BLUF
China’s defence industry has matured rapidly, producing its own equipment quickly, whereas India still relies on some overseas produced weapons.Summary
China and India are building aircraft carriers. Different historical experiences shape their approaches. India has been operating aircraft carriers since 1961. First former British then former Soviet. It has experience in the following areas:
- Catapult equipped (CATOBAR); same class as HMAS Melbourne 2.
- Vertical short takeoff/landing (VSTOL) for Sea Harrier jets.
- Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery system (STOBAR) as currently used in INS Vikramaditya.
India’s older Soviet vessels were modified in Russian shipyards, slowing the development of Indian skills. As a result, locally made INS Vikrant is likely to be commissioned 13 years after being laid down.
China is a relative newcomer to carriers, this article makes the following points:
- It purchased but didn’t use, HMAS Melbourne 2 and two Kiev Class carriers for technical information.
- The PLAN refurbished (in Chinese shipyards) Liaoning a former Soviet carrier.
- Current indigenous carrier Shandong took just six years to commission and uses local equipment.
India is considering building a third carrier whereas China is already building one.
References
- Oct 2020 The Interpreter A third aircraft carrier for India:Budget versus necessity
- Jun 2021 EurAsian Times How Does India’s INS Vikrant Compete Against China’s Liaoning & Shandong Aircraft Carriers?
- Jun 2021The Week India’s delayed aircraft carrier plan raises concerns as China readies its third one
