SOURCE: IDRW NEWS NETWORK
Commissioning of the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is just around the corner but the Indian Navy has intensified its lobbying for the development of the second aircraft carrier as both the Naval design Bureau and Cochin Shipyard have gained tremendous experience in the development of such a behemoth ship that both are keen to follow up with the development of another aircraft carrier.
Cochin Shipyard already has offered to develop a second aircraft carrier that is based on the IAC-I design and has the same displacement (45000-T) in 5-7 years but the Navy is still trying to secure Government funds for the development of an aircraft carrier that has a displacement of 65000-T.
idrw.org has been told if Special funds are granted directly by the PMO then the Navy will go for a new design that will see the development of a bigger aircraft carrier than the present IAC-I with a displacement of 65000-T but if manages to secure even partial funding from the government that might require some funds from its side then it might settle for a smaller aircraft carrier that still will be bigger then the IAC-I.
The Navy is not keen to acquire the sister ship of IAC-I but might settle for the stretched design of IAC-I that might see an addition of 10000T from its current displacement. IAC-II will have a displacement of 65000-T or 55000-T will all depend if the Navy is the ability to manage funds for the program.
While both options are been considered but stretched IAC-I will be much cheaper since it will rely on most of the technology that already has been developed for the program and will not be getting next-gen systems like Electromagnetic aircraft launch and landing systems as the Navy had desired for the 65000-T IAC-II. It is estimated that whichever option the Navy might be able secure cost between both the options that it is currently fiddling with will be anything between $1.5 to $2 Billion.
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