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The cost is high, but navy wants Russian ship nevertheless

Indian Navy officials, involved in negotiations to acquire the decommissioned Russian aircraft carrier, the Admiral Gorshkov, feel the cost of refitting it is "too high and much higher than the estimates."

The aircraft carrier is expected to cost India almost $ 800 million.

However, they admit it is the best option available, and the navy would ultimately have to acquire the Gorshkov "if our plans are to progress in the right direction."

India and Russia will sign an agreement detailing India's interest in acquiring the 44,500-tonne vessel, subject to a final agreement on the cost of refit and upgradation, during President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi on Tuesday.

The aircraft carrier, which was withdrawn from the Russian Northern Fleet in 1995, is currently docked at the Rosta shipyard.

In theory, Russia is offering the aircraft carrier as a gift to India. But with it comes a rider: the ship's refit and upgradation should be carried out in Russia.

Besides, Russia insists that India acquire at least 20 naval fighter aircraft. This will cost another $ 2 billion. The Gorshkov can carry 24 airplanes.

The Russian Nevskoye Project Design Bureau said recently it would cost between $ 700 million to $ 800 million to modify and modernise the Gorshkov.

According to studies by Russian agencies, modification work on the ship will take at least three years.

"The only contention is the cost involved," says a senior officer at Naval headquarters. India and Russia have been involved in negotiations for the Gorshkov for over two years now.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding during then Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov's visit to New Delhi in December 1998, to buy the ship.

Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff Vice-Admiral P J Jacob, former DCNS Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh, and Vice-Admiral Arun Prakash, who heads the team for negotiations with the Russians, have inspected the ship.

The aircraft carrier suffered a severe fire in its engine room in 1994, but officers say most of the repairs have been carried out. Said a naval source: "That is not an issue of concern."

The navy has put the acquisition of the Gorshkov on top priority as its ambitions of being a Blue Water navy is currently crippled with the decommissioning of its first aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. Its other aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat, is presently undergoing upgrades, thus leaving the navy with no aircraft carrier in its fleet.

The indigenous programme to build an Air Defence Ship, a smaller aircraft carrier, has commenced at the Cochin shipyard, but the ship will not be ready before 2010.

"Price should not delay the project," says a naval source. "The cash starved Russians know the Gorshkov is our best option and we desperately want it."

The hundreds of millions of dollars the Russians estimate for upgradation does not include the cost of MiG-29K fighters, helicopters and airborne early warning systems that are proposed to be stationed on the ship.

The navy has decided on stationing MiG-29K fighters, the naval version of the MiG-29s that the Indian Air Force has, on the carrier. Earlier, the carrier had on board, Yak-41 and Yak-38 fighters and anti-submarine helicopters.

The navy plans to place 24 MiG-29K planes and six Ka (Kamov)-2, Ka-28 or Ka-31 helicopters. The last one is an airborne early warning helicopter. An order for a couple of Kamovs have already been placed.

The MiG-29K fighters, the main armament of the carrier, will be armed with R-77 air-to-air missiles, Ch-31A/P anti-ship and anti-radar missiles, Ch-29T TV guided missiles and KAB-500Kr bombs. The fighter's range is proposed to be increased by mounting air-tanking installation.

Russia is also offering its newer Ch-35 anti-ship missiles. Its Design Bureau has also proposed that the carrier be equipped with 12 P-500 Bazalt anti-ship missile launchers. The bureau proposes to remove the SS-N-12 Sandbox (Basalt P 500) anti-ship missiles from the forward deck to create a 14.3 degree ski jump.

Acquisition of the Gorshkov is important for the navy which eventually plans to have three aircraft carriers in its fleet. This dream will not be realised until 2010 when the Air Defence Ship is completed.

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