Indian Navy orders three Vikrant carriers

Sea Power, Jul 2003

Indian press reports of 11 April 2001 announced that the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) approved the awarding of a construction contact to Cochin Shipyard for the construction of three Vikrant-class aircraft carriers, also known as air defense ships (ADSs). Although the exact contract price for the three vessels was not announced, the Indian government authorized expenditures in 1999 of approximately $475 million per vessel.

The announcement also indicated that the carrier-based on a French design-will displace more than 30,000 tons. This follows the latest artist's rendition of a 37,500-ton aircraft carrier that can operate over 30 aircraft including short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) aircraft, which includes such types as the Hindustan Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the French Rafael M, and the Russian MiG-29.

Although there is no doubt that India will begin to build its own aircraft carriers, the number of vessels and commissioning dates remain in question.

AMI originally estimated that the Indian Navy would build only two new-construction carriers under this program, with the third one being a Kiev-class carrier from Russia.

Anticipated funding for the vessels must also be seriously questioned because of the planned unit price of only $475 million, A new vessel of this size will probably cost in the neighborhood of around $1.3 billion per unit. If this program is as underfunded as thought, it will be difficult at best to complete the first aircraft carrier on the timeline envisioned (2008). AMI believes that the first unit will probably not be commissioned until around 2012, approximately four years later than planned, and this assumes that the Indian Navy will receive the additional funding required to complete the first unit.

The follow-on units will be much more difficult to fund and build on schedule. However, AMI believes that a carrier fleet is extremely important to the Indian government and Indian Navy, and that at least a second unit will also be built, although likely not delivered until around 2018. A third new carrier could be built, but realistic funding and construction dates are too far into the future to determine.

As an interim measure, the Indian Navy probably will continue to operate the Viraat until the first new carrier is commissioned. The Indian Navy may still procure the Russian Kiev-class carrier Admiral Gorshkov and/or the HMS Invincible-if an arrangement can be made with the Royal Navy when it decommissions that ship, which may occur as early as 2006. So a three-carrier fleet could be in place within the next five years. This approach would give the Indian Navy sufficient time to build, test, commission, and pay for the new class of air defense ships.