Aircraft carrier INS Viraat in Kochi for maintenance work

 Kochi (PTI): INS Viraat, India's sole aircraft carrier, is here for annual maintenance work, estimated to cost around Rs 30 crore.

Underwater cleaning and painting work besides checking of underwater fittings are among the works being carried out. No major structural changes are being done now, officials said.
Depending on the progress of the work, the vessel is likely to be here for a few months, its commander Captain R Hari Kumar told reporters on board the unique warship, docked at the Ernakulam wharf.

When asked about the competence of the over 50-year-old ship when compared to similar vessels of other navies, he said, "When we had done exercises we have found she has delivered. We cannot compare to the US Navy. Very few countries have aircraft carriers. This is old. But it is the capability that matters. Aircraft carrier gives vital capability."

The fixed wing aircraft onboard are the Sea Harrier fighters of the INAS 300 Squadron popularly called 'White Tigers' and these are the only fighters in the world capable of vertical/short take off and landing.

The vessel, which has 150 officers and 1,500 sailors and can carry about 24 aircraft, will soon complete 25 years of service with the Indian Navy.

"It has a fair amount of life. Due to its progressive upgradation, it could be (used) around upto 2018," Captain Hari Kumar, who is the first Keralite to commander the ship, said.

Indian shipyard joins UK firm to build aircraft carriers for Navy

MUMBAI (BNS): A private sector Indian shipyard on Thursday announced that it has joined hands with a British firm to build aircraft carriers for the Indian Navy.

Mumbai-based Pipavav Shipyard said that it has tied up with UK’s Babcock group to build aircraft carriers for the Navy.

“This is an important milestone in Pipavav Shipyard’s efforts to become a major player in the Defence sector,” the shipyard said in its filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. 

“This event is likely to eliminate necessity to import large battle ships such as aircraft carrier in the future,” it said. 

The Babcock group is Britain’s leading naval support company. It is involved in building next generation aircraft carriers and managing naval bases. It also undertakes refitting, refuelling and decommissioning of submarines, maintaining and refitting of warships and providing equipment support on behalf of the UK government.

“This is the first time in the country that such important co-operation for lead battle ships between a global major and Indian private shipyard has taken place, paving the way for India to be self-sufficient for such vital assets,” Pipavav said.

The company also said that it will explore joint venture options to build similar lead battle ships for "friendly countries."

Last year the company had received the necessary clearance to build warships for the Indian defence sector, including frigates, destroyers, aircraft carriers, LPDs, submarines and corvettes.

As per the approval, Pipavav can build five warships every year, which in effect means that the company can undertake about 20 warships of various capacities at a time, as the normal building time for any front line warship is between three to four years.

It has also received permission from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to receive foreign direct investment.

Navy personnel begin training on Admiral Gorshkov

NEW DELHI (PTI): With the Navy set to induct aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov by next year, the first batch of Navy personnel have begun training on the refurbished vessel in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"The first group of 152 sailors and officers have started their training on-board INS Vikramaditya in Russia.

The training comprises four months of theory and almost a similar period of practical exercises on the ship," naval spokesperson told PTI here Thursday.

The group comprises sailors and officers from technical branches of the Navy who will train on the Gorshkov christened as INS Vikramaditya. The ship will have a total crew of 1400 people.

"The training is being conducted by Russian trainers and instructors. More such batches from different branches of naval operations will undergo similar period of training in the coming months," the officer said.

He said the training would be over "well in time" to ensure scheduled induction of the carrier in the Navy by 2012.

The Navy has already inducted the MiG-29K carrier borne fighter aircraft at its airbase in Goa and has plans to induct 45 of them.

It is also in the process of creating a Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) there on which the pilots will take off and land to simulate flying operations at sea.

The deal to purchase the 45,000 tonne Kiev class carrier was signed between India and Russia in 2004 at USD 974 million along with 16 MiG-29K naval fighters for USD 526 million.

However, the original delivery schedule of December 2008 went for a toss after the shipyard made a huge claim of an additional USD 1.5 billion for the refit project and went slow on the work in 2007 and hiked it again to USD 2.7 billion in 2009.

Last year, the two sides resolved the issue after long negotiations and settled on a final price of USD 2.3 billion for the warship.

Mooring trails for Indian carrier

After near a decade long rebuilding, the mooring trails of aircraft-carrier Admiral Gorshkov starts in Severodvinsk.

The large former Soviet aircraft carrier has been a headache for the naval yard in Severodvinsk all time since Russia in 2004 signed the agreement to sell and rebuild the vessel to the Indian navy.

Read also: Indian officer in Severodvinsk honey-trap

Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk and the Indian navy have both disagreed on costs and time-schedule for the aircraft carrier that sailed for the Soviet / Russian navy from 1987 to 1994.

It is believed that India will pay Russia some $2.2 billion for Admiral Gorshkov.

Press-service of Sevmash says the mooring trails for the vessel started on March 1st. The yard says this is a serious step in the modernization of the vessel that now enters its final rebuilding step.

Tests of the main machinery will be the most difficult part of the ongoing tests, says Anastasia Nikitinskaya, head of press service at Sevmash.

If the tests at quay prove successful, Admiral Gorshkov will sail for sea trails out in the White- and Barents Seas in the autumn this year.

Once the aircraft carrier sails to Indian waters, it will be renamed INS Vikramaditya.