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| India-Pakistan |
| Russian carrier deal to give Indian navy new power |
| 2004-01-20 |
| India has finalised the purchase of a Russian aircraft carrier in a $1.5 billion deal giving Asia’s only carrier-equipped navy dramatically stronger firepower and bringing nuclear rival China within range. Announcing the deal -- one of New Delhi’s biggest with its main arms supplier -- Defence Minister George Fernandes described the acquisition of the Admiral Gorshkov and a squadron of MiG-29 multi-role fighters as historic. India’s only carrier at present, the INS Viraat, was built for defence and has a limited range, but the Gorshkov will give the navy the capacity to put a carrier taskforce into the South China Sea within range of China. Threatening their eastern flank. Russia will take five years to refit the Gorshkov, intended as a temporary replacement for the INS Vikrant -- decommissioned in the late 1990s -- until India can build its own carriers. India is the only country in the region with a carrier, an issue of concern among some of the country’s smaller neighbours. It’s only a "issue of concern" if you have "issues" with India. Its main rivals, Pakistan and China, both of whom have fought wars with India, also do not have carriers. They are the people with "issues". India is building up its navy and naval chief Madhvendra Singh said last month the Gorshkov was a "very, very powerful ship" which would "change the scene completely in our area". At least in some people’s minds. India has said it aims to build its own carriers in less than a decade but analysts expect this to take much longer. The navy has an ageing fleet of about 140 ships. It has patrolled widely in recent years, from the eastern coast of Africa to the Straits of Malacca in Southeast Asia. The Gorshkov, which joined the Soviet navy as the Baku in the mid-1980s, will be about 65 to 70 percent new by the time it is refitted. With good maintenance, she’ll be fine. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #12 I did wonder why not MIG-31's. They're carrier capable, aren't they? |
| Posted by: Chuck 2004-1-20 11:01:37 PM |
| #11 The neighbors would be better off building a sub or two since I doubt these carrier will have an adequate fleet to protect them. There is a reason that only the US has a serious carrier fleet. It costs bucks and if you only a have a few they become big pride things that you don't dare risk in combat. Ask the Argentines who kept the Bientocyno Demayo in port rather than risk it being sunk by the Brittish during the Falklands war. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-1-20 10:42:09 PM |
| #10 Pappy, I'll be impressed when they unrep the carrier at 15 knots. Was it the Belknap that got t-boned by the Aussie carrier? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-20 8:47:58 PM |
| #9 Big deal, so the Peoples Army's Navy (is that an oxymoron?) has a Kiev class carrier. All that can operate off of it are AWS choppers and VSTOL fighters. I believe what the Chinese bought was essentially a hulk. Two nation states in that area of the world that have to be having serious dicussions amongst their militaries are Australia and Singapore Thailand as well, tho they do have a small carrier. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-1-20 8:43:56 PM |
| #8 Well lets put it this way, the Chinese got their carrier of the same Kiev class for 66 million dollars equivalent, Big deal, so the Peoples Army's Navy (is that an oxymoron?) has a Kiev class carrier. All that can operate off of it are AWS choppers and VSTOL fighters. What VSTOL fighters are they operating? Those POS Yakolevs. Or has the Yakolev Organization been able to build their generation VSTOL fighter? The Indian Navy has Harriers operating off of the carrier they have now. Not a lot of range but better birds than the YAKs. Add in the Gorshkov with MIG29s and they will be able to project power. Too bad the Aussies decided to get out of the Naval Aviation business. Two nation states in that area of the world that have to be having serious dicussions amongst their militaries are Australia and Singapore |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-1-20 5:45:26 PM |
| #7 And a carrier doesn't really give them much of an advantage against their likely enemies (Pakistan and China) which happen to be more or less neighbors. The US currently takes care of freedom of the seas in the Southeast Asian region. If the 7th Fleet ever gets cut back, and China reasserts its claim to the South China Sea as Chinese territory, India may need to, in concert with the regional powers, patrol in the South China Sea. India's interest is in ensuring that trade routes to East Asia remain open, regardless of whether the US stays the course in the region. China is certainly moving towards a blue water navy - regional powers will have to keep up to avoid being presented with a Chinese fait accompli. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-1-20 5:23:21 PM |
| #6 Someone asked for info on Arleigh Burke yesterday. I figured that I would dump the links here as this story was Navy related. Sorry if this annoys anyone. The secret to a search for info on Arleigh Burke the person without getting links to the ship class is to add his nickname 31 Knot to the search. Here are some links: 1. THE BATTLE OF CAPE ST. GEORGE 2. Eulogy 3. Naval Institue Book Store 4. Link to Surface Warfare Magazine article - 100 years of ‘tin cans’ -- Fast ships in harm’s way Please, allow me to return you to your regular programming. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-20 4:34:39 PM |
| #5 Actually ruprecht the oilers are there or at least should still be there. India used to have two older carriers the Viraat and Vikrant, the Vikrant was retired back in 1997 and the Viraat...well its a ship whose keel was laid down back in 1944 lets put it that way. These carriers were both purchased from the UK and to tell ya the truth I haven't heard any negative stuff about their performance. Now as far as Gorshkov is concerned....Well lets put it this way, the Chinese got their carrier of the same Kiev class for 66 million dollars equivalent, compared to India's shelling out about 500 mill for the refurbished carrier PLUS airwing, so I have no idea as to whether its worth it. |
| Posted by: Val 2004-1-20 4:20:48 PM |
| #4 I suppose the Indian navy will now purchase the fleet oilers and logistics and ships required to ensure a carrier can actually leave port? Probably not. India already has a carrier and as far as I can tell its never left the Indian ocean. And a carrier doesn't really give them much of an advantage against their likely enemies (Pakistan and China) which happen to be more or less neighbors. It's a pride project that India would be smart to avoid. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-1-20 4:07:03 PM |
| #3 China will get the ship in the water first, but operational is something else again. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-1-20 4:02:22 PM |
| #2 The Mig-29 is a good fit but the carrier looks like an improved Essex. But perhaps that is a good a place as any to start. Odds on who in the homebuild IndiaChina carrier race? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-1-20 3:13:44 PM |
| #1 Link for carrier info |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2004-1-20 11:56:42 AM |