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Nuclear Propulsion for India's Next Generation of Aircraft Carriers

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Nuclear Propulsion for India's Next Generation of Aircraft Carriers
Sunday, December 13, 2015
By: Defence News Network

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Indian Naval Design Bureau that is tasked with designing state-of-the-art warships for Indian Navy are now considering Nuclear Propulsion for India's next generation of Aircraft Carriers.

The Indian Navy and the country's top nuclear scientists have drawn up firm plans to add Nuclear Propulsion to India's next aircraft carrier which is likely to be named as INS Vishal. They have drawn sufficient knowledge and technical expertise from their success in installing nuclear propulsion in INS Arihant which is India's first self-made SSBN Nuclear Powered Submarine. It is this success that is encouraging them to replicate the technology for indigenous Aircraft Carriers.

Currently India's Naval Design Bureau (NDB) is working towards designing a 60,000 to 65,000 tonne Aircraft Carrier. The aircraft carrier will feature a new generation aircraft launch system, EMALS, from the US General Atomics and an indigenously made compact nuclear power plant to propel the carrier.

India is currently constructing IAC-I or INS Vikrant at the Kochi Shipyard which is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2018. The IAC-I is powered by four LM2500 gas turbine engines from the US GE.

After IAC-II there is a strong possibility of another indigenous carrier, IAC-III. While the IAC-I will use a ski-jump to launch fighter jets, the IAC-II and III will use the EMALS to catapult aircraft from short distances of the carrier decks.

The Indian Navy will sooner or later field a three Aircraft Carrier Battle Group for power projection and to remain the sole dominate naval power in the Indian Ocean and ensure 24x7 unhindered operations. India will require a three carrier force as one of them will be under periodic maintenance and refits and accordingly unavailable.

India is currently operating the 45,000 tonne INS Vikramaditya which was supplied by Russia at a cost of $2.35 billion. The carrier will remain in service with the Indian Navy for atleast another 30 to 35 years. India will have to complete the construction of the IAC-III before INS Vikramaditya is decommissioned as it takes around 10 years to build an aircraft carrier even by adopting the latest construction techniques.


Project IAC-II (INS Vishal) is good-to-go ::

Sources from the Ministry of Defence have told Defence, Indian Defence, Indian Armed Forces, Defence News, India Defence News, Indian Defence News, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, US Defense News, UK Defence News, World Defence News that India has already sanctioned funds for INS Vishal to complete a study on the aircraft carriers capability and requirements. Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) will be obtained in the year 2016 which will officially pave the way to start construction work on INS Vishal and funds will be released by the Central Government.

While the United States will share critical EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch and Recovery System) technology with the Indian Navy, our naval engineers and nuclear scientists will be responsible for the installation of Nuclear Power in the carrier. The DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) are coordinating systematically in this regard.


India's National Pride - The INS Arihant ::

INS Arihant has already successfully completed several propulsion and deep ocean diving tests and is currently undergoing a series of weapons firing tests and launching unarmed missiles from different depths before it is inducted in the coming few weeks for active deterrent patrol.

It will soon be given a Warship Pennant Number which will declare INS Arihant operational and then cleared for participation in the International Fleet Review scheduled for February 2016.


India to build 6 Nuclear Powered Submarines ::

The Indian navy has obtained all clearances from New Delhi to build a fleet of six Nuclear Powered submarines. The govt. has made it very clear that there will be no shortage of funds to build a fleet of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.

Inside reports have indicated to Defence, Indian Defence, Indian Armed Forces, Defence News, India Defence News, Indian Defence News, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, US Defense News, UK Defence News, World Defence News that two to three SSBN Arihant class of submarines are already under different stages of planning and construction and they will be bigger, better and even more lethal than INS Arihant.

Use of nuclear power to move vessels as large as aircraft carriers is more logical as fossil fuel powered vessels need continuous supply of fuel & oil not to mention the growing cost of energy and emerging threats in the Indian Ocean.


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This article was first published on Defence, Indian Defence, Indian Armed Forces, Defence News, India Defence News, Indian Defence News, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, US Defense News, UK Defence News, World Defence News 10:05 p.m. 13th Dec 2015.
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Article written by Darshil Patel exclusively for Defence News.
Bsc. in CASFX (U.K.)
Email address: info@DefenceNews.in
 
The article doesn't include anything, that we already don't know
The only line which caught my attention is that IAC3 will have to be completed before INS Vikramaditya retires, which will happen in year 2043 unless their is delay in commissioning of INS Viraat II/ INS Vijay or whatever name the Navy chooses for IAC3
 
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