The Vikramaditya is a modified Type 1143 Kiev class aircraft carrier built in 1978-1982. The ship is presently being extensively refitted at Sevmash shipyard in Russia. It is projected to replace India's only aircraft carrier, INS Viraat.
 An artist's impression of a Vikramaditya class carrier | |
| Career (India) |  |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Chernomorskiy yard, Nikolayev |
| Laid down: | December 1978 (as Admiral Gorshkov) |
| Launched: | April 17, 1982 (as Admiral Gorshkov) December 4, 2008 (as Vikramaditya) |
| Commissioned: | planned for 2012 (Sea trials in 2011)[1] |
| Status: | Refurbishing, prior to delivery |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 45,000 tons full load |
| Length: | 273.1 m overall |
| Beam: | 31.0 m |
| Draught: | 8.2 m |
| Propulsion: | 4 shaft geared steam turbines, 140,000 hp |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Endurance: | 13500 miles at 18 knots |
| Armament: | 8 CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS |
| Aircraft carried: | 16 Mikoyan MiG-29K Or HAL Tejas Or Sea Harrier 10 Ka-31 'Helix'[2] HAL Dhruv |
Purchase
The deal also includes the purchase of 12 single-seat Mikoyan MiG-29K 'Fulcrum-D' (Product 9.41) and 4 dual-seat MiG-29KUB aircraft (with an option for 14 more aircraft)$1bn, 6 Kamov Ka-31 "Helix" reconnaissance and anti-submarine helicopters, torpedo tubes, missile systems, and artillery units. Facilities and procedures for training pilots and technical staff, delivery of simulators, spare parts, and establishment maintenance on Indian Navy facilities are also part of the contract.
The announced delivery date for INS Vikramaditya was August 2008 , which would allow the carrier to enter service just as the Indian Navy's only light carrier INS Viraat retires. The INS Viraat’s retirement has been pushed out to 2010-2012. The issue with the delays has been compounded by the ongoing cost overruns. This has resulted in high-level diplomatic exchanges to get these issues resolved. India has agreed to pay an additional US $1.2 billion for the project, more than doubling the original cost.However, ongoing delays with the Vikramaditya's delivery schedule to 2012 could mean that even this postponement of the Viraat's retirement may not come soon enough and the Indian Navy may find itself without an aircraft carrier for the first time since the 1960s. The indigenous Vikrant-class aircraft carrier has been delayed by at least a year and may be commissioned at the earliest in 2013 from the proposed 2012.
In July 2008, it was reported that Russia was increasing the total price to USD 3.4 Bn pointing at unexpected cost overuns due to the deteriorated condition of the ship as the reason.India has paid $400 million as of November 2008. However the Russians were considering keeping the ship themselves if India did not want to buy the ship anymore.[citation needed]
In December 2008, Government sources in India stated that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had finally decided in favour of purchasing Admiral Gorshkov as the best option available.
The Comptroller and Audit General of India (CAG) criticised that Vikramaditya would be a second-hand warship with a limited life span which will be 60 percent costlier than a new one and there is a risk of further delay in its delivery.
However Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta defended the price being paid by India for the warship saying "I can't comment on the CAG. But you all are defence analysts, can you get me an aircraft carrier for less than USD two billion? If you can, I am going to sign a cheque right now,". This statement from the Chief of the Naval staff can be argued to indicate that the final deal could be in excess of $2bn . When asked about CAG's finding that the Navy had not done its risk analysis before going in for the ship, he said, " I can ensure you that there is no such thing. There is no question, we have been looking at the ship since late 90's.[14]
A new deal between India and Russia on the funds for the refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov will be signed in mid-October, the head of the state technology corporation said on 3 september.. "An additional agreement will be signed," Sergei Chemezov, head of Rostekhnologii, told a news conference in Moscow.
Design
An added advantage of “Admiral Gorshkov’ platform is its superstructure profile that has the potential to accommodate powerful planer or phased array radar systems with “billboard style” antennae first noted in United States Navy (USN) USS Long Beach along with extensive command and control facilities to conduct an aerial campaign. The ship is also projected to be equipped with a robust combination of area defense SAM/CIWS.[16]
It seems highly unlikely that both launches and landings will be simultaneously on the Vikramaditya.
The eight boilers are being renewed and converted to take diesel fuel instead of furnace fuel oil and modern oil-water separators as well as sewage treatment plant are being incorporated to meet international standards. She is also being fitted with six new Italian-made Wärtsilä 1.5 MW diesel generators, Global Marine communications system, Sperry Bridgemaster navigation radar, a new telephone exchange, new data link and IFF Mk XI system. Hotel services are being improved with new water-producing plants as well as York International refrigeration and air conditioning. A new galley is being installed together with improved domestic services and accommodation for 10 female officers.
Though the official expected life span of the ship is 20 years, experts suggest it could actually be a minimum of 30 years from the time of commissioning. On completion of the modernisation, 70 per cent of the ship and its equipment will be new and remainder will have been refurbished.
Status
All reconfiguration work is being completed at Severodvinsk, Russia; however it has been delayed by three years due to underestimating the amount of cabling needed and will be commissioned by 2012. An expert level discussion on technical and financial matters is held between India and Russia to sort out the issues. The 16 Mig-29K/KUB fighters delivery will start in spring of 2009. A compromise was finalised and India will pay an extra amount. Russia will install new systems instead of repairing the old ones and the carrier will be delivered in 2010. It will then begin an eighteen month sea trial before it is commissioned in to the Indian Navy in 2012. The hull work was completed by 2008 and the Vikramaditya was launched on the December 4, 2008.
On July 2, 2009, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said that the carrier should be completed as soon as possible so it could be delivered to India in 2012
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