Gorshkov to join Indian Navy in 2008

[ENSIGN FOREVER]

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=338896
Acquired Russian aircraft carrier to arrive in 2008
MUMBAI, DEC 1 (PTI)
India's second aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, acquired from Russian Navy, was expected to arrive in Mumbai in the first half of 2008, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval command, Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh said here today.
The carrier has undergone several modifications and has been fitted with some Indian equipment, Singh said.
After a year's trials in Russia, the carrier is expected to arrive here in first half of 2008, he said.
"The India's first indigenous aircraft carrier was expected to be ready within eight years. By then, we expect the naval version of LCA to be ready," he added.
The Navy was creating an operational base for UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) near Porbunder in Gujarat, he said adding, land has already been acquired for the project.
The Navy was also evaluating ship-launched version of UAVs, he said.
Asked about China building a new aircraft carrier, Singh said the neighbouring country had improved shipbuilding capabilities.
"Their nuclear submarine programme is a cause of worry for the US," he added. Post-September 11 terror attacks in US, the focus now was on low intensity conflict, electronic warfare and sea piracy, Singh said and added that Indian Navy was gearing up to face these challenges.

[rajkhalsa]

Russia to lease two nuke submarines [NATO: 'Akula-II'] to India (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200512070380.htm)

Moscow,Dec. 7 (PTI): India will get two 'Shchuka-B' class nuclear submarines from Russia on lease and an Indian crew has already arrived here for training as part of the aircraft-carrier Admiral Gorshkov deal, a media report said on Tuesday.

Two 'Shchuka-B', also known as Akula, are at different stages of construction since the collapse of Soviet Union and could be leased to India for ten years in estimated USD 1.8 billion deal after their simultaneous completion, Russian daily 'Kommersant' reported.

Due to slippage in the indigenous Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project for the development of S-2 nuclear submarine, India is leasing the two submarines as part of the package deal on the acquisition of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, the daily said.

It said that about 200 Indian naval officers have arrived in Russia in October for a course at Russian nuclear submarine fleet's North-West training centre at Sosnovy Bor near St. Petersburg, the paper wrote.

India earlier had received Charlie class K-43 nuclear submarine from ex-Soviet Union, which was known as 'INS Chakra', on lease.

Kommersant wrote that at that time Indian crew did not have access to the reactor of INS Chakra, which was manned by Soviet naval personnel.

The daily also said that Moscow is helping India in designing the nuclear reactor for the ATV, which resembles Russian submarine of Project 09710 'Samara' class (NATO code name Akula-II).

[rajkhalsa]

Russia offers TU-22M3 strategic bombers to India (http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/668E638281EE4C50652570D10017B24B?OpenDocument)

Moscow, Dec 7 (PTI) Russia has offered to sell several long-range Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers to India, Russian Vice Premier and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said today.

He said the offer was made to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during talks in Moscow yesterday but India has not yet responded.

"We made the offer to the Indian side when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was here. The Indian side has not yet come back to us on the issue, and it would be impossible also to take a decision within 24 hours," Ivanov was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS news agency.

Ivanov said that India had earlier considered leasing the bombers but due to "technical reasons" Moscow is unable to lease the aircrafts.

The leasing of up to three long-range TU-22M3 (Backfire-C) bombers was part of the aircraft carrier 'Admiral Gorshkov' package, which also included leasing two Shchuka-B (Akula class) nuclear submarines currently under construction at Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard.

Ivanov underscored that Tu-22M3 is "not a strategic" weapon as it has a range of up to 7,000 kilometres. The bomber capable of carrying 3 Kh-22 cruise missiles is the main bomber of the Russian Air Force and Navy.

Talks for leasing three Tu-22M3 bombers were on since last five years in a package with the acquisition of the Gorshkov aircraft carrier, diplomatic sources said. PTI

[rajkhalsa]

India, Russia likely to share Tajik airbase (http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=339873)
MOSCOW, DEC 6 (PTI)

India and Russia are likely to share the Aini airbase in Tajikistan, which is being modernised by Indian Air Force technical personnel.

"Russia is interested in stationing its helicopter gunships and air force squadrons at Aini airbase. Talks are underway with the government of Tajikistan," Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov here said last night after his meeting with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan. Under an agreement with the government of Tajikistan, IAF is modernising the Aini airbase near the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

Diplomatic sources declined to elaborate on Ivanov's statement, although they confirmed that Ivanov had parleys with NSA, who is accompanying the Prime Minister on a three day visit.

India was reconstructing and modernising the Aini airbase as part of "aid" to Tajikistan, they said adding the project was taken up at the time when India could not overfly Taliban-held Afghanistan.

[rajkhalsa]

India, Russia to develop transport and fighter aircrafts (http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=183344&n_date=20051206&cat=World)
Moscow | December 06, 2005 10:37:13 PM IST

The sixth annual summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Vladimir Putin today decided, in principle, to jointly develop medium range transport aircraft and fifth generation multi-role fighter aircraft.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told mediapersons after the meeting at Grand Kremlin Palace that it was decided to initiate expert level discussion on the matter.

He said the two leaders reviewed bilateral, regional and international issues. The bilateral issues included defence cooperation and energy partnership and improving trade and further cooperation in civil nuclear energy.

Dr Singh and Mr Putin expressed satisfaction over the ongoing cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy and decided to expand the cooperation.

They also decided to undertake long term energy projects and exploit oil and gas resources in both the countries.

Dr Singh assured Mr Putin that New Delhi would support Russia’s accession to WTO and resolve all pending issues within a time bound manner.

[rajkhalsa]

In addition to all that...

