1/18/2023 0 Comments Submarine cartoon face![]() It is also developing a long-range stealth bomber, H-20, which is reported to have a combat range of well over 2,000 nm. China’s H-6 long-range strategic bomber and J-20 stealth fighter aircraft have a combat range of around 1,000 nautical miles. farther away from its domain of operations, these missiles also have the ability and range to threaten India’s Vikrant in the Bay of Bengal and much of the Arabian Sea.Ĭhina’s long-range precision strike munitions, which can threaten the Vikrant, consist of anti-ship ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, which can be delivered by submarines, bombers, and fighter aircraft. However, none of China’s A2/AD capability can threaten Vikrant as much as its anti-ship missiles such as DF-21D and DF-26, also known as “carrier killer” missiles. The Falklands war witnessed a nine-day cat-and-mouse chase between Argentine carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo and British submarine HMS Splendid, which almost sunk the carrier had it not entered Argentine waters.Ĭhina’s submarines are capable of slipping into Vikrant’s firing range, thus affecting its deployment. Submarines remain a potent platform to threaten carriers. ![]() Notably, Pakistan’s submarine Ghazi was dispatched to target the Vikrant however, the Ghazi itself sunk mysteriously. During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, the previous Vikrant was deployed in the Bay of Bengal because of fear of Pakistan’s submarines in the Arabian Sea. In 2006, a Chinese Song-class submarine slipped undetected into the USS Kitty Hawk’s firing range. History has been replete with such instances. Conventional submarines, quieter than nuclear-powered submarines, often manage to sneak by carriers’ escorts undetected. The use of air-independent propulsion technology and lithium-ion batteries, and capabilities like acoustic jamming are enhancing the endurance and stealth of submarines, particularly conventional submarines. In addition, technological advancements in undersea platforms are making carriers more vulnerable to attack. Thus, barring self-defense and offensive missions, Vikrant’s air wing will be unlikely to perform other functions such as maintaining air superiority, suppression of enemy air defenses, electronic countermeasures, and surveillance and reconnaissance missions.Ĭonsequently, structural constraints on Vikrant’s air wing impose severe impediments on its deployment and operations. Of the 42 aircraft deployed on British carriers during the Falklands war, two-thirds of them were assigned fleet air defense as their primary role. Moreover, not 100 percent of aircraft will be always available for missions, especially during wartime. But, the small size of Vikrant’s air wing (only 20 fixed-wing aircraft) means that after tying a portion of its air wing to self-defense, the carrier will be hardly left with a handful of aircraft for power projection, which is the essence of a carrier. Since a carrier is an extremely valuable platform, a portion of its air wing is always devoted to self-defense. ![]() Further, the ski jump mechanism for take-off on the Vikrant restricts the aircraft’s range and payload capacity, thus hampering its performance. But the small size of Vikrant’s air wing imposes several limitations on its functioning. The vulnerabilities Vikrant is likely to face are due to structural constraints on its air wing, and the threat from submarines and anti-ship missiles.Ī carrier’s raison d’être is its air wing, which is paramount for the entirety of its functions. Therefore, the Vikrant is likely to face constraints in its deployment and operations in an anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) edifice established by China. The Indo-Pak War of 1971 and the Falklands War – the only battles involving carriers since the end of World War II – enforce this claim empirically. ![]() However, carriers face constraints in their deployment and operations, especially during wartime. For the modern navies centered around the concept of sea control – like India – a carrier is the prime instrument for projecting power offshore. The aircraft carrier serving as a mobile airbase enables a country to maintain air superiority in distant waters, away from the range of land-based aircraft. India’s commissioning of its first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, marks a momentous step in its journey to build a formidable navy. Home Tribune Premium Content Opinion International The Diplomat The Threats India’s New Aircraft Carrier Will Face The Threats India’s New Aircraft Carrier Will Face The Diplomat September 30, 2022 ![]()
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