Kochi (Kerala): India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), under construction at the Cochin Shipyard Limited since 2009, is ready to go for basin trials and will be doing its sea trials in mid-2020.

This was the takeaway from a review of the construction of the IAC-1 carried out by an Empowered Apex Committee (EAC) headed by Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar here today.

“The review critically examined the current status of the project as the IAC is in a very advanced stage of construction and is scheduled to commence Basin Trials in early 2020 followed by the Sea Trials by mid 2020,” a Ministry of Defence (MoD) statement said.

This was the 13th EAC Review Meeting of Project 71 of the Indian Navy and the first to be held after the signing of the Phase-III of the IAC contract on 31 Oct. 2019 between MoD and CSL.

The defence secretary was accompanied by Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar, Chief of Material Vice Admiral G. S. Pabby, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition Vice Admiral S. R. Sarma, and other senior officers from the Navy headquarters, Warship Overseeing Team and Carrier Acceptance and Trials Team.

IAC construction is in an advanced state with all four Gas Turbines, main engines having been started, Power Generation Systems comprising of eight Diesel Alternators ready and trials of ship’s major systems and auxiliary equipment in progress.

IAC had successfully completed the Pre-Contractors Sea Trials dry dock work package in Dec. 2019. Basin trials are conducted for proving of the propulsion, transmission and shafting systems and is scheduled in early half of 2020. The aircraft carrier would be ready to commence the Sea Trials once the Basin Trials are successfully completed.