NEW DELHI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The Indian navy will get a new aircraft-carrier in early 2021, a senior Indian navy officer Vice Admiral A K Saxena said Monday.
According to Saxena, who is in charge of warship production and acquisition, the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant is in advanced stage of construction.
"The first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) - Vikrant will be delivered to navy by February 2021 for advanced trials," Saxena said. "Starting of gas turbines will take place in the third quarter of this year. Basic trials will be conducted in February-March next year and contractor sea trials after that.”
Saxena was speaking at a curtain-raiser for a seminar on "nation building through shipbuilding", being jointly organized by the navy and FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) later this month from July 25 to July 26.
Media quoted officials as saying that trials would be carried out for about two years, following which the carrier was expected to be commissioned into the navy in early 2023.
Vikrant is being made by Cochin Shipyard Limited and weighs about 40,000 tons.
