Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov

"Admiral Gorshkov" was a modified Kiev class aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy, originally named "Baku". In 2004, she was sold to India for conversion into a STOBAR carrier to be named INS "Vikramaditya".

Differences from other Kiev class carriers

The fourth of the Project 1143 aircraft carrying cruisers, "Baku" had many differences to the rest of the class, trialing technologies to be used on the "Admiral Kuznetsov". The most obvious is the massive planar array above the bridge. This was the antenna for the Mars-Passat ("Sky Watch") 3D air search radar, comparable to the US SCANFAR radar if not the AN/SPY-1 used by the Aegis combat system. Like SCANFAR, Sky Watch proved troublesome and was probably never operational.

The biggest change to the weapon systems was the replacement of the SA-N-3 Goblet and SA-N-4 Gecko SAM launchers with four SA-N-9 Gauntlet VLS launchers. This allowed room for another two SS-N-12 Sandbox launchers. The two AA guns of the "Kiev"s were replaced with 100 mm guns, and the SUW-N-1 launcher was removed.

The air wing was the same as the other "Kiev"s, consisting of a squadron of twelve Yak-38 'Forger' V/STOL aircraft (until they were retired in 1992), twelve Ka-27 'Helix-A' ASW/SAR helicopters and two Ka-31 'Helix' AEW helicopters. Flight operations were assisted by the distinctive new Cake Stand TACAN radar.

"Baku" was used for trials of the Yak-141 Freestyle supersonic VTOL fighter.

History

The ship was laid down in 1978 at Nikolayev South (Shipyard No.444) in Ukraine, launched in 1982, and commissioned in 1987. The delay in commissioning was largely caused by software bugs in the new command and control system.

The ship was renamed "Admiral Gorshkov" after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, as the city of Baku was now in independent Azerbaijan. Sergey Gorshkov was responsible for the expansion of the Soviet Navy during the Cold War.

In 1994, following a boiler room explosion, the ship was docked for a year of repairs. Although she returned to service in 1995, she was finally withdrawn in 1996 and offered for sale.

Sale to India

After years of negotiations, on January 20, 2004, Russia and India signed a deal for the "Admiral Gorshkov", 12 single-seat MiG-29K 'Fulcrum-D' and 4 dual-seat MiG-29KUB, 6 Kamov Ka-27 and Ka-31 'Helix' helicopters, facilities and procedures for training pilots and technical staff, delivery of simulators, spare parts, and establishment maintenance on Indian Navy facilities.

The ship was free; India will pay the Russians ~US$800 million to upgrade it and an additional US$700 million on the aircraft and weapons systems. Upgrade plans involve stripping all the weaponry from the ship's foredeck to make way for a Short Take-Off But Assisted Recovery configuration. A 14.3 degree ski-jump on the bow and three arrestor wires on the angled deck will allow operation of MiG-29K 'Fulcrum' and Sea Harrier aircraft.

She will be renamed INS "Vikramaditya". Due to a revised schedule, and cost escalation by Russia, it is estimated that the ship will not join the Indian NavyFact|date=August 2008. In July 2008 it was reported that Russia was increasing the price to USD 3.4 BnFact|date=August 2008.

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1143.htm]
* [http://bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=9656]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/russia/aircraft_carriers/baku/baku_page_1.htm MaritimeQuest Baku pag6|Admiral Gorshkov]