Posted on 10/25/2007 9:12:37 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Govt Tows Admiral Gorshkov
Russia’s government is raising money to complete the upgrade of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that was ordered by India. Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko has proposed to Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to cover a portion of costs by another export contract. Simultaneously, India has been notified of the need to reconsider the Admiral Gorshkov contract in view of increasing its value.
Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko has addressed Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, seeking his help to sort out the problem of upgrading Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier. The delivery of the vessel has been put off by over three years, while the cost of the ship soared by $380 million “less potential penalty,” Khristenko told Serdyukov via a letter of August 22.
The contract is executed by Sevmash Production Association and it needs the government’s support to fulfill the obligations. The state could back up the enterprise by contracting it to construct two diesel-electric submarines of Project 636 ordered by a foreign client. Then, Sevmash will be able to transfer some funds “to offset money shortage” generated when re-equipping Admiral Gorshkov, Khristenko said. According to the sources, the two submarines mentioned by the minister have been ordered by Venezuela.
India got the hull of Admiral Gorshkov (renamed to Vikramaditya) free of charge in 2004 on condition that the aircraft carrier would be upgraded at Sevmash. The contract budget is roughly $1.5 billion. Of this amount, about $700 million is to be spent for the vessel, while the remainder will go to buy 16 MiG -29KKUBs. Shelving the dates of Admiral Gorshkov’s handover from 2008 to 2011 or 2012 is being currently negotiated.
In Military and Industrial Commission, they say Sevmash has promised to allocate roughly 2 billion rubles ($89 million) from the submarine contract to complete the upgrade of Admiral Gorshkov. But this amount won’t solve the matter. They need up to $1 billion in addition and the talks with India are underway to step up the contract budget.
I thought the Su-33/35 were the preferred carrier planes?
The smaller plane is easier to launch and recover I suppose.
No steam catapult, hence the ski-jump?
Will this carrier be out of date by the time it is completed?
The Russians seem to have been content with the ski-jump for their carriers-Catapults are complicated.
The Gorshkov is a converted V/STOL carrier,which has already been lengthened to launch the Mig-29.It would be too demanding on it’s structure to take on the SU-33.
Out of date when compared to USN carriers.Adequate to deal with Paki & Chinese shipping.
Are they still operating the Ysk-38’s any more?
dang typos ... preview is my friend, LOL
Yak-38’s
>>>Russia’s government is raising money to complete the upgrade of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that was ordered by India.
This is something I have commented on in multiple threads. This is the “oil rich” new Russia that will open a new arms race and upset world stability. And they are on the verge of hosting bake sales to permit the fulfillment of their obligations.
Oil and all, Russian GDP is on par with Mexico. Ronald Reagan grasped that essential fact after decades of “experts” had overlooked it.
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I believe those were taken out of active service by time the Soviet Union collapsed.
Good point.
Not very impressive is it?
Not only that, they are “renegotiating” with India. If I was an Indian admiral I might be a tad pissed with Russia about that.
On a happier note, they are diverting money from the Venezuela submarine contract to feed the carrier project, which means that Hugo isn’t going to get his subs anytime soon.
Considering the pitiful state of USN ASW these days, that is not a bad thing IMHO.
No. All Yak-38s were retired in the 90s.
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