Sevmash nearly completes upgrade of aircraft carrier for Indian Navy
Sevmash Shipyard executing an order for retrofitting INS Vikramaditya (the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov) for the Indian Navy has completed the works by 85 percent. The light aircraft carrier is scheduled for delivery in December 2012, the shipbuilding firm said.
The Indian Navy Joint Staff delegation led by Adm. Niradzhan Kumar, chief of ships production and procurement department, arrived at the yard of Sevmash to see the order execution. The Indian customer expressed satisfaction with the progress in refitting the warship.
United Shipbuilding Corporation’s President Roman Trotsenko thanked the customers for their confidence in Sevmash and USC, and assured that the final phase of the order will be done with great care.
"Today, the order is being performed according to the schedule, and the technical problems are being solved largely through Rosoboronexport, which always supported us. I am sure that in December 2012, the ship will be delivered to the customer, " Mr. Trotsenko said.
Sevmash shipyard secured the order for modernization of the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov (formerly Baku) from the Indian Navy. India named the warship Vikramaditya (Sanskrit: “Brave as the Sun”). The contract for supply of the Admiral Gorshkov was signed between Rosoboronexport and the Indian Navy on January 20, 2004 in New Delhi. The contract is valued more than $ 1.5 billion, including $600-700 million to be spent for the upgrade and refit of the warship. The ship was expected to be delivered in 2008 but due to constant delays, cost overruns and other issues the delivery date was shifted to 2012.