When the keel of the Indigenous Aircraft Project (Project 71) will be laid at 28th February Indian Navy will be on its way provide the two fleets with a aircraft carrier groupThe aircraft carrier will have a air component consisting of MiG-29K, ASW helicopters, AEW Helicopter, and possibly Tejas-Naval.
MiG-29K will be tasked with the task of providing air defence, anti ship role and light attack role
ASW Helicopters will be necessary in the IOR where a submarine buildup is underway and only likely to increase by 2022, a future ASW helicopter should be looked at as the aircraft carriers come into service (similar to merlin ASW class helicopter).
AEW helicopters will be hard pressed to provide a significant capability to counter the fast flying threats, they will be able to give early warning of low flying anti ship missiles which is an important capability due to the proliferation of anti ship missiles in our region , they will also add to the overall awareness about whats floating around the carrier group.
HAL Tejas(Naval) is a mystery to me, with MiG-29K providing a better capability in performing the same roles why should the Navy be interested in them, the answer could possibly be found in the decline of the Sea Harriers in the Indian Navy. The Navy had to struggle with declining numbers, non availability of spare parts, and sanctions due to the Nuclear tests. Tejas-N will be produced in India, making it sanction proof (at least most of it), and upgrades would not require lengthy negotiations.
Post 2022 Indian Navy will be looking to induct an advanced fighter, possibly a FGFA derivative and it will take time to produce a more capable Mark-II version of the Tejas LCA, hence the Tejas LCA will not be able to serve in numbers with the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy would not have selected the MiG-29K had Tejas-N been available for induction.
The IAC has been designed with Indian Navy involved in each step of the process, hence the design of the ship will be perfectly to its requirements.
These will be the flag ships of the two fleets which control a huge area, which is one of worlds most important commercial sea traffic route(The suez to the malacca) , and any regional navy will be hard pressed to provide similar capability.
Below is a map i found on google images describing what the region looks like, it is weird that this image is on tamilnation.org.
MiG-29K will be tasked with the task of providing air defence, anti ship role and light attack role
ASW Helicopters will be necessary in the IOR where a submarine buildup is underway and only likely to increase by 2022, a future ASW helicopter should be looked at as the aircraft carriers come into service (similar to merlin ASW class helicopter).
AEW helicopters will be hard pressed to provide a significant capability to counter the fast flying threats, they will be able to give early warning of low flying anti ship missiles which is an important capability due to the proliferation of anti ship missiles in our region , they will also add to the overall awareness about whats floating around the carrier group.
HAL Tejas(Naval) is a mystery to me, with MiG-29K providing a better capability in performing the same roles why should the Navy be interested in them, the answer could possibly be found in the decline of the Sea Harriers in the Indian Navy. The Navy had to struggle with declining numbers, non availability of spare parts, and sanctions due to the Nuclear tests. Tejas-N will be produced in India, making it sanction proof (at least most of it), and upgrades would not require lengthy negotiations.
Post 2022 Indian Navy will be looking to induct an advanced fighter, possibly a FGFA derivative and it will take time to produce a more capable Mark-II version of the Tejas LCA, hence the Tejas LCA will not be able to serve in numbers with the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy would not have selected the MiG-29K had Tejas-N been available for induction.
The IAC has been designed with Indian Navy involved in each step of the process, hence the design of the ship will be perfectly to its requirements.
These will be the flag ships of the two fleets which control a huge area, which is one of worlds most important commercial sea traffic route(The suez to the malacca) , and any regional navy will be hard pressed to provide similar capability.
Below is a map i found on google images describing what the region looks like, it is weird that this image is on tamilnation.org.
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