Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant equipped with new radar, missile launch platform

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, December 31

Indian Navy’s first indigenously designed and manufactured aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, is back sailing, after completing a mandatory ‘guarantee refit’ at the Cochin Shipyard, which originally made the 45,000 tonne warship.

MF-STAR radar system

The indigenously designed and manufactured aircraft carrier is now fitted with an Israel-designed multi-functional MF-STAR radar system and launch platform for medium range surface-to-air missiles — Barak 8.

“The sailing is part of the sea trials after the refit,” sources said adding that a key addition is the launch platform for medium range surface-to-air missiles – the Barak 8. The carrier has also now been fitted with

Israel-designed MF-STAR (multi-function surveillance, track and guidance radar) – both are crucial as the warship is heading for an operational deployment in January.

The MF-STAR detects airborne threats like aircraft, anti-ship missiles and cruise missiles, the Barak-8 missile can shoot these at ranges of 80 km or more.

In the first week of December, Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, who headed the Southern Naval Command, told reporters in Kochi that Vikrant would be “operationalised” by the end of January 2024. Vice Admiral Hampiholi retired today and is succeeded by Vice Admiral V Srinivas.

The INS Vikrant also has new Commanding Officer Captain Birendra S Bains, assumed command from Capt Vidhyadhar Harke.

The mandatory ‘guarantee refit’ entails repairing, re-equipping, and re-supplying the concerned platform to certify its overall functioning.

The INS Vikrant was commissioned in September 2022, the refit was pre-scheduled to be carried out once the carrier completed its flight trials and fleet integration activities. The carrier showcased its maritime prowess as part of two-carrier battle group operations – with the INS Vikramaditya — off Goa coast in the first week of June 2023.

The Vikrant, once deployed, will lead the carrier battle group at sea. It will expand Indian Navy’s arch of ‘surveillance’, provide more attack options at sea while having the agility to match latest warships. A carrier battle group would comprise the Vikrant, a submarine or two, three- or four other warships and a fleet tanker carrying tonnes of food and fuel for mid-sea replenishment.

Besides own radars, the Vikrant will get feed from satellite Rukmini, surveillance planes like the Boeing P8-I and Drones like the Predator.