Indian Navy’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant Gets Made-In-India Combat Management System

Going futuristic, Indian Navy’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant is getting equipped with a robust Combat Management System (CMS) to synergise all its capabilities under one command, reports Economic Times.

The CMS is co developed by Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division and Electronics System Engineering Establishment and MARS of Russia. Thus adding up a big count into the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

After formally receiving the system, Indian Navy, in its statement, said, “As a thrust towards indigenous development and promoting the participation of private industry, this is navy’s major step with the GoI”.

“Before formally accepting the CMS, its software and hardware underwent rigorous trials. It’s only upon successful completion of all the prerequisite tasks of endurance and acceptance tests, we went ahead” said the navy.

The Naval CMS integrates the carrier’s sensors, weapons and delivery systems, data links, instruction lines to the staff et al. Thus making the tasks of sensor control, sensor data fusion, threat evaluation and weapons control all the more effective and induce more sync.

Vikrant, also called IAC-1, is in its third and final phase of construction at Kochi shipyard and the sea trials are expected to begin by mid 2020. Once fully operational, Vikrant can operate 20 fighter jets and 10 supportive aircraft.

The MiG-29s, warhorses of the Navy, are expected to don the frontline role of the carrier. A second, much bigger, indigenous, super carrier, Vishal is in its design phase and is expected to be operational by 2030.