India, Russia sign three accords (http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1566477,00050003.htm)

United News of India
Moscow, December 6, 2005

India and Russia on Tuesday signed three major agreements for intensifying cooperation in different fields, including intellectual property rights in defence sector, development and use of a global navigation satellite system and joint research in solar physics.

The agreements were signed after extensive talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Green Drawing Room of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

The three agreements are -- the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on Defence Agreement, Technology Safeguards Agreement regarding Global Navigational Satellite System (GLONASS) and an accord on solar physics.

The IPR pact provides for mutual copyright protection in military and technical cooperation. The GLONASS is a long-term project which aims to create an alternative to the Global Positioning System (GPS) of the US.

The agreement on joint research in solar physics signed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Russian Federal Space Agency envisages research in solar-terrestrial connections under the Coronas-Photon satellite project of Russia. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 2007.

--------==--=--==--------

The signing of the IPR agreement more or less confirms India's co-participation in the development of a 5th generation fighter platform.

The agreement also formalized India's participation in the GLONASS GPS project, which has civilian and military uses. India will design and launch its own satellites to complete the worldwide GLONASS formation. In concurrance with this, India is also working on a redundant Regional Positioning System (RPS) with a constellation of satellites over the Indian subcontinent, specifically for military use.



All in all a very rewarding and strategically significant set of agreements coming out of this latest visit

[Resurrection]

Holy... sh*t...

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/2820/kidsurprised1nh.jpg

[ENSIGN FOREVER]

Russia to lease two nuke submarines [NATO: 'Akula-II'] to India (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200512070380.htm)

Moscow,Dec. 7 (PTI): India will get two 'Shchuka-B' class nuclear submarines from Russia on lease and an Indian crew has already arrived here for training as part of the aircraft-carrier Admiral Gorshkov deal, a media report said on Tuesday.

Two 'Shchuka-B', also known as Akula, are at different stages of construction since the collapse of Soviet Union and could be leased to India for ten years in estimated USD 1.8 billion deal after their simultaneous completion, Russian daily 'Kommersant' reported.

Due to slippage in the indigenous Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project for the development of S-2 nuclear submarine, India is leasing the two submarines as part of the package deal on the acquisition of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, the daily said.

It said that about 200 Indian naval officers have arrived in Russia in October for a course at Russian nuclear submarine fleet's North-West training centre at Sosnovy Bor near St. Petersburg, the paper wrote.

India earlier had received Charlie class K-43 nuclear submarine from ex-Soviet Union, which was known as 'INS Chakra', on lease.

Kommersant wrote that at that time Indian crew did not have access to the reactor of INS Chakra, which was manned by Soviet naval personnel.

The daily also said that Moscow is helping India in designing the nuclear reactor for the ATV, which resembles Russian submarine of Project 09710 'Samara' class (NATO code name Akula-II).


AY! AY! AY! Somehow my "Happy Meter" is pointing straight down, and my "Confidence Thermometer" is well below zero. It would behoove the IN, before they take boats that have been sitting around the yards for 10 years, to talk to the Can Navy about their experience in purchasing the former UK SSK's that had been lolligaging the piers for a while. A lot to be learned!!

10 year lease? If the reactors need to be refueled, who pays for the it?

[Limeyfellow]

The aircraft carrier was given to India back in 1998 since it was too expensive for the Russians at the time to scrap and cost way too much money to refit, so it was easier to unload the thing to India and let them pay for the upgrade. The Russian Navy is a pathetic shell of what it used to be.

[ENSIGN FOREVER]

The Russian Navy is a pathetic shell of what it used to be.

...it was way overrated before!

[rajkhalsa]

Well, supposedly the Akulas while operationizable, will be used to train Indian crews while the first Indian Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) nuclear sub will built in the next couple years. The design purportedly looks a bit similar to the Akula, but with Indian/European sonar, components, and an Indian reactor designed with Russian help. The training of crews in Russia isn't as much for traning them to run a submarine, but to train them to run a nuclear reactor. There were reports that a couple hundred Indian sailors were attending the nuke schools up there.

So the Akulas will be leased in the meantime, until a couple ATVs are built and India can run their own training cylces. Think of the Akulas like the Su-30K to the MKI... a sqn bought while the MKI was just being finished, and flogged into the ground as a training platform that was almost but not quite an MKI, so that crews graduating from the K will be familiar with the MKI, reducing training times on that a/c. So that by the time the ATV rolls out, India will already have nuke-experienced crews and officers

That being said, I still think the Akulas will be in service for a good 10-15 years. While not entirely new, they are new build. While mothballed for years in Russia, they, like the Gorshkov, are still light years ahead in capabilities than Pakistan and China, and that's really all they need to be

[ed316]

Good for India they live in a rough neighborhood

[ENSIGN FOREVER]

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http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/Neptune/Gorshkov%20hangar.jpg


Indian Navy roundels sure look good on this A/C:

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb122005/img/4.jpg

[JoaMei]

Is the Hawkeye able to start from a carrier of that type? Afaik it needs a Catapult?

[ENSIGN FOREVER]

Is the Hawkeye able to start from a carrier of that type? Afaik it needs a Catapult?

If you want to lauch it in 300 ft? You bet you need a catapult and a nice wind over the bow.

If 300ft is not an issue and you just want to make a running takeoff then this may just things into perspective:



http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/c130/carrier_02.jpg

October 30, 1963. LCDR Flatley and his crew successfully negotiated 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 unarrested full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted takeoffs at gross weights of 85,000 pounds up to 121,000 pounds. At 85,000 pounds, the KC-130F came to a complete stop within 267 feet, about twice the aircraft's wing span! Even with a maximum payload, the plane used only 745 feet for takeoff and 460 feet for landing roll.

E-2 takeoff gross weight is 54,426 lb.