Russian Carrier Conversion Moves Forward

Russian Carrier Conversion Moves Forward (NSI News Source Info) December 9, 2008: A former Russian aircraft carrier under conversion for India is afloat again after three years in drydock. The former Admiral Gorshkov is afloat again after three years in drydock. (Sevmash) The former Admiral Gorshkov was refloated on Dec. 4 at Sevmash's northern Russia shipyard in Severodvinsk, Sevmash reported. The ship had been in drydock since December 2005. Now known as the Vikramaditya, the ship is being refurbished for India's Navy. The 45,000-ton Gorshkov was completed in 1987 as a modified Kiev-class ship intended primarily to operate helicopters and vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft. Under a January 2004 agreement, Sevmash is rebuilding the vessel to become a more conventional aircraft carrier, with an angled deck for takeoffs and landings and a ski-jump forward to launch aircraft. New propulsion, weapons and electronic systems also are being fitted. The extensive conversion has been more complex and expensive than first envisioned, and negotiations with the Indians have become more difficult. India is not expecting to get the ship before 2012. Sevmash reported that the operation to refloat the Vikramaditya began on Nov. 11. Although the ship became waterborne on Nov. 25, weather conditions prevented it from being moved from drydock to a fitting-out berth until Dec. 3.