The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant successfully completed the fourth phase of sea trials on Sunday.
Integrated trials of major equipment and systems, including key aviation equipment were undertaken.
The trials took place ahead of its scheduled commissioning into the Indian Navy on August 15.
Sharing photographs from the trials, the Indian Navy said, “Indigenous Aircraft Carrier #Vikrant successfully completed 4th phase of Sea Trials. Integrated trials of major eqpt & systems, incl key aviation eqpt undertaken with further enhancement in performance, towards the delivery of the largest indigenous warship in #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav.”
The delivery of INS Vikrant is being targeted at the end of this month followed by its commissioning in August 2022 as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, said the Indian Navy.
76 per cent of the equipment is indigenously sourced and the close engagement between the design teams of the Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard Ltd is not only a high point in the largest and most complex warship ever to be built in the country but also an example of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
The ship had carried out basic flying operations from its very first sortie, itself a landmark in the history of Indian warship construction.
The sea trials of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier started in August 2021.
It is 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and has a height of 59 m, including the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure.
The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.
Designed with a very high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles, reported IANS.
It can accommodate an assortment of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
