Indian Vikramaditya Aircraft Carrier Launched and in Sea Trials

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ^ | 8 June 2012 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

The Russian refit of their former Gorshkov VSTOL carrier into the STOBAR Indian Aircraft Carrier Virkamaditya is complete and the vessel has been launched for sea trials.

INS VIKRAMADITYA LAUNCHED FOR SEA TRIALS

Originally the Indian Navy purchased a full wing of new Mig-29K aircraft from Riussia for 1.5 billion (USD) which included the refitting of this 1980s carrier. However cost overruns ensued and ultimately after months of work stoppage, the Russians and Indians agreed to a complete cost for the carrier and the aircraft for 2.8 billion (USD), still a low price.

The Virkamaditya is now launched and in trials and is scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Navy for commissioning in December 2012. the Indian Navy began taking delivery of and training with their Mig-29K aircraft a year ago.

The Indians are also building two indegenous carriers, the Vikrant Class, the first of which will be launched in 2013.

For more info, seeWorld-wide Aircraft Carriers - Vikramaditya Page

[Jeff Head]

Actually, the Chinese aircraft carrier is a later generation. It was the former Varyag that was about 80% complete when the Soviet Union collapsed and was never complete. it is the sister ship to the Kuznetsov and is a bigger and more capable STOBAR carrier than this one.

The Indian carrier is more than a refit. it is an upgrade. The chinese carrier is an actual refit.

You can take a look at both at the following two links:

The Chinese Varyag
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/varyag.htm

The Indian Virkamaditya
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/vikram.htm

The Indian Carrier was originally a VSTOL carrier where the entire front end was devoted to offensive weapons systesm. Those have been removed and a ski jump deck added in their place to make it a STOBAR carrier that will use Mig-29K aircraft (up to about 20-24 of them)

The Chinese carrier was a large STOBAR carrier from the get go, and she has been refitted with chinese sensors, weapons systems. and new propulsion and will fly the J-15 Strike Fighter which are larger, longer range, and carry more ordinance than the Mig-29K, and which is a Chinese modernization of the Russian SU-33 (up to 30 of them)

[Jeff Head]

Actually the Indians have operated aircraft carriers (two of them) for well over 20-25 years.

They are upgrading now, going from pure jump jet VSTOL carriers to STOBAR carriers (Short Take Off Barrier Assisted Recovery). That means they will take off with the assistance of the ski jump and use trap wires to land.

They intend three modern carriers and they have a long coastline and adversaries in Pakistan and China...and especially China is not encroaching into the Indian Ocean area with their own navy and they are involved in a naval buildup to counter China’s buildup.

[Jeff Head]

They have a number of 1980s era frigates and destroyers, but have been building new frigates and destroyers as escorts. They also have a number of Russian Kilo and German Type 209 subs, but those diesel electrics cannot keep up with carriers.

They have jut leased a newer Russian attack sub, and are building a second for purchase with options to buy the first one too. They are also involved in building their own first nuclear subs.

[Wings-n-Wind]

IB1RS....
IB1E...

**************

IB1RS = IN before the 1st ramp strike

IB1E = IN before the 1st ejection...

Just sayin'

[Jeff Head]

They are getting those carriers from the Spanish in a join build. They are the same class as the new Spanish Juan Carlos Design.

SPANISH JAUN CARLOS CARRIER

They are also getting their AEGIS escorts from Spain. They are building three updates to the Spanish F-100 AEGIS frigates where we licensed the AEGIS system to them and are now doing so with the Australians. The Spanish have five of these AEGIS frigates.

SPANSIH AEGIS FRIGATES

The Juan Carlos design, if it is coupled with F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, will be an effective Sea Control type carrier and the Aussies will have two so they can keep one deployable at all times.

[Jeff Head]

Hehehe...depends on who they are pitted against.

we are doing more and more exercises with the INdians and once they get those Kolkata DDG escorts their CSGs will be pretty storng. Their second indegenous carrier is supposed to be full CATOBAR with cats, and they are already buying Hawkeyes from us, so that will make that particular carrier very strong.

