Posted on 06/10/2023 3:58:32 PM PDT by Right Wing Vegan
Amidst tension with China along the northern borders, the Indian Navy has carried out its first exercise in recent years with two new aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant – along with 35 aircraft and other warships to demonstrate its maritime muscles in the Indian Ocean region.
The power projection in the Arabian Sea involves MiG-29K fighter jets that operated from the carrier’s decks and a wide array of choppers ranging from the new MH60R to older generation Kamov, Sea King and Chetak besides the homegrown advanced lightweight helicopters.
“INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant were the centre-pieces of the exercise, serving as 'floating sovereign airfields' and providing a launch platform for a wide array of aircraft. Such mobile bases can be positioned anywhere allowing increased mission flexibility, timely response to emerging threats and sustained air operations to safeguard the national interests,” said an official.
“In addition, they provide our friends with an assurance that the Indian Navy is capable and ready to support our 'collective' security needs in the region,” he said. The navy didn’t disclose the dates of the exercise but maintained it was conducted “recently”.
The successful demonstration of simultaneous operations by two carrier battle groups serves as a testament to the pivotal role of sea-based air power in maintaining maritime superiority, a navy spokesperson said in a statement.
A significant milestone in India’s pursuit of enhancing maritime security and power projection as a blue water navy, the exercise involved the seamless integration of two aircraft carriers along with a diverse fleet of ships, submarines and aircraft. For INS Vikramaditya, the drill comes after almost two years spent on refit.
The mega war game comes in the backdrop of the prevailing conflict between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control. Both nations have deployed thousands of troops to guard the disputed boundary.
On the maritime front, the Indian Navy wants to establish its supremacy and emerge as the net security provider in the region while keeping an eye on important sea lanes of communications.
But there has been stiff competition from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, which is building such floating airfields aggressively.
In December 2019, the PLAN commissioned its first domestically built aircraft carrier, Shandong, which was launched in 2017 and completed multiple sea trials during 2018-2019.
China’s second home-built carrier is projected to be operational by 2024 and work is going on the third carrier, which would be having a displacement of 85,000 to 100,000 tonnes. The communist country plans to build even bigger carriers with nuclear propulsion to match the USA’s 11 carrier battle groups, each of which is centred around a Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
The Union government, however, is yet to approve a third aircraft carrier that was first envisaged nearly 40 years ago in the Indian Navy Perspective Plan 1985-2000. Subsequently, every such plan reiterated the idea, but the government didn’t commit due to cost factors.
All this talk of BRICS forgets that India sees China as a mortal enemy who not only holds Indian territory but claims more.
And China sees India as a potential long term rival
The free world needs to decouple from this menace. Also the US should decouple from any country that refuses to decouple from China.
We KNOW the days of large capital ships, especially the CVN are over.
Because everyone who can is building as many as they can, as big as they can.
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“Navy shows prowess amid China’s Indian Ocean forays...”
Ooooh..prowess! Dude!!
As a submariner all I see are two targets. One appears to be a Russian built “Papa Oscar Sierra”. The other appears to be a knock-off of a Russian “Papa Oscar Sierra”.
Notwithstanding our Navy (7 years service here) nowadays runs WARships into merchant ships, allows billion dollar ships to burn to the keel at the dock, is so desperate for recruits it puts women in combat roles, and mocks/degrades our admirals (future combat LEADERS) by promoting perverts to Admirals..............the Indian Navy should weigh one fact real HARD.
Namely, no Navy on the planet has more experience FIGHTING aircraft carriers. Our Navy has flown hundreds of thousands of flights in combat. India has flown zero. My point? Carriers are extremely vulnerable and DEMAND incredible layer upon layer of multi billion dollar defenses and superbly trained crews to operate them or you will surely lose them in all out naval combat!
The US Navy has lost carriers in combat too and thousands of men! India has lost ZERO carriers in combat. India’s brags about two small carriers with a few dozen aircraft on board should be taken with general nodding approval but also with a grain of salt.
It’s one of the most obvious yet ignored contradictions In The theory.
The only prowess they care about is working on their village people dance moves while stripping
I am sure the Chinese were scared by the fluttering degenerate lgbtqwtf flag.
Who gets the sink them first, the Chinese or the Americans?
Not when Sniffer hears about it.
And China’s latest homemade carrier has a huge crack in the flight deck amidships.
........we’ve been building a 40’ boat the past year and in hundreds of purchases we try hard not to buy Chinese anything because it nearly always fails. Like today a 3/8 drive to 1/2 drive broke. We had to quit until we get a substitute drive.
Whether it’s a 3/8 drive or an aircraft carrier I am highly doubtful of China’s equipment and prowess in combat on the open seas is something China simply does not have.
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