admiral groshkov
Deal on Admiral Gorshkov may be signed soon
MRITYUNJAY BOSE
MUMBAI, Nov 22/2002:
The deal on acquisition of ex-Soviet aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ may be inked soon with the Indian Navy officials hoping high on the forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The Russian President is expected in India next month and we are hopeful that there will be something positive during this visit," a senior Indian Navy official told UNI here.
A series of talks between the Indian and Russian Government officials have been held in this regard and the acquisition may take a final shape soon, the official said, adding that with the ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ joining the fleet, the capabilities of the Indian Navy will increase manifold.
Admiral Madhvendra Singh, the Chief of Naval Staff, during his visit to this island city, earlier this month, has said that the aircraft carrier was in a good condition and expressed the hope that the Indian Navy will get it.
The need for an aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy is felt for quite some time, especially after the decommissioning of INS Vikrant in 1997, which has now been converted into a maritime museum, currently moored off the Gateway of India.
The lone aircraft-carrier of the Indian Navy is INS Viraat with the integral British-made sea-harrier aircraft flying from aboard this floating airfield.
The keel of the indigenious Air Defence Ship (ADS) — a smaller version of an aircraft carrier — is expected to be laid soon at the Cochin shipyard, Indian Navy sources said.
"Ideally the Indian Navy should have three aircraft carriers," a senior Navy official said, adding that while one carrier each can be deployed on the Western and Eastern seaboards another could be taken up for refit. The INS Viraat had undergone a major refit couple of years ago.
With INS Viraat at its disposal and the possibility of joining of ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ and the development of ADS — by 2010, the Indian Navy may have three aircraft-carriers.
The Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser will have to undergo a major refit programme before she joins the fleet. Interestingly, the Indian Navy is the only Navy in Asia which operates an aircraft-carrier.
However, the Indian Navy has now the choice to choose the aircraft that it would operate from on board the ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ and the two shortlisted ones are Russian-made MiG 29k and the French-made Rafales.
Indian Navy officials said wishing anonymity that in case the Government goes for the Russian fighter jets, it would not need much of changes to be made on the flight deck of ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ (ex-baku). The displacement of the Russian carrier is around 40,000-tonnes and the deck is 273-metre-long.
In New Delhi recently, Defence Minister George Fernandes said the negotiations for the acquisition of aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ from Russia were going on at a fast pace and he was hopeful that the deal would be finalised soon.
He has said it was desirable that the deal be finalised soon.
The Defence Minister concurred with the view that the Indian Navy needed two aircraft carriers.
Negotiations for the carrier have been going on for several years with Russia. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh, who inspected ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ during his recent trip to Russia had said that its hull was in good shape. (UNI)
MRITYUNJAY BOSE
MUMBAI, Nov 22/2002:
The deal on acquisition of ex-Soviet aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ may be inked soon with the Indian Navy officials hoping high on the forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The Russian President is expected in India next month and we are hopeful that there will be something positive during this visit," a senior Indian Navy official told UNI here.
A series of talks between the Indian and Russian Government officials have been held in this regard and the acquisition may take a final shape soon, the official said, adding that with the ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ joining the fleet, the capabilities of the Indian Navy will increase manifold.
Admiral Madhvendra Singh, the Chief of Naval Staff, during his visit to this island city, earlier this month, has said that the aircraft carrier was in a good condition and expressed the hope that the Indian Navy will get it.
The need for an aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy is felt for quite some time, especially after the decommissioning of INS Vikrant in 1997, which has now been converted into a maritime museum, currently moored off the Gateway of India.
The lone aircraft-carrier of the Indian Navy is INS Viraat with the integral British-made sea-harrier aircraft flying from aboard this floating airfield.
The keel of the indigenious Air Defence Ship (ADS) — a smaller version of an aircraft carrier — is expected to be laid soon at the Cochin shipyard, Indian Navy sources said.
"Ideally the Indian Navy should have three aircraft carriers," a senior Navy official said, adding that while one carrier each can be deployed on the Western and Eastern seaboards another could be taken up for refit. The INS Viraat had undergone a major refit couple of years ago.
With INS Viraat at its disposal and the possibility of joining of ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ and the development of ADS — by 2010, the Indian Navy may have three aircraft-carriers.
The Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser will have to undergo a major refit programme before she joins the fleet. Interestingly, the Indian Navy is the only Navy in Asia which operates an aircraft-carrier.
However, the Indian Navy has now the choice to choose the aircraft that it would operate from on board the ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ and the two shortlisted ones are Russian-made MiG 29k and the French-made Rafales.
Indian Navy officials said wishing anonymity that in case the Government goes for the Russian fighter jets, it would not need much of changes to be made on the flight deck of ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ (ex-baku). The displacement of the Russian carrier is around 40,000-tonnes and the deck is 273-metre-long.
In New Delhi recently, Defence Minister George Fernandes said the negotiations for the acquisition of aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ from Russia were going on at a fast pace and he was hopeful that the deal would be finalised soon.
He has said it was desirable that the deal be finalised soon.
The Defence Minister concurred with the view that the Indian Navy needed two aircraft carriers.
Negotiations for the carrier have been going on for several years with Russia. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh, who inspected ‘Admiral Gorshkov’ during his recent trip to Russia had said that its hull was in good shape. (UNI)
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