INS Vikramaditya Trials Successful !!!

The controversial sea trials of the INS Vikramaditya in Russia, initially described as an embarrassing failure, appear to have actually been a huge success, and the propulsion problems developed by the aircraft carrier are not nearly as serious as reported in the media.

After the ship returned to the Sevmash shipyard a week ago the Indian Navy’s overseeing team, who closely monitored the sea trials, came to the conclusion that the ship had overall done extremely well and the program of tests had been largely fulfilled.

The conclusion from the trials is that the INS Vikramaditya has stood the test as a full-fledged highly capable aircraft carrier converted from the former hybrid missile-cum-aviation cruiser Admiral Gorshkov. The ship displayed excellent seaworthiness and manoeuvrability and performed flawlessly during aircraft takeoff and landing. It’s sophisticated radio-electronic, navigation and other systems demonstrated high efficiency and reliability.

The boiler problem did not prevent the INS Vikramaditya from completing the trials. Informed sources told The Hindu that Indian Navy officers were particularly impressed by the flight programme. A MiG-29K and a MiG-29KUB 4++ generation fighters performed 41 impeccable take-offs and landings with full arms payload and additional fuel tanks. The combination of Russia and India-made optical and electronic landing systems enabled the Russian pilots in 70 percent of the landings to hook the second out of three arrestor wires, which is considered a perfect result, the sources said.

Mig 29 K taking off from the deck of INS Vikramaditya ( Image Courtesy - Oleg Perov ) 

The malfunctioning of the boilers that occurred during high-speed tests will not require their replacement or removal from the vessel. The problem has been pinned down to insulation lining that is placed between the boiler steel casing and ceramic firebricks. Traditional asbestos lining was not used at the request of Indian specialists and replacement material developed slight deformation when the boilers were run at full power, causing some firebricks to fall out. 

The 44000-ton vessel also displayed superior manoeuvrability, performing a 360-degree turn at a minimum radius equal to one-and-a-half hull length at a speed of 18 knots.

Russian shipbuilders have promised to complete all repairs by the beginning of next year, but since pre-delivery trials in the White Sea can resume only in late May, when sea ice melts away, the Vikramaditya will be handed over to the Indian Navy next autumn instead of this December, the sources said.

News Courtesy - The Hindu

Delay in INS Vikramaditya - A Setback not a Disaster !!!

Yet another likely delay in dispatching the much-awaited aircraft carrier has caused tempers to flare back in India, but the problems are not as grim as reported.

It is a setback no doubt, but the “technical malfunction” experienced during INS Vikramaditya’s high-speed trials in the Barents Sea is hardly a disaster. Ship is not crippled, as some 'experts' have suggested. But what happened was that seven of the eight steam boilers in the carrier’s power plant overheated.

However, casual observers have missed the point that the overheating was discovered during trials. That’s what trials are for – to identify and remove such glitches. And no, unlike what some ‘experts’ have been suggesting, fixing the problem won’t require cutting open the ship.

INS Vikramaditya at sea trials ( Image Courtesy - defenceforumindia.com )

Vikramaditya’s problems are not insurmountable. The ship’s propulsion system is brand new, the problem is most likely with the integration of the boilers. Information trickling in, suggests that the first reports exaggerated the problem, and that the ship is sailing on its own power. The overheating seems to be happening only at high speeds. Two months ago the carrier experienced its first landing, by a MiG-29K. The sea trials have been under way for several months off the north coast of the Barents Sea, and in all other respects the ship appears to be in working order.

So, it is a wait for few months, not years, as some of the media has been shouting on top of their lungs. A 45,000 ton Aircraft Carrier, would go through a fine tuning just before it is ready for commissioning. You will be surprised to know what French Navy went through with their Aircraft Carrier - Charles de Gaulle. 

News Courtesy - indrus.in