Vikrant, First Made-In-India Aircraft, Not A Liability: Navy

Referring to statements made by analysts that modern aircraft carriers were a liability, Commodore Vidhyadhar Harke, who will command India's new carrier, Vikrant, has said that these were "a misplaced notion or statement".

India needs at least three operational aircraft carriers to maintain its presence across its areas of maritime interest, underlined the Indian Navy amid claims that these carriers were a "liability". Referring to statements made by analysts that modern aircraft carriers were a liability, Commodore Vidhyadhar Harke, who will command India's new carrier, Vikrant, has said that these were "a misplaced notion or statement". In an online piece last week, security analyst Bharat Karnad had referred to the "extreme vulnerability" of aircraft carriers such as Vikrant "to supersonic and, soon hypersonic, anti-ship cruise missiles that will be in the employ of all potential adversary navies". The argument is premised on the view that there are no defensive systems presently available that can intercept an incoming hypersonic missile. Commodore Harke has disagreed.