The Indian Navy is planning to phase out its Sea Harrier aircraft by the next six years by which time it expects MiG-29s and the naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft to be operational, Flag-Officer-Commanding in Chief (East), Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, said Monday.
"We will have the MiG-29 and the LCAs. The naval version of the LCAs will be ready in the next five to six years. Till then, the Sea Harriers will continue," he told reporters after the launching of the 'INS Airavat,' a Landing Ship Tank Large (LST-L), at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.
Stating that the navy has been allotted Rs 4,700 crore for fleet acquisition during the current year, he said of this, Rs 1,400 crore had been given to the Mazgaon Docks Ltd, Rs 550 crore to the GRSE and Rs 100 crore to the Goa Dockyard.
The navy has placed orders with the GRSE for four Fast Attack Craft, four Corvettes and three LSTs, Mehta said, adding, "now they have their hands full for 10 years."
'Airavat,' having more than 90 per cent indigenous content, is the fifth ship of the LST(L) class being built by GRSE. The earlier ships of this class, 'INS Magar' and 'INS Gharial' were built at GRSE and delivered in 1987 and 1997. Two other ships of this class 'INS Shardul' and 'INS Kesari' are in advanced stage of fitting out at GRSE.
Earlier, speaking at the launching of 'INS Airavat' he described the LST(L) project as a major landmark in the growth of the country's naval shipbuilding activities. Pointing out that the 'Shardul' class landing ships would be commissioned this year, Mehta said these would enable the navy to enhance capabilities especially in the island territories.