INS Vikramaditya to Set Sail Sea trials are scheduled for May 2012 and delivery for next

years Indian Navy Day Vladimir Vovick Karnozov If things work according to plan, then INS Vikramaditya will finish its sea trials by autumn 2012, and will be ready for commissioning as the year draws to a close. At least, this is the time frame which shipbuilders Severnoye Machinery-building Enterprise (SMP) are working towards, at the moment. To show that the ship was 90.5 per cent complete, SMP invited a group of journalists to tour the ship in midNovember. Incidentally, when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev inspected the ship in June last year, she was only 68.5 per cent ready. However, none of the Indian Navys new MiG-29Ks will take part in the Vikramadityas sea trials. Instead, two airplanes belonging to the Russian industry will be employed to attest the 14-degree sky ramp, the arrestor with three wires, the resistor automatic landing and the Luna optical landing systems of the Russian origin working in conjunction with Indian-made Deck Approach Projector Sight and ship-aircraft data exchange. Captain R. Swaminathan and 45 Indian servicemen under his command in Severodvinsk supervised carrier construction work. Besides, 112 more Indians are undergoing training at SMP and special facilities in the town of Pushkin. Those who are in Severodvinsk embark on the Vikramaditya every day to get accustomed with the ship and familiarise with the installed systems. In all, up to 1,400 Indians will undergo training in Russia and maintain the Vikramaditya when she is in commission. Over 150 Indian specialists have already qualified. Captain Igor Riabko is to serve as Vikramadityas first commanding officer until Indian crews take over when the ship is accepted by the customer. Previously, a deputy commander on the Admiral Kuznetsov of Project 1143.5, the only aircraft carrier in the Russian navys inventory, he now heads the 12th Company of the Northern Fleet. Captain Alexander Shevchenko, formerly Kuznetsovs commanding officer and now chief of staff at the Northern Fleets main base, will supervise sea trials. The 12th company is in Severodvinsk now, getting accustomed with the ship and her systems. In February, they will have to leave their barracks for the Vikramadityas living quarters, and spend three months living on the ship before getting her into the sea, a normal Russian naval practice. With standard displacement of 34,200 tons and with full displacement of 45,300 tons, overall length of 283.5 metres and maximum breadth of 59.6 metres, the Vikramaditya is a relatively small ship in this class. This is the reason the Indian Navy opted for the smaller MiG-29Ks than the bigger Sukhois. According to some sources, India plans to purchase three more similar carriers, albeit with gas-turbines

instead of boiler-steam-turbine system. The ships compliment (including Air Detachment) is 1,924. When at sea for testing, the Vikramaditya is expected to have over 2,700 men on board: the Northern Fleets 12th Company, their Indian counterparts and industrys contingent. In 2003, New Delhi placed USD 530 million order for 16 MiG-29K/KUBs. Eleven aircraft were delivered between February 2010 and May 2011. The remaining are due in December, along with five additional Ka-31s also destined for the Vikramaditya. Early this year India firmed up option for 29 MiG-29K/KUBs, some of which would possibly equip a Project 71 carrier, the Vikrant, being built at the Cochin Shipyard. The MiGs and Kamovs are primary and only weapons in the Vikramadityas arsenal. This provides a sharp contrast to the Admiral Gorshkov, which carried large caliber artillery mounts and awful lot of anti-ship, antisubmarine and antiaircraft rocketry in addition to the aviation component. On 3 August 2011, MiG general director/general designer Sergei Korotkov participated in the ceremony of laying down a MiG-29K/KUB ship-borne multirole fighter of the second production batch. Russian journalists were shown parts manufactured for two new airframes: forward and rear fuselage sections, air intakes and fuel tanks forming a minimum set with which to start final assembly process. Deliveries of second-batch airplanes shall commence in 2012. Touching on syllabus of Indian pilots, Korotkov said the Kuznetsov was being used for practicing sky-ramp-assisted takeoffs and deck landings with help of arrestor wires. Talks are in progress about use of the Nitka airbase in Ukraine outfitted with various facilities for naval pilot training. Later on, such training will be conducted at an Indian airbase following completion of similar facilities there. Korotkov claimed the customer is completely satisfied with the MiG-29K/KUB performance as demonstrated in the first calendar year since the new types entry-into-service. During that period the Indian Navy pilots logged more than a thousand flight hours. The Side 941, a purposely built MiG-29K single seater will be accompanied by the Side 154, currently the only flight demonstrator of the MiG-35D two-seat lightweight frontline fighter attributed to generation 4++. The former airframe is being fitted out with arrestor hook and other specific equipment for deck landings. Decision to rework the MiG-35D for carrier use is a forced one, caused by the crash of a purposely-built MiG-29KUB Side 951 at the Russian MoD firing range in Akhtubinsk earlier this year. Another cause has been that the MiG-35D, along with the US-offered F-16I and the F/A-18F, was dropped from consideration in the finals of the Indian MoDs Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender for 126 fighters.

