Sanjha Morcha

In a first, 3 aircraft carriers to operate in Bay of Bengal

In a first, 3 aircraft carriers to operate in Bay of Bengal
PTI file phto

Ajay Banerjee

TribuneNews Service

New Delhi, July 6

In a significant strategic signal to the military world, India, the US and Japan will create  a unique first when three seaborne aircraft carriers — considered the most potent projection of power by a country at sea — will be operating in the Bay of Bengal under exercise named ‘Malabar’ commencing on July 10.India will field its Russian built 46,000-tonne warship, the INS Vikramaditya, with onboard MiG-29k fighter jets. The US navy will bring its one lakh-tonne nuclear-powered USS Nimitiz with onboard F/A-18 Boeing fighter jets. Japan will be fielding its flat-deck, JS Izumo, a 24,000-tonne helicopter carrier specialising in anti-submarine warfare.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Though named helicopter, the carrier’s 248-metre-long deck makes it often getting termed as an “aircraft carrier in disguise”. The F-35B jet built by Lockheed Martin has the ability to do short take off and vertical (STOVL). More than 120 platforms – fighter planes, warships, submarines, surveillance aircraft and helicopters – drawn from the navies of these three countries shall be part of the exercise.And with such a massive flotilla being around, China is expectedly not far behind. Its intelligence-gathering warship, the ‘Haiwingxing’, entered the waters of the Indian Ocean in the end of June. These are international waters and one can be stationed there outside the designated and announced area of exercise. A spy ship normally listening can captures radar signatures of vessels — unique to ship, plane or submarine.The Malabar is part of ongoing series of exercises that have grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific.The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. While ashore in Chennai, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.The at-sea portions, to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal, are designed to advance participating nations’ military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.  PTI file phto Ajay Banerjee TribuneNews Service New Delhi, July 6 In a significant strategic signal to the military world, India, the US and Japan will create  a unique first when three seaborne aircraft carriers — considered the most potent projection of power by a country at sea — will be operating in the Bay of Bengal under exercise named ‘Malabar’ commencing on July 10. India will field its Russian built 46,000-tonne warship, the INS Vikramaditya, with onboard MiG-29k fighter jets. The US navy will bring its one lakh-tonne nuclear-powered USS Nimitiz with onboard F/A-18 Boeing fighter jets. Japan will be fielding its flat-deck, JS Izumo, a 24,000-tonne helicopter carrier specialising in anti-submarine warfare. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)  Though named helicopter, the carrier’s 248-metre-long deck makes it often getting termed as an “aircraft carrier in disguise”. The F-35B jet built by Lockheed Martin has the ability to do short take off and vertical (STOVL).  More than 120 platforms – fighter planes, warships, submarines, surveillance aircraft and helicopters – drawn from the navies of these three countries shall be part of the exercise. And with such a massive flotilla being around, China is expectedly not far behind. Its intelligence-gathering warship, the ‘Haiwingxing’, entered the waters of the Indian Ocean in the end of June. These are international waters and one can be stationed there outside the designated and announced area of exercise. A spy ship normally listening can captures radar signatures of vessels — unique to ship, plane or submarine. The Malabar is part of ongoing series of exercises that have grown in scope and complexity over the years to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. While ashore in Chennai, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations. The at-sea portions, to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal, are designed to advance participating nations’ military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Naval drill ‘Malabar’ begins on July 10

  • India will host the United States and Japan for naval drill ‘Malabar’ in the Bayof Bengal on July 10
  • The 2017 exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training off the eastern coast of India with focus on high-end war-fighting skill sets, combined carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol, surface and anti-submarine warfare, etc.

Naval drill ‘Malabar’ begins on July 10 India will host the United States and Japan for naval drill ‘Malabar’ in the Bayof Bengal on July 10 The 2017 exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training off the eastern coast of India with focus on high-end war-fighting skill sets, combined carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol, surface and anti-submarine warfare, etc.