India’s Gorshkov Carrier Nears Completion

The Indian Navy expects to receive the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov by December 2012 following scheduled sea trials in early 2011.

Recently, a naval team from India examined the ongoing refit work on 44,570t Admiral Gorshkov, renamed as INS Vikramaditya, at the Sevmash Shipyard in Russia, according to the Times of India.

A navy official said that 99% of the structural work and almost 50% of the cabling work has been completed on the carrier.

“Almost all large-scale equipment including engines, diesel generators and others has been installed,” the official said.

India also ordered 29 additional MiG-29K carrier-based anti-ship fighter aircraft from Russia under a $1.46bn contract signed in March.