UkrOboronProm offers to maintain Indian Navy’s new Kiev-class vessel

Ukrainian company UkrOboronProm has shown readiness to provide maintenance services for the Indian Navy’s latest Kiev-class aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.

The offer was made during the DefExpo 2018 event, which was held in India.

UkrOboronProm director general Pavlo Bukin and India Naval Staff chief admiral Sunil Lanba discussed the possible participation of Ukrainian defence industry enterprises in the modernisation and upgrade of the Indian Navy’s vessels as part of the development.

Furthermore, Bukin emphasised the country’s interest in the joint development of navy vessel and coastal radar systems and sea buoys, as well as engaging in the supply of spare parts for Indian Navy ships and submarines.

UkrOboronProm noted that the company could facilitate the continued delivery and joint production of gas turbine engines as part of the offer, in addition to providing maintenance services for INS Vikramaditya.

The 284m-long aircraft carrier features a displacement of 44,500t and can sail at a maximum of speed more than 30k.

The warship has been constructed by Ukrainian specialists based at the Mykolaiv shipbuilding plant.

INS Vikramaditya represents the Indian Navy’s newest and largest vessel and was originally commissioned on 16 November 2013.

The Kiev-class vessel is equipped with four propellers and powered by eight latest and advanced boilers featuring steam capacities of 100 tonnes per hour (tph) at a very high pressure of 64bar, thereby producing a total power output of 180,000 shaft horsepower (shp).

The Indian Navy vessel has maximum beam of approximately 60m and is able to accommodate the MiG 29K, Kamov 31, Kamov 28, Seaking, ALH and Chetak aircraft.