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Jane's о продаже "Горшка"

Приветствую, джентльмены!


JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - JANUARY 28, 2004


India finalises Gorshkov deal

RAHUL BEDI JDW Correspondent
New Delhi

India has finally signed an agreement with Russia to acquire the 44,570-ton Kiev-class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov following nearly a decade of negotiations.

Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Ivanov, signed the $1.5 billion contract in New Delhi on 20 January. The Indian Navy (IN) will receive the 17-year old Gorshkov - damaged by fire in the early 1990s - for the price of its refit, estimated at some $625 million, along with 16 MiG-29K ground attack/interceptor aircraft. The agreement also includes a package of other unspecified "components". IN sources said these include at least six to eight Ka-28 anti-submarine/Ka-31 multipurpose helicopters and a mix of the Russian Kashtan close-in weapon system and Israel Aircraft Industries/Rafael Armament Development Authority Barak point-defence systems - both of which will be supplied by Moscow.

The refit will take five years, Ivanov said at a post-signatory joint press conference with Fernandes. He added that both countries will now move their "military ties from a buyer-seller relationship to that of jointly developing defence systems".

The carrier deal was delayed by several years following disagreements over the price of its refit and the MiG-29K package. IN sources said the agreements signed have tried to ensure "uninterrupted and trouble-free technical support and spare parts".

Earlier, Indian Chief of Naval Staff Adm Madhavendra Singh said RSK-MiG had agreed to "freeze" the price of the MiG-29Ks for four to five years in case the navy wanted to buy additional aircraft.

Adm Singh said the Gorshkov's induction would significantly enhance the IN's role from one of "sea control" to that of "power projection". By the time the Gorshkov enters service in 2008, the Hermes-class carrier INS Viraat will have been decommissioned, leaving a "gap" in India's maritime security, IN sources said.

IN sources said the Gorshkov refit - to be carried out at the Sevmashpredriyatiye shipyard in Severodvinsk on the White Sea - will provide the vessel with a 12-14º ski-jump to give it the capability for short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR). The carrier will be substantially refurbished with new propulsion, power and air-conditioning systems. The IN plans to keep the Gorshkov in service for around 25-30 years. It will be homeported at Karwar, a new naval base on the Indian southwest coast currently under construction.

Both defence ministers ruled out, for the moment, India's lease-purchase of two Akula (Bars)-class Type 1971 nuclear-powered submarines - previously linked to the purchase of the Gorshkov (JDW 3 December 2003). The lease-purchase of four Tu-22M strategic bomber/maritime strike aircraft had also been linked to the purchase of the aircraft carrier. Ivanov said both sides had held discussions about India acquiring maritime strike aircraft, "but it involved non-strategic naval aircraft in terms of range and action".

Ivanov said: "We are not solely confined to naval co-operation. We are also looking at co-operation between our land and air forces," adding that joint exercises between the two armed forces would soon be "activated".




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