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| CGI of INS Vikrant, India's 1st Indigenous Carrier |
By Ankit Panda
The United States may sell India its state-of-the-art carrier launch system.
According to remarks by a senior U.S. Department of Defense official, the United States would not oppose Indian purchases of advanced U.S. aircraft carrier technology. Frank Kendall, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, told Reuters that the U.S. government would support an Indian purchase of an electromagnetic launching system for aircraft carriers, specifically San Diego-based General Atomics’ Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS).
“I’m optimistic about cooperating with them on that,” Kendall told Reuters when asked about supporting a possible Indian EMALS deal. ”They’re going to have to make their own decision about what technology they want, but I don’t see any fundamental obstacles to them acquiring some of our carrier technologies, if they want them,” he added.
India currently operates two aircraft carriers, the INS Viraat and the INS Vikramaditya. The former is a Centaur-class carrier, purchased from the United Kingdom, and the latter is a modified Kiev-class carrier, purchased from Russia and in service in 2013. India is currently constructing an indigenous carrier design, the INS Vikrant, a 40,000 ton carrier expected to enter service in 2017. A second Vikrant-class carrier, the INS Vishal, is planned and expected to enter service before 2030.
Read the full story at The Diplomat