Cochin Shipyard bags Rs 3,000 crore contract for aircraft carrier Vikrant

Cochin Shipyard Limited has signed Phase III contract for Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) for the Indian Navy. The contract is valued at around Rs 3,000 crore.

The contract covers the operational and harbour acceptance trials of various equipment and systems installed onboard and also the sea trials of the carrier.  

The contract also covers some activities which are to be undertaken post delivery of the vessel including support during weapon & aviation trials.

The country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), Vikrant, is in advanced stage of construction and will be delivered to the Navy in 2021 for advanced trials.

Vikrant, weighing 40,000 tonnes, is being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to the present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump. The ship is powered by four General Electric (GE) gas turbines. It will operate Russian origin MiG-29K fighters, which also fly from Vikramaditya.