INS Vikramaditya can be described as a 60-meter-tall 22-storey house with over 2,700 compartments found in the three decks below the mean draught and thirteen above it including superstructure. There are 328 cabins at their disposal, with one, two, four or six beds, plus 43 messdecks. Few living quarters are on the Deck 2 near the aircraft hangar, while the majority is found in the bow, together with the wardroom, three galleys and four messes for rating. Following example of the Russian-built Talwar-class frigates already in the Indian Navy service, the galleys are fitted out with equipment for preparation of traditional dishes in the Indian Navy ration, including Idli and Chapati. Some of the best cabins with a sea view are reserved for the Air Detachment, with numerical strength of 524 servicemen. They will operate Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG29K/KUB deck fighters, Kamov Ka-28 antisubmarine warfare and Ka-31 radar surveillance helicopters. Hangar space (130x23x6.5 meters) permits storage of between 30 and 34 manned aircraft. These travel up and down on two elevators. The MiG-29K Side 311 is already on the ship. It reached the Vikramadityas flightdeck by means of a crane. Withdrawn from active service, this airframe is being used as a mockup. Along with the Side 312, another early-built MiG-29K prototype, the 311 participated in operational trials on the Kuznetsov, when the MikoyanGurevich design was competing against the Sukhoi Su-27K for Russian navy orders. Later on, this pair served as demonstrators and test-beds in various MiG programs before being grounded earlier this year. Vendors Documentation package for the refit and modernisation was issued by the Nevskoye shipbuilding design house (NPKB). This company was responsible for development of all capital ships of the Russian navy. One of the negative effects produced by the gap between the Gorshkovs launch in 1982 and the re-launch in 2008 was that many hull, deck and superstructure drawings had to be made one more time. Regaining once-lost skills proved a painful experience, involving altering newlymade drawings until they get mature enough for dockyard works. The number of companies involved in industrial cooperation on the Vikramaditya exceeds four hundred. Over eight hundred contracts for vendor items have been placed. Among vendors are 10 Indian companies and 20 from Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Finland, France, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK. Indian-made systems include the CCS-MK II for communication, the LINK II for data transfer, the KATC for automatic telephone exchange and DAPS for landing indication, as well as the ALAN P-11430 administrative local network and cable TV.

The Macrotech protective coating, interrogators friend-or-foe, transponders, torsion metres, life rafts, pumps, circuit breakers, filters, smoke density indicators, hygiene and galley equipment (such as machines for making Idly and Chapati) also come from India. Noteworthy western additions are French gyrocompasses, Japanese Sony TV sets, US Amercoat flight-deck coatings, Italian Wartsila NSD 12V200 diesels, British Gec Alsthom cargo transfer system between ships at sea and Litton Navigation radar with automated radar plotting aid. Moscow-based Salut provided the Fregat and the Podberezovik radars, with maximum aerial target detection ranges in excess of 250 and 500 kilometres accordingly. The Ladoga navigation system comes from Elektropribor. Core systems for combat management and ship controls are of Russian and Indian origin. The Gift She was laid in December 1978 at the Black Sea Dockyards in Ukraine as a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of Project 1143.4 and commissioned in December 1987. Following withdrawal of the Yak-38M vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and unsuccessful two-month deck trials of its intended replacement in the form of the Yak-141, the Gorshkov left active service in 1992. She was brought to Severodvinsk in July 1999. After lengthy negotiations, in March 2004 the Kremlin gifted the ship to the Indian Navy upon New Delhis promise to fund her refit and modernisation. Initial contract amounted to 617 million USD, excluding training and after-sales support. The Gorshkov was docked in December 2005 and the work began. More than five hundred technological cutaways were made in the hull and superstructure to get out everything that could be lifted by cranes. Most of the old internal construction work was cut into pieces and taken out. Then the hull was subjected to thorough cleaning by jets of small particles (stones) to remove old paint and rust. The ships 116 fuel tanks have a capacity of 8,500 tons. Since the Indian Navy ships run on diesel, remaining Furnace Fuel Oil (FFO, a heavy oil mixture) had to be removed. During several years after the cruiser was decommissioned, remaining fuel got carbidded, which complicated removing. After the hull was cleaned, it appeared to be in a worse state than had been estimated at contract signing. Many bulkheads appeared rusty and corroded, needing replacement. Many of the Gorshkovs systems that were meant to remain onboard were found unworthy.

