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INS Vikramaditya, India's pride

Career
Builder:	Chernomorskiy yard, Nikolayev
Laid down:	December 1978 (as Admiral Gorshkov)
Launched:	April 17, 1982 (as Admiral Gorshkov)
Commissioned:	August 2008
Status:	Refurbishing, prior to delivery
General Characteristics
Displacement:	45,000 tons full load
Length:	273.1 m overall
Beam:	31.0 m
Draught:	8.2 m
Propulsion:	4 shaft geared steam turbines, 140,000 hp
Speed:	32 knots
Endurance:	13500 miles at 18 kt
Complement:
Armament:	8 CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS
Aircraft carried:	16 MiG-29K HAL Tejas Sea Harrier 6 Ka-31 'Helix'

The aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, the former Admiral Gorshkov, is estimated to enter service in the Indian Navy in 2008.

The Vikramaditya is a modified Type 1143 Kiev class aircraft carrier built in 1978-1982.

Purchase

Russia and India came to an agreement over the sale of the ship, the then-Admiral Gorshkov, which they had been haggling over for many years, in 2004, following which the ship is being extensively refitted. It is projected to replace INS Viraat. US$800 million is budgetted for refit and upgrade by the Indian government. Upgrade plans involve stripping all the weaponry from the ship's foredeck, converting her from a hybrid carrier/cruiser to a pure carrier, allowing her to operate the MiG-29 Fulcrum and Sea Harrier aircraft. The deal also includes the purchase of 30 MIG 29K Fulcrum D (Product 9.41) aircraft, six Kamov Ka-31 Helix attack helicopters and reconnaissance anti-submarine helicopters, torpedo tubes, missile systems, and artillery units, costing an additional US$700 million. The ship will be operated in a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Assisted Recovery) configuration, with a 14 degree ski-jump on the bow and three arrestor wires on the stern.

All reconfiguration work is being completed at Severomorsk.

Naming

"Vikramāditya" is Sanskrit for "Almighty"^[1] and was the title of some of the most famous kings of in the Indian history, such as the Vikramaditya of Ujjain, famed as a noble ruler and a mighty warrior. It is also a title that was used by the Indian king Chandragupta II who ruled between 375-413/15 AD.