Delay In INS Vikramaditya

(Source: Indian Ministry of Defence; issued Nov. 19, 2007)

The overall progress of repair and re-equipping of the ship, ex-Admiral Gorshkov, in Russia is slow.

The Russian side has submitted a revised Master Schedule indicating a delay in the project. The Russian side has attributed the delays to “Growth of Work”.

In order to supervise the project for repair and re-equipping of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya (earlier called Admiral Gorshkov), an apex level committee under Defence Secretary and a Steering Committee under a Vice Admiral have been set up.

A team has also been stationed at the shipyard where the repair and re-equipping work is going on. From time to time, teams comprising senior officers are also sent to monitor progress of the project. The matters are also taken up between the two countries at appropriate level.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Uday Singh in Lok Sabha today.

-ends-

source: Defense-Aerospace

I was wondering if this project submitted to South Africa could be choosen by Portugal also…

http://www.decisionsupport5.co.za/downloads/presentations/Theme_3_Panel_Bernd_Woelfer_presentation.pdf

10/15/07 18:34

South Africa Considers Buying Landing Ships

PRETORIA — Three firms will likely compete if the government approves the South African National Defense Force’s proposal to buy one or more strategic support ships with an extended helicopter landing platform.
One potential bidder, France’s DCNS (formerly Amaris), recently brought its landing helicopter dock (LHD) FS Tonnerre (Thunder) to Cape Town on its maiden voyage via Canada and Brazil. The Tonnerre’s sister ship, FS Mistral, was used last year to evacuate foreigners during the crisis in Lebanon.
The other firms with “a real chance” to win the contract are Spain’s Navantia and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), which co-built South Africa’s four recently commissioned frigates, said Helmoed-Römer Heitman, a South African military analyst.
Heitman has researched this possible acquisition for members of the South African Parliament’s committee on defense.
The 27,000-ton Spanish contender, currently under construction, is the “most useful but also the most expensive ship,” Heitman said. “Navantia can draw on the experience of having built an LPD [landing platform dock] and a light aircraft carrier under license and can also draw on the experience of their substantial Marine Corps.”
He said the Tonnerre is “useful but a bit short of vehicle space for operations in African conditions. The French base their design on two generations of LPDs and aircraft carriers as well as considerable experience of expeditionary operations in recent times.”
TKMS’ proposal for a smaller vessel based on existing cargo ships is marginal for troops and helicopters and too small regarding vehicles, he said.
Other contenders include the Netherlands’ Royal Schelde and landing ship tanks from Singapore or Russia.
The cost of the proposed project is yet to be determined.
The French LHD project costs some $4 billion, and though nobody has confirmed what the selling price to South Africa will be, it is expected to be about $666 million per ship.
The price will apparently be determined by the number of ships ordered. Heitman said it is envisioned that South Africa will buy one and the Defense Force another one, to be maintained by the Navy.
South Africa, which has the only noteworthy Navy south of the Sahara, is looking forward to bigger roles in international peacekeeping, peace support and disaster relief operations, such as the one that followed the flooding in Mozambique in 2000. Long distances make sealift more practical than airlift.
The African Union wants to have five regional rapid deployment forces ready for use in 2010, and South Africa is the leading nation to compile the 6,000- to 10,000-strong force in the Southern African Development Community.
Defense Force senior officers who participated in discussions aboard Tonnerre said the continent’s unpredictability and lack of infrastructure are the two most important reasons that the military started looking at a strategic support ship.
The Tonnerre can carry 16 helicopters and 100 armored personnel carriers. It has a 100-bed hospital in the event of a mass evacuation or disaster.
While the ship was docked in Cape Town, the Army tested the transport of some of its vehicles to the ship without any problems. The Air Force landed an Oryx medium transport helicopter, which is similar to a Puma, on one deck and the helicopter was pulled into a hangar without even removing the rotor blades.
Heitman said a combined helicopter force consisting of Oryx, Rooivalk attack helicopters and the AgustaWestland A109 light helicopter might be stationed aboard the proposed ship.
The Tonnere’s skipper, Capt. Philippe Hello, praised the adaptability of the ship, which can carry some 400 soldiers, helicopters and amphibious boats to land vehicles and forces.
The ship can be self-sufficient for up to 60 days. Hello said the ship’s 6-meter draft allows it access to the shallow or blocked harbors of many African countries.
“Our biggest advantage is that we have two ships fitting the South African requirement operational, while our contenders have only designs,” Hello said. “The Mistral has already proved her qualities on her first ever mission [in Lebanon]. The ships were specifically designed for far- away deployments and humani- tarian aid.”
Army officers aboard the ship for an extremely stormy trip around Cape Point from Simon’s Town to Cape Town said the plan is to use one of its infantry battalions in Cape Town to become the prime maritime battalion; another one farther away in the Western Cape would function as the secondary one; and the parachute battalion in Bloemfontein would be the third choice depending on the nature of the mission

I’m reviving this topic to ask if any colleague has read/heard anything regarding the “mithic” Portuguese-one-day-to-be (?) LPD ….?