Basically you have China, Pakistan, and Russia kind of taking sides. The US, Korea, Jpana and Australia pitted against them, with the Indians sort of in the middle but more and more leaning our way.

The new Japanese Hyuga and the follow-on, larger 22DDH carriers are pretty impressive. the Korean Dokdo LHD is too, particularly if they load 10-12 F-35Bs on it one day. And the Korean SeJong class AEGIS vessels are really cruisers and are an already built version of the Burke Flight II class. They have three of them thus far.

Lot’s of naval technology being developed in the RIMPAC area.

And the new Daring Class the UK has put out will be great escorts for their two new large carriers if they can ever get them built.

[GreyHoundSailor]

Used to see these in the Med in the late 80’s - the huge clouds of black smoke always announced their presence over the horizon. We just called it the ‘Admiral Pigpen’.

[WKUHilltopper]

Is this their first flat top?

[M Kehoe]

Thanks guy. I knew you would have the answer.

5.56mm

[Jeff Head]

Nope, they had two old British carriers that they purchased and refit and then operated for many years.

One, the The INS Viraat was the old British "Hermes" that was used in the Falklands War and sold to the Indians in 1986. It was reift and named the Viraat is still operational and will be decommissioned when this carrier is commissioned.

The Viraat operates a wing of from 12-18 Sea Harriers.

[WKUHilltopper]

Thanks!

[Jeff Head]

Actually, the Gorshkov was the last Kiev and had a number of innovations over the older vessels in preparation for the Kuznetsov class.

But, as the first line in the artile states, "The Russian refit of their former Gorshkov VSTOL carrier into the STOBAR Indian Aircraft Carrier Virkamaditya is complete and the vessel has been launched for sea trials", it is in fact a pretty significant redesign of the Gorshkov, taking off all of that weaponry upfront and extending the landing/take off deck to the bow with a ski-jump.

The site the story links to explains in more detail.

[Jeff Head]

You're welcome.

Here's another shot of her before going to sea.

That's a massive island.

[Jeff Head]

FYI...Indian Navy news.

[moonshot925]

The Soviets were also working ona nuclear powered supercarrier called Ulyanovsk. It was 40% comlete when it was canceled in November 1991.

[WKUHilltopper]

That is massive!

[Jeff Head]

Yep...that was their next step.

After two convetnional STOBAR Carriers, the Kusnetsov and the Varyag (which were both built after their four Kiev class VSTOL carriers) they were going to go Nuclear with standard CATOBAR carriers like the US.

But they bankrupted their already bankrupt and failed marxist/socialist economic system in the attempt to keep up with the US and went under.

Russia to this day operates the Kuznetsov with SU-33 fighters, though they are transitioning over the next few years to Mig-29K fighters like they are selling Inida.

[Oztrich Boy]

What does the Indian navy plan to protect that carrier with?

Firat ready this year, second early next, third 2014

(They already have 8 older DDGs, these will be the first with phased array radars.)

[Mike Darancette]

The vessel will soon be getting a new camouflage paint job.

[Jeff Head]

Here's a good pic showing all three of the Kolkata Class that have been launched int ehir various stages of outfitting. Two more are under construction, as shown in the seocnd pic. They will be very capable escorts and multi-purpose DDGs.

India's commitment to her fleet is strong. and modernizing to ensure she can protect these carriers and use them to project power and defend her interestrs.

DDG (Guided Missile destroyers)
Kolkata - 2 (9 more building)
Delhi - 3
Rajpout - 5
-----------
10 DDGs (9 more building)

FFG (Guided Missile Frigates)
Shivlak - 3 (7 more building)
Talwar - 4 (3 more building)
Brahmaputra - 3
Goddarvi - 3
Sunarna - 6
----------
19 FFGs (10 more building)

SS (Diesel/Electric Submarines)
Scorpion - (6 building)
Kilo - 10
Type 209 - 4
----------
14 (6 more building)

SSN (Nuclear Attack Submarines)
Akula - (1 more building)
----------
1 (1 more building)