<Exposed, topless Is security planning a joke? Never ending will be the debate in naval circles on whether aircraft carriers retain relevance as force projectors, or in smaller navies like Indias a substantial portion of that force is required to protect the sitting duck. Yet having opted for an integral air element to the fleet there can only be one conclusion drawn from the fact that such cover will not be available for at least 15 months ~ our security planning is a bit of a joke, of which aircraft carriers have frequently been the butt. What has caused the immediate problem may superficially appear to be the project to further extend the life of the lone carrier INS Viraat. But the question that requires answering is why has that previously unplanned extension become necessary? The answer is simple, but twofold: neither the indigenous air-defence ship nor the Russian rust-bucket, Gorshkov/Vikramaditya will enter service as originally scheduled. And since even further delays cannot be ruled out, creaking Viraat has to be kept operational. Now the authorities might argue that the temporary absence of the carrier will not create gaping holes in our defences, they could even point out that no carrier was available when the Kargil conflict threatened to snowball, but **even a layman would assume that naval doctrine is based around a carrier** (otherwise why should we persist with that very expensive option?) and other arrangements would be essentially contingency measures. The Gorshkov story is farcical: first we dithered over whether to buy it or not, then we haggled over prices, and now the Russians are not only jacking up the price but according scant priority to the reconditioning job. Of course the most sickening part of the story is that the navy chief incurred the displeasure of his political/civilian bosses when he was man enough to speak the truth about the Russians taking us for a ride. So also the ADS story. The project was initially cleared in 1989 and was slotted to replace the Vikrant. Then it was projected as replacing Viraat, with Gorshkov being acquired as an overlap arrangement. But now another reality is at hand. Such realities will persist because nobody in high places will be held accountable for the slippages in either the ADS or Gorshkov projects. **Only some poor salts will be left carrying the carrier can.**> http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=3&theme=&usrsess=1&id=197664
What about dear old Goa esp Dabolim (which is also "carrying the can" of naval aviation)?
