Eye On China, India And US Set To Ramp Up Joint Naval Drills

     India and the US are set to deepen and broaden their bilateral military exercises to include more warfare components involving nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. They would also invite more countries to join the Malabar exercises as the two nations share concerns about the growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

Second Chinese aircraft carrier to be completed in 6 years

China is capable of completing construction on its first Type 001A aircraft carrier within just six years according to Kanwa Defense Review, a military magazine operated by Andrei Chang, a military analyst in Canada who is also known as Pinkov.

To celebrate the Liaoning's second year of service with the People's Liberation Army Navy, the Sina Military Network based in Beijing displayed photos of the ship.

China to build second aircraft carrier at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard

Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning

China will soon start building its second locally designed aircraft carrier in Shanghai, according to a Canadian report.

Kanwa Asian Defence, an English-language monthly defence review produced in Toronto, said Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard was preparing to start work on the carrier. When completed, the carrier and another under construction in Dalian will give the PLA Navy two fully functioning, battle-ready aircraft carriers. The recently completed Liaoning, the refitted former Soviet carrier Varyag, is classed as a training platform, not a full combat vessel, by the navy, since it went into service in September 2012.

Wait over: INS Vikramaditya set tojoin Indian Navy on Nov 16

Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, will induct the long-delayed aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya,
designed to boost India’s maritime capabilities, at a shipyard in Russia on Saturday. Antony will leave for Russia tomorrow with a high-level delegation, including Defence Secretary, R.K. Mathur, on a four-day visit during which, apart from commissioning the aircraft carrier, he will also co-chair the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu.

Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya finishes trials in Russia, delivery to India in mid-November

After a long running saga of hard-nosed negotiations since the late-1990s, cost escalations, refit delays and mishaps, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has finally completed its extensive sea trials in Russia. The 44,570-tonne warship, or the refurbished Admiral Gorshkov, is now all set to be handed over to India in mid-November. 

INS Viraat-India's sole aircraft carrier

       INS Viraat is a Centaur class aircraft carrier in service with the Indian Navy. It is the flagship and also the second largest ship of the Indian Navy (second to INS Jyoti). It is also the oldest aircraft carrier in service in the world and is one of the two carriers based in Indian Ocean Region(IOR).
         It was initially in service with Royal Navy as HMS Hermes from 1959 to 1985 and was transferred to India in 1987 which will keep it in service until 2020.By then, the warship would have completed 60 years of service, over twice its initially estimated sailing life of 25 years having undergone four mid-life refits and a short refit. At that time the two Indigenous Aircraft Carriers (INS Vikrant and INS Vishal) seemed likely to be fully operational, which was the reason to keep Viraat operational until then,according to unnamed Navy officers.

Structure:

Viraat is fitted with a 12° ski jump to operate the Sea Harrier jump jets , a reinforced flight deck, and 1.2 inch armour over the magazines and machinery spaces. The magazine capacity includes at least 80 lightweight torpedoes. The vessel retains commando transport capability for up to 750 troops and carries four LCVP landing craft (Higgins Boat)  in the aft section.  In a wartime scenario, the INS Viraat can embark up to 30 combat aircraft (Sea Harrier) or helicopters. INS Viraat is suited for two missions:

•    Supporting amphibious operations . 
•    Conducting ASW operations.

Aircrafts carried:

• Fleet Defence - Sea Harrier FRS51
• Airborne Early Warning (AEW) - Kamov Ka-31 Helix-B
• ASW (Anti Submarine Warfare)/ASV (Anti Surface Vessel)-                                                                 SeaKing Mk. 42B & Kamov Ka-28 Helix-A
• Commando Assault and Vertical Replenishment - Sea King Mk. 42C

Sea Harrier lands on INS Viraat

Westland Sea King

Kamov 28

Kamov 31

Combat Data Systems On board:

• Italian SELEX (former ELMER) communication suites
• CAAIS action data automation; Link 10
• SATCOM systems

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