INS Vikrant Aircraft Carrier

Full Specifications

INS Vikrant – India’s First Indigenous Carrier

The INS Vikrant represents a major milestone in modern naval shipbuilding — India’s first fully indigenous aircraft carrier and a symbol of growing maritime ambition. Built for the Indian Navy by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Vikrant was laid down under the design supervision of the navy’s Warship Design Bureau and commissioned in September 2022.

INS Vikrant is designed to project blue-water capabilities across the Indian Ocean and beyond. At 262 meters in length and roughly 62 meters beam, it displaces around 45,000 tonnes at full load — placing it among mid-sized modern carriers rather than super-carriers.

Powered by four gas turbines (General Electric LM2500+) driving twin shafts, the carrier delivers roughly 88 MW (≈110,000 hp), enabling a top speed of about 28–30 knots and a range/ endurance sufficient for extended deployments (est. 7,500–8,600 nautical miles).

Vikrant uses a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) launch system with a ski-jump for fixed-wing aircraft and arrestor wires for recovery. This flight deck supports a mixed air wing of roughly 30–40 aircraft: carrier-capable fighters (such as Mikoyan MiG-29K), helicopters for airborne early warning (e.g. Kamov Ka-31), anti-submarine/multi-role helicopters such as MH-60R Seahawk, and indigenous rotary or future fixed-wing platforms.

On the electronics and defense front, Vikrant is equipped with advanced radar and sensor suites — including the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar and Selex RAN-40L 3D surveillance radar — plus a modern Combat Management System developed domestically. For layered defense, the ship carries close-in weapon systems like the AK-630 CIWS, dual-purpose naval guns (e.g. Otobreda 76 mm naval gun), and vertical-launch surface-to-air missiles (e.g. Barak 8 missile / Barak-1 via VLS).

Thanks to its combination of flight deck, air wing flexibility, modern sensors, and defensive suite, INS Vikrant offers credible power-projection, maritime air support, fleet defense, and anti-submarine warfare capability — expanding India’s sea-based deterrence and regional reach.