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Joining an elite club of nations capable of building large warships, India began the construction of its first indigenous aircraft carrier at the Cochin Shipyard here and will go in for 2 to 3 more carriers in the heavier class.
Pressing a remote to lower the keel -- the ship's backbone -- into the construction dock of the shipyard, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "The Navy's carrier will showcase India's technological prowess and warships' building capabilities to the world. It will be the largest ever warship to be built in India." The 40,000-tonne carrier will operate nearly 30 aircraft including the Russian MiG-29Ks fighters, Kamov-31 helicopters and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
"This is a crucial milestone and an occasion to cherish in the shipbuilding traditions and maritime history of the nation. The culmination of this prestigious project, sometime in 2014, will transform India into an aircraft-building nation," Antony said.
He said that India will certainly produce more indigenous aircraft carrier, but in the heavier class category to meet the future challenges and needs of maritime security. "We hope to operate two to three aircraft carriers simultaneously in the not too distant future," Antony said
Kochi (PTI): India will join the select club of 40,000 tonne plus aircraft carrier designers and builders when Defence Minister A K Antony lays the keel of the First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier of the Indian Navy at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) here on Saturday.
In partnership with the Indian Navy, CSL will be one among the few shipyards of the world to have attempted to construct the Aircraft carrier.
This is the first project in Warship construction for the yard, which has wide experience in commercial building of all varieties of ships, a navy press release said.
The Indigenous aircraft carrier, designed by Navy's Design Organisation, will be capable of operating an aircraft mix of Russian MiG-29K, Ka31 and indigenous LCA.
The ship will have two takeoff runways and a landing strip with three arrester wires. The ship can carry a maximum of 30 aircraft with adequate hangarage capacity.
Naval chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta will be among the dignitaries present at the ceremony.
Peace
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