India’s Flagship Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya ready to spearhead fleet operations in high seas after extensive refit, details here

Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya , which is India’s premier and most versatile warship is expected to come out of a 15 month major refit at Karawar Naval base. Extensive refit and overhauling has made INS Vikrant more potent and is ready to start sailing in the high seas from next week onwards.  INS Vikramaditya will start its extensive sea trials in March.

INS Vikramaditya to come out of 15-month major refit

INS Vikramaditya was sent for a major overhaul and refit in Karawar in December 2021 and will be handed over to the Indian Navy by March 31 and Mig 29K fighter Aircraft operations will start in April 2023.

Official have confirmed that INS Vikramaditya is expected to move out to the outer anchorage of Karwar Naval Base,under its own engine and will start sailing between Goa and the home port in March. It is expected that all engines of INS Vikramaditya will be functioning and the ship is expected to handed over for fleet operations on March 31.

Testing of Armaments and Air Assets

Various checks of armaments and surface to air missiles of INS Vikramaditya will be completed in March itself and testing of operations of fighter jets and helicopters will begin in April.  The warship can carry a maximum of 36 aircrafts including 26 Mig 29 K fighters and 10 Kamov Ka-31 advance electronic warning (AEW) and Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.

With INS Vikramditya ready to spearhead the fleet and demonstrate power projection in the high seas, India will now have two carrier strike forces with India’s new Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant also undergoing sea trials on the western seaboard.

India's Power Projection on the High Seas

Sources have told that INS Vikrant will be home based in Vishakhapatnam on the Eastern Seaboard of India and INS Vikramaditya will be projecting its maritime dominance on the Western Seaboard. Officials have also revealed that the jetty for INS Vikrant will take time on the Eastern Seaboard , the Navy is planning to lease a jetty at Katupali Shipyard near Chennai and at the outer anchorage of INS Varsha in Rambilli, south of Vishakhapathnam in Andhra Pradesh, to take on the challenges posed by ever expanding PLA Navy.

Indian Navy has also given recommendation for purchase of 26 fighters on a government to government basis, which also includes eight twin seated trainers. There are two maritime fighter jets in contention i.e. French Rafale-M and US F18

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