India's pursuit of third Aircraft Carrier & Enhanced MPA Capabilities

In a significant development, the Indian Navy is progressing towards acquiring its third aircraft carrier, alongside efforts to boost its maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) capabilities. Currently, the Indian Navy operates INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya as its aircraft carriers, and the addition of a second Vikrant-class vessel is on the horizon.

Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Adm Hari Kumar highlighted the substantial expertise and skills that have been cultivated within the Cochin Shipyard (CSL), the builder of INS Vikrant. He emphasized that constructing an aircraft carrier is a formidable undertaking. The implication here is that the time required to develop and finalize a larger CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery) equipped aircraft carrier design, as initially envisaged by the Navy, could lead to a loss of the current expertise at CSL and other firms. Instead, opting for the quicker construction of an existing design, with increased indigenous components and other enhancements, can help reduce costs and fulfill the objective of establishing a three-carrier fleet.

The Indian Navy is also keen on indigenizing various equipment aboard the existing aircraft ...