China acquires Russian carrier Varyag

Vishnu Som

Sunday, November 6, 2005 (New Delhi):

China has acquired the Varyag, a Soviet-era aircraft carrier which is several times larger than India’s INS Viraat or the second-hand carrier Gorshkov, that is being refurbished in Russia.

A Chinese front company called Chong Lot Travel Agency managed to buy the ship as scrap for US$ 20 million and towed it half way around the world, before placing it under high security in the Chinese naval base in Dalian.

Offer turned down?

During the 1990s, the Varyag – Russian for Viking – was being constructed in Nokolayev in the Black Sea. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, the ship went to Ukraine which had no need for it.

Ukraine offered the ship to Russia which could not afford it and then offered the ship to India for US$ 1.6 billion on the condition that remaining construction and fitting out of the warship was done at its Nikolayev facilities.

The Indian Navy conducted a feasibility study of the ship which did meet several of its technical requirements. However, the Navy rejected the ship on the grounds that it was in a condition of disrepair.

“At a time when we were certain that the Vikrant could not be kept in service for any period of time, India looked at the possibility of getting a replacement and we looked at the former Soviet Union and their carriers because they were available and in addition to the Gorshkov which we have now contracted, the Varyag was considered.

“But my own recall is that after the initial assessment it was not a serious issue for us at that time because we didn’t have the funding support at that time,” said Commodore Uday Bhasker, defence analyst.

Now it’s being painted in Chinese colours. But according to sources, in 1994-1995, the ship was offered to the Indian Navy which refused and eventually opted for the Gorshkov in a deal worth upwards of US$ 1 billion.

But China clearly didn’t feel the same way and kept negotiating with the Ukrainians for years, who eventually agreed to sell the Varyag to the Chong Lot Travel Agency which said that it wanted to convert the vessel into a floating casino in Macau.

But according to sources, Chong Lot does not have any offices in Macau and in fact the company is a subsidiary of a firm based out of Hong Kong called Chinluck – the directors of which have had links with the Chinese Navy.

Advantage China

If the Chinese are able to successfully complete the refitting of the Varyag which does not have an engine or rudders, the ship will be very similar to the Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov is the flagship of the Russian Navy – designed as a counter to the giant American aircraft carriers which have dominated the world’s oceans.

It will also be substantially more capable than the Gorshkov which India has bought from Russia.

The Varyag is 67,500 tonnes, substantially larger than the Gorshkov which, after refit will be substantially smaller at 44,570 tonnes.

The Varyag has a complement of 52 aircraft. The Gorshkov is not likely to carry more than 30-32.

The Varyag is likely to operate a variant of the Sukhoi-27 fighter which has a greater operating range and weapon carrying load than the MiG-29K jets the Gorshkov will have.

The Chinese acquisition of the Varyag is part of what is one of the largest and fastest growing fleet expansion plans since World War II and the acquisition of an aircraft carrier is being seen as a logical step forward in its naval evolution.

But naval analysts point out that buying an aircraft carrier is all very well but learning to operate it effectively may take several years.

Indeed it was Varyag offered to India back then. Pretty late to report the sale now though. Quite some rubbish and “ifs” in this article on aircraft and lay-out of Varyag. We still don’t know wheter she’s becoming a museum or a warship. Although most things do indicate a warship at the moment.