Follow-on Indigenous Indian and Chinese Carriers
Both the Indians and the Chinese are proceeding with their carrier programs beyond these first carriers which they acquired from Russia.
The Indian design is a completely indigenous STOBAR design of something over 40,000 tons.
She is named the INS Vikrant and it will have an angled deck, two deck-edge elevators, an advanced island, and will be able to carry 30 aircraft of various types. The principle air wing will consist of mainly Mig-29K aircraft, however it is anticipated that a squadron of nasalized Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). it is also anticipated that the vessel will use the Ka-31 AEW helicopter.
The Indian Carrier Vikrant building in Cochin.
This vessel was laid down in Cochin in February 2009. However, delays, particularly logistic delays for various parts, impacted the schedule adversely. The vessel was launched in June 2015, almost 6 1/2 years after she was laid down.
The Indian carrier Vikrant launching in June 2015
The Indian carrier Vikrant after launch preparing for outfitting.
She is expected to undergo sea trials in 2017 and then be commissioned in 2019.
The Chinese laid down their first indigenous carrier in February 2015 in Dalian Shipyards..
Progress on her build has proceeded rapidly. it is clear that she will be a Chinese build of the Liaoning, looking very much like her with improvements to the island structure, to the hangar, and to various areas of the flight deck to optimize operations.
The 1st indigenous Chinese carrier, called 001A, building in Dalian
The Chinese learned a great deal when rebuilding the Varyag themselves into the Liaoning. They are putting that expertise to good use.
The bow ski-Jump seen waiting to be lifted onto the carrier
Though she was laid down six years after the Indian Vikrant, by August 2016, a year and a half later, her construction was complete up to the flight deck. Her ski-jump was seen in a holding structure in late July and the bow ski-jump was then lifted in early August.
The Chinese carrier with her structure completed to the flight deck, and the island seen along side the vessel, ready to lift:
Her island can now be seen along side the vessel and it is anticpated that the island will be lifted into place in September of 2016.
This new Chinese carrier, which will displace 70,000 tons and be capable of carrying upwards of 30 J-15s, is anticipated to launch in mid-2017. She too is anticipated to undergo sea trials in 2018 and be commissioned in 2019.
So, though starting their build six years after the Indians, it is now antipated that the Chinese second carrier (their first indigenous carrier) will commission at the same time.
Both the Indians and the Chinese are proceeding with their carrier programs beyond these first carriers which they acquired from Russia.
The Indian design is a completely indigenous STOBAR design of something over 40,000 tons.
She is named the INS Vikrant and it will have an angled deck, two deck-edge elevators, an advanced island, and will be able to carry 30 aircraft of various types. The principle air wing will consist of mainly Mig-29K aircraft, however it is anticipated that a squadron of nasalized Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). it is also anticipated that the vessel will use the Ka-31 AEW helicopter.
The Indian Carrier Vikrant building in Cochin.
This vessel was laid down in Cochin in February 2009. However, delays, particularly logistic delays for various parts, impacted the schedule adversely. The vessel was launched in June 2015, almost 6 1/2 years after she was laid down.
The Indian carrier Vikrant launching in June 2015
The Indian carrier Vikrant after launch preparing for outfitting.
She is expected to undergo sea trials in 2017 and then be commissioned in 2019.
The Chinese laid down their first indigenous carrier in February 2015 in Dalian Shipyards..
Progress on her build has proceeded rapidly. it is clear that she will be a Chinese build of the Liaoning, looking very much like her with improvements to the island structure, to the hangar, and to various areas of the flight deck to optimize operations.
The 1st indigenous Chinese carrier, called 001A, building in Dalian
The Chinese learned a great deal when rebuilding the Varyag themselves into the Liaoning. They are putting that expertise to good use.
The bow ski-Jump seen waiting to be lifted onto the carrier
Though she was laid down six years after the Indian Vikrant, by August 2016, a year and a half later, her construction was complete up to the flight deck. Her ski-jump was seen in a holding structure in late July and the bow ski-jump was then lifted in early August.
The Chinese carrier with her structure completed to the flight deck, and the island seen along side the vessel, ready to lift:
Her island can now be seen along side the vessel and it is anticpated that the island will be lifted into place in September of 2016.
This new Chinese carrier, which will displace 70,000 tons and be capable of carrying upwards of 30 J-15s, is anticipated to launch in mid-2017. She too is anticipated to undergo sea trials in 2018 and be commissioned in 2019.
So, though starting their build six years after the Indians, it is now antipated that the Chinese second carrier (their first indigenous carrier) will commission at the same time.
