Indian carrier battle group4/1/2023 ![]() ![]() Indeed, much of China’s naval power is likely to be focused on tasks close to home such as the South China Sea or Taiwan rather than confronting India. For example, it is difficult to imagine a Sino-Indian submarine confrontation because neither country has many submarines that can sail far from their shores. Of course, crude numbers alone do not matter very much. China’s submarine force is also growing, with almost 60 submarines to India’s 16. While American carriers are as yet unmatched, China is rapidly catching up in terms of its other warships, especially its destroyers and frigates. has about a dozen carrier battle groups and nine other amphibious assault ships that carry a significant number of airframes, with almost a dozen more on order. ![]() Navy, even though in terms of tonnage, it is only half the size of the U.S. In fact, China now has more naval vessels than the U.S. The Chinese carriers are expected to be the backbone of their own U.S.-style carrier battle groups that can deliver enormous firepower and be able to operate independently far from China’s shores.Īircraft carriers may be the most visible symbol of contemporary naval power, but China’s shipbuilding program encompasses a wide variety of other vessels also. The next carrier, the Fujian, will be even larger while follow-on carriers are expected to come close to the size of the latest U.S. The two carriers, built in China, are larger than the Vikrant, displacing more than 70,000 tonnes to the Vikrant’s 43,000 tonnes. On the other hand, India has now been surpassed by China which already has two aircraft carriers, and a third one on the way. The importance of the Vikrant for both Indian naval power as well as India’s domestic defense production is the reason why Modi was present to do the honors. There are plans for another new carrier, though they have not been approved yet. With the latest INS Vikrant, India has a two-carrier navy. Similarly, as the Viraat aged, India purchased an ex-Soviet Kiev-class aircraft carrier, which was renamed INS Vikramaditya, which continues in service. Subsequently, as the original INS Vikrant aged, India purchased the ex-British carrier, HMS Hermes, which joined service in the Indian Navy as INS Viraat in 1987. India’s first carrier, a refurbished British Majestic-class ship, entered service in the early 1960s. ![]() India was proud of the fact that it had one of the few navies that could operate a carrier. In regard to aircraft carriers, India was the first Asian power to acquire an aircraft carrier after 1945. It was also an occasion that was used to remove one of the last relics of colonial history, with the Indian Navy receiving a new ensign that removed the British era St George’s Cross in favor of an Indian naval crest from the Maratha Kingdom.Īlthough it was a happy occasion for India and the Indian Navy, it is also time for stocktaking considering that India’s naval capabilities are falling further behind China than ever before. INS Vikrant has a displacement of 43,000 tonnes and is capable of hosting a fleet of MiG 29K aircraft, Kamov 31 early warning and MH-60R multi-role helicopters. This is India’s first indigenously manufactured aircraft carrier, a commendable feat for the Cochin Shipyard that constructed the ship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned India’s latest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant on September 2. Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology. ![]()
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