships such as frigates, destroyers, and minesweepers, naval multi-purpose helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and weapons and ammunition are all in short supply. The Vishal model
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, the Indian Navy with a limited budget had to tighten its belt to live. For example, the number of anti-minesweepers it had sought for a long time was reduced from 12 to 8. The original plan to introduce 10 new Ka-31 early warning helicopters from Russia was also reduced to 6. As early as November 2019, the Indian Ministry of Defense had approved the purchase of 6 Boeing P-8I Poseidon anti-submarine patrol aircraft for US$1.8 billion, instead of the 10 expected by the Indian Navy. Shy in the bag, the Indian Navy can only refurbish and upgrade the old weapon platform, and find cheaper alternatives, and lower the unrealistic goals proposed in the MCPP.
In addition, the Indian Air Force is opposed to the construction of the third aircraft carrier. India’s defense budget is limited, and the Air Force hopes to compete for more shares to improve its shortage of fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft. The Indian Air Force believes that limited resources should be devoted to more urgent military projects rather than new aircraft carrier plans. Building a third aircraft carrier is not only expensive, but also requires the deployment of a brand new platform. But this platform will become a victim of China's "anti-access/area denial" strategy of layered missile defense system, even the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the US Navy is no exception.
Su-30MKI belly-mounted BrahMos missiles
The Air Force advocates "the theory of aircraft carrier uselessness" and believes that only the "Puma" IM/IS and the Russian-made Su-30MKI are more economical and safer power projection platforms. Sea strike capability and can expand the strike range through aerial refueling. The Indian Air Force’s "Puma" IM fleet is equipped with AGM-84L Block II "Harpoon" missiles and can be installedIsrael’s Elta’s AESA radar is used for maritime operations; the Su-30MKI fleet is equipped with a “BrahMos-A” supersonic cruise missile with a range of 292 kilometers and a combat range of 1,500 kilometers, even if not Air refueling can also meet the operational needs of the east and west coasts and the Indian Ocean.
back to the IAC-2 project itself. In May 2015, the Indian Ministry of Defense allocated 300 million rupees to the Naval Design Department (DND) in New Delhi for conceptual design. Although little progress has been made in the follow-up, the Indian Navy has a soft spot for the third aircraft carrier. In December 2017, Sunil Lamba, the former chief of staff of the Navy, announced that the 65,000-ton platform would use a catapult take-off and landing system to launch fighter jets. For this reason, the Indian Navy even considered purchasing an electromagnetic ejection system developed by General Atomics, and set up a working group to conduct multiple rounds of technical discussions with the US Navy. But it is limited to "discussion" only.
Indian Navy MiG-29K
Not to mention the ejection method, the choice of carrier aircraft is also a big issue. In 2017, the Indian Navy issued an information invitation to purchase 57 multi-purpose carrier-based aircraft for IAC-2, with an order value of approximately US$10 billion to US$12 billion. In terms of performance, the Indian side proposed ultra-high specifications, which not only need to be equipped with active electronic scanning array (AESA) radar, infrared search and tracking (IRST) system, laser rangefinder, etc., but also need to integrate various ready-made local equipment . However, the formal tender is still far away. The introduction of a new type of ship-borne mechanism involves the design of aircraft carrier elevators and the selection of ejection methods. A lot of technical problems and logistical maintenance challenges follow. But these seem to be of little importance to the Indian Navy. Blindly looking high, pursuing high performance and high indicators, but turning a blind eye to the reality of "no money or technology", this is probably the root cause of the various weapons projects in India!
