Snag delays INS Vikramaditya delivery

India will miss the December date with its brand new Russian-origin aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Delivery of the $2.33 billion carrier has been delayed by a few months due to a snag in the boilers of the 45000 tonnes warship that was to be handed over to the Indian Navy on December 9, 2012.

A report in Russia’s Kommersant business daily now suggested that it would not be possible to deliver the carrier before October 2013 — stretching the schedule by 10 months. But reliable sources in the government said it was entirely possible for Russia to implement the repair package within the next three-four months and still deliver it within the contractual period.

Because of three months of leeway mentioned in the commercial contract, it was possible for the shipyard to deliver the carrier within the stipulated period.

The Indian Navy had expected the carrier with its on-board fleet MiG-29K fighters to join the service by March-April of 2013. When inducted, the new carrier along with the ageing INS Viraat will make India one of the few countries that operate two carriers.
Defence Minister A K Antony also informed Parliament that INS Vikramaditya’s induction is likely to be in the first half of 2013.

Undergoing trials at Barents Sea in Russia at the moment, seven out of eight boilers in the engine room of Vikramaditya were unable to shield the enormous amount of heat emitted by these boilers, when the ship travels on its top speed of 30 knots.

If the ship cruises at a lower speed, there is not much of a problem.

The Sevmash shipyard will have to rectify those problems after which the carrier will again go out for a short trial before it is finally handed over to India.