Eight old boilers in the main propulsion machinery running on FFO had to be replaced by new ones burning diesel. The Baltic Plant produced one more example for trials. Tests went well, and after their completion the manufacturer began using this boiler for training purposes in its St. Petersburg educational facilities accessible to Indian specialists. Old cabling, in excess of 2,000 kilometers, also needed removal with only exception of 11-km-long demagnetising wiring in the fuel and ballast tanks. Brand-new 2,400kilometer-long cabling was laid into the ship. The ventilation needed a complete renovation, too. New air ducts were made inside the ship with help of those people who built the Gorshkov, for which purpose SMP hired engineers and workers from the Black Sea Dockyards. Specialised in submarine construction (128 nuclear submarines built in Severodvinsk have been commissioned since 1958), SMP tried to apply their underwater technologies whenever possible. The builder formed a 33-strong team of space managers under command of Gennady Petrov, and distributed to them the entire space inside the ship. Each manager carries responsibility for his ship compartments. Petrovs team has been successful in managing the difficult task of placing new equipment, cables, pipes and hoses in an efficient way throughout the existing hull of the ship built by another dockyard a thousand miles away. Turning a cruiser into a through-deck carrier necessitated manufacture and installation of a sky ramp and aft extension, both fabricated at SMP. In November 2008, the ship was born again as a Project 11430 aircraft carrier under the new name of Vikramaditya. Next month, it was towed from the dry dock to the Outfitting Jetty no.3. November Inspection In November 2011, the Vikramaditya was seen anchored at SMPs Outfitting Jetty No. 3. Her main propulsive machinery of four 45,000 horse power steam turbines was being tested at a moored mode, using steam from a ground heating station. Next month steam shall come from the ships own boilers. The Vikramaditya was powered-up by ground sources supplying 380-Volt three-phase electrical current. Having entered the ship, we appeared on the Deck 4. Next move was a climb up to the superstructure, into the Operations Room and then higher up to the Bridge. Hundreds of electronic equipment items were seen on their positions powered-up, although many were apparently in the need of fine-tuning. View out of the Bridge was spoilt by dust and dirt on windows external surfaces. Further up, we reached the huge Podberezovik radar antenna, which was

apparently able to tilt by means of actuators. A magnificent view opened from the radar platform over the city and the Severnaya Dvina river, but pictures were strictly prohibited with the reason being dozens of nuclear submarines moored down there. Down into the hangar, which was found well lit and painted, but crammed with small construction paraphernalia. It needs to be cleared up before aircraft are placed here for storage. Our way went through four out of ten ships construction zones and everywhere we met workers doing welding, cleaning, painting, installing and tuning various equipment items. Sometimes it was really difficult to get through a maze of trunking and cabling, using steep ladders and hatchways. The builder pledges to complete application of paint and protective coatings all over the ship before she goes to sea, and fine-tune most of onboard equipment. Contract Revision Much has been already written on the Vikramaditya price escalation, and there is some more to add. Firstly, a thorough inspection in dry dock revealed higher hull and system deterioration than at contract signing. Secondly, the Indian side has been tirelessly trying to improve the ship as she was undergoing modernisation, aiming at making her more reliable and comfortable at sea, as well as longerlasting. Thirdly, the customer paid the builder a portion of the contract value upon the ship passing a next stage in accordance with the mutually agreed modernisation programme. By the nature of such approach, the customer actually paid the builder for the real work done. Worthiness and value of that work were being permanently under control by the Indian Navy officers stationed in Severodvinsk and being checked by their colleagues on short stays, visiting SMP for inspection purposes. The contract was renegotiated in early 2010, with simultaneous inclusion of 14 additional programmes to the ships refit and modernisation. Subsequently, its value rose to 1.75 billion USD. With inclusion of separate contracts on training, ground equipment and shore infrastructure installations, the grand total comes to USD two billion. For a large duration of time the ship spent in Severodvinsk, the work on her went on with all permissible speed. The contract revision came when time was right to order vendor items from overseas suppliers. By that time the hull readiness reached a point permitting use of larger labour force on the ship. In 2007, less than 700 people worked on her. Next year, the Vikramaditya was

towed to the outfitting jetty, which enabled use of powerful cranes for downloading bulky equipment inside the hull through technological cutaways. When all this was done and the contract value renegotiated, the labour force rose up to 4,000, with some workers and engineers being summoned from shipbuilding companies in the Far East, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Astrakhan, and other Russian cities. As of now, the Vikramaditya does not have missiles or guns. The Indian side wanted the Barak-1 short-range anti-aircraft system from Israel, but ended up with reserving space for the Kashtan combined missile/cannon anti-aircraft system of the Russian origin. Separately, placing up to four AK630 mounts of 30-mm six-barrel antiaircraft guns is being considered. A joint venture is to be established between NPKB, SMP and their Indian partners to help maintain the carrier after OEMs one-year guarantee is over. JVs scope of activities could possibly cover support to Project 71 ships being built and Project 877EKM submarines already in Indian service, as well as the newer Amur 1650 on offer in the ongoing tender for six units.