INS Vishal (Sanskrit: Vishal "giant") (IAC-II) is the follow-on class of aircraft carrier currently in its design phase, which will be built by Cochin Shipyard Limited for the Indian Navy.
It is intended to be the first supercarrier to be built in India. The proposed design of the second carrier-class will be a new design, featuring significant changes from INS Vikrant (IAC-I), including an increase in displacement an EMALS CATOBAR system is also under consideration, and could be used to launch heavier aircraft like larger fighters, AEW (airborne early-warning) aircraft and Mid-Air Refueling Tankers.
The navy is likely to go with an advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATABOR) from the US for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II). U.S. has also offered its latest EMALS technology, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc., which has just been installed on the Gerald Ford Carrier. The EMALS enables launching varied aircraft including unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV).
(CATABOR - Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery )
While the older generation of CATABOR was powered by a steam catapult, EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult which allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress on aircraft. However, the system is expensive.
Design and Development:
The design stage of IAC-II began in 2012, and was undertaken by the navy’s Naval Design Bureau. The navy decided not to seek outside help in preparing the design concept and implementation plans, but might seek help from the Russian Design Bureau later to integrate Russian aircraft into Vishal.
IAC-II is proposed to be a flat-top carrier with a displacement of 65,000 tonnes and might have a CATOBAR system, unlike the STOBAR system on IAC-I.
The Indian Navy has reached out to four international defence companies for suggestions with the design of Vishal. The letters of request (LoR) were sent to British firm BAE Systems, French firm DCNS, American firm Lockheed Martin and Russian firm Rosoboronexport on July 15, 2015
Comments
Post a Comment