Russian Made Indian Aircraft Carrier Sets Out On Trial Voyage

[jimmy olsen]

Cool 

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article3503982.ece

INS Vikramaditya sets out on trial voyage
Vladimir Radyuhin
MOSCOW, June 8, 2012

The newly refurbished INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier took to the sea for the first time on Friday.

The carrier sailed out for crucial pre-delivery trials in the early hours of June 8 from the berth of the Sevmash shipyard in Russia's northern city of Severodvinsk, where the former Soviet heavy aviation cruiser Gorshkov had been converted into a regular aircraft carrier christened Vikramaditya.

During the trials, scheduled to last 120 days, all the ship's systems will be tested.

"The main part of the trials is testing aircraft takeoff and landing," Sevmash chief Andrei Dyachkov told The Hindu. "The programme of tests is very tight as deck aviation can operate only from June to September in the harsh conditions of Arctic seas."

The test flights will be carried out using two Russian aircraft, MiG-29K and MiG-35, flown by Russian pilots. Russia last year delivered to the Indian Navy 12 MiG-29K single-seaters and 4 MiG-29KUB two-seaters, which will be based on the Vikramaditya. India has ordered another batch of 29 MiG-29K deck fighters that will also provide airpower for the Vikrant aircraft carrier being built in India.

A part of the Indian crew of the Vikramaditya, who have just completed training in Russia, have joined the Russian team for the carrier's first sea voyage; more Indian sailors will fly in from India for the trials later, bringing the total naval personnel on board to 2,700, almost double the ship's regular crew.

If all goes well, an Indian acceptance team will board the carrier at later stages of the sea trials. Upon completion of the tests the Vikramaditya will return to port to allow finishing touches to be made before delivery in December.

"We are confident we can keep the schedule and hand over the ship to India on December 4," Mr Dyachkov said.

[The Brain]

During the trials, scheduled to last 120 days, all the ship's systems will be tested.

[CountDeMoney]

Gonna be a bitch trying to sail it to the Kashmir.

What deck is Level 2 Tech Support?

[Viking]

Gonna be a bitch trying to sail it to the Kashmir.

What deck is Level 2 Tech Support?

I don't know, are we getting grumbler to deal with our pre-modern tech issues by phoning the indian carrier now?

Me:  My catapult won't work
grumbler: <hevy fake hindoo accent> my name is pradesh from srinagar, your strawman has failed what you have in an onager
Me: An onager is a catapult
grumbler: <heavy fake hindoo accent> You are trying to change your argument I win!!!!
Me: My catapult still doesn't work... how is this a helpline?

[Caliga]

They always give a phony 'American' name on those calls though.

HOW I CAN BE HELPING YOU MY NAME IS CHUCK

[grumbler]

Somehow, the idea of Russians trying to teach Indians how to operate an aircraft carrier tickles my funny bone.

It's like Viking trying to teach Hans how to have a make a logical argument - everyone knows it will end with both sides in tears.

[Fireblade]

Soon to be known as the world's most expensive artificial reef.

[Neil]

They just need it for the prestige.  It's not like it's expected to actually do anything.  India's strategic concerns are a little closer to home.

[grumbler]

They just need it for the prestige.  It's not like it's expected to actually do anything.  India's strategic concerns are a little closer to home.

A Dreadnought could serve the same purpose, and the Russians might just know something about operating a dreadnought.

Effective flight deck operations require Master Chief Aviation Bosun's Mates, and those take a couple of decades to create.

[Iormlund]

They just need it for the prestige.  It's not like it's expected to actually do anything.  India's strategic concerns are a little closer to home.

A Dreadnought could serve the same purpose, and the Russians might just know something about operating a dreadnought.

Effective flight deck operations require Master Chief Aviation Bosun's Mates, and those take a couple of decades to create.

And how many decades would it take if they had dreadnoughts instead of a carrier?

[grumbler]

And how many decades would it take if they had dreadnoughts instead of a carrier?

None.  They wouldn't need any Master Chief Aviation Bosun's Mates.

[Neil]

They just need it for the prestige.  It's not like it's expected to actually do anything.  India's strategic concerns are a little closer to home.

A Dreadnought could serve the same purpose, and the Russians might just know something about operating a dreadnought.

Effective flight deck operations require Master Chief Aviation Bosun's Mates, and those take a couple of decades to create.

Do you mean effective or optimum?

[Darth Wagtaros]

And how many decades would it take if they had dreadnoughts instead of a carrier?

None.  They wouldn't need any Master Chief Aviation Bosun's Mates.

Zing!

[grumbler]

Do you mean effective or optimum?

Effective. 

[Neil]

Do you mean effective or optimum?

Effective.

I think you're overstating your case.  Furious was able to effectively launch aircraft, and there wasn't a Aviation Boatswain's Mate anywhere in the world at that time.