Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

F

Franklin

Captain
Seems that the Kolkata class DDG has been on sea trials.

Weapon woes put Navy’s modernisation programmes on hold

A fresh hunt for heavy torpedoes for its new line of warships and a setback in the delivery of new destroyers has the Indian navy reeling under pressure of delay in major modernisation programmes.

The process to acquire new torpedoes was set rolling recently after the first attempt to purchase the weapon got embroiled in controversies.

With Finmeccanica’s conduct in the VVIP helicopter deal for the Indian Air Force coming under scanner, questions have been raised over the company’s participation in other contracts though no punitive action has been taken against it by the government so far.

Acquisition

The acquisition of torpedoes was held back because the front runner, Black Shark torpedo, was being made by a Finmeccanica subsidiary called WASS.

Even though the ongoing $300 million project to procure 98 torpedoes has not been cancelled officially, the navy has issued Request for Information (RFI), re-launching the process to procure the weapons.

An evaluation committee had given an “all clear”, but despite that the project had not moved further.

The German rival Atlas Elektronik had also raised questions about Black Shark’s selection.

Sources said a fresh process of induction was initiated so that the torpedoes could be made available for all the warships and submarines in the pipeline – including Project 75(Scorpene), 15A (Kolkata class destroyers), 15B (follow on of Kolkata class

At the moment, navy warships are equipped with old Russian heavy torpedoes. The new torpedoes were also to be integrated with the French Scorpene submarines under construction.

Even as the torpedo issue was being sorted out, the navy was hit by the delay in project 15A for the construction of three Kolkata class destroyers.

The first ship of the class, being constructed at Muzgaon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, was scheduled to be delivered in July.

But technical problems were detected during the sea trials of the destroyers – the largest warships to be constructed and designed at MDL.

It is estimated that the project has been delayed by at least six months as the new destroyer would now be made available only by early 2014.

Project 15A, under which three destroyers have to be built, is already running two years behind schedule.

The revised deadline for the delivery of first ship was mid-2013. The project was going on track keeping up with the revised deadline but the snag was detected during the sea trials of the ship.
Click to expand...

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!



vikram-01x.jpg

​

The Hindu said:
INS Vikramaditya, India’s second aircraft carrier, has set sail on comprehensive sea trials.

The extensively modernised Soviet-era carrier Admiral Gorshkov is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy this year-end after much delay. It set off from the Sevmash shipyard in the northern port city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea, official sources said here.

“A team of Indian Navy officials, technical experts and pilots is on board the aircraft carrier which is now undergoing aviation facilities trials,” officials said. All tests are being carried out by the Russian crew and staff. The Indian team is monitoring the tests and trials, they said. The aircraft carrier, which can easily hold about 30 fighters and helicopters, is now sailing in the Barents Sea.

During the trials, INS Vikramaditya will undergo “a full range of sea-going tests” and aviation facilities like take-offs and landings of fighters such as MIG 29K flown by Russian pilots. “Touch and go exercises by fighters are on and various other flight profiles are also being undertaken,” officials said.
Click to expand...

I believe this time the Virkamaditya will complete her builder's trials and will be on her way to India this fall. We should see her in port in India before the end of the year and it will be a significant milestone for the Indian Navy.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

​
 
Last edited:
FORBIN

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
If he is finally commissioned !!! her Homeport is Mumbai/Western Naval Command and Viraat will be transferred to Visakhapatnam/Eastern Naval Command.

Mig-29K worck, very good trials.
 
J

joshuatree

Captain
plawolf said:
Why is her island...there? It looks like its in the middle of the flight deck. Seems like a waste of valuable space. Same goes for that little mast.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the retrofit stopped short of entirely rebuilding the island so the position is original spec. Secondary mast seems to house additional sensors they could not fit on the island but won't hinder flight deck as the island is the bigger obstacle. I'm guessing the "wasted space" will be used to park service vehicles that would normally have been on the port side of the island? Indeed a bit archaic.
 
N

no_name

Colonel
The island is not changed at all, and probably couldn't without a whole bunch of work given the amount of stuff that extends down below deck. Looks like there is not even an attempt to cut away part of the superstructure to make it smaller.
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
plawolf said:
Why is her island...there? It looks like its in the middle of the flight deck. Seems like a waste of valuable space. Same goes for that little mast.
Click to expand...
Remember, she was built before the Kuznetsov, and along with the three others in the Kiev Class, the Gorshkov, was a true half cruiser, half carrier. Originally, her entire forward portion was dedicated to offensive and defenseive weaponryand missiles. in this refit, they took all of that out and added the ski-jump.

The island stayed where it was because they had enough room (just) to land and take off without having to do an even more major overhaul. costing a lot more money.

The Kuznetsov and Varyag came along after this design and made the entire deck more workable for aircraft operations. Initially (and the other three were of course, never changed) this design only had the af 75% of the vessel set up for aircraft operations. And it was all VTOL with the helos and the Yaks.

So, that's why the island is where it is at. Even so, she will have two take-off positions. She will be able to carry about 30 aircraft and will be a significant improvement for the Indians over their older Hermes type carriers. Particularly with the Mig-29Ks improving on the Harriers.

So, they went from this:


506502afebd96.jpg

​

To this:


vikram-02x.jpg

​
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member

[video=youtube;8OGavzH_LaQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OGavzH_LaQ[/video]
INS Vikramaditya Leaves Port for Final Builder's Trials​

Great video of the Vikramaditya going to sea.
 
MwRYum

MwRYum

Major
plawolf said:
Why is her island...there? It looks like its in the middle of the flight deck. Seems like a waste of valuable space. Same goes for that little mast.
Click to expand...

That's the original Kiev-class design so that can't be helped. Even if they can move it, they'd need to rework the balance and weight distribution of the ship, plus massive rework on all the funnel and wiring that connect the island structure and the ship itself. which would definitely jack up the price tag and drag on the schedule even more then it is now - remember, the whole reason why India snap up this offer in the first place was not just the price tag (initially, ship comes free and all they need to pay was the overhaul fee), it was the expected schedule - faster than the indigenous project - and the urgency to replace the ageing carrier in service.

In a way, China got lucky with the ex-Varyag, at least the hull is a sound design, what's left is to put all the missing bits back in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top