Found this 1/700 scaled model of INS Vikramaditya.

http://militaryzoneupdate.blogspot.in/2013/06/indian-navy-ins-vikramaditya-aircraft.html

The only minus is the aircraft’s are not to scale as can be seen from the Ka-27 on the lift and from below helo config.

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I think the 46 aircraft number is highly ambitious, and while the carrier might be able to hold that many planes on deck and in the hangar simultaneously in theory, the number will probably be reduced signficantly if any practical operations are to be conducted.

That is to say, the 46 number is probably similar to the often touted 100 plane airwing for USN supercarriers even though a typical manageable airwing is more like 60-80 birds.

Its optimistic for sure.
But I hope you will not have much problem agreeing with the below figure of 24 x MiG-29K/KUB for the carrier. I think 24 aircraft is a figure we are likely going to see by the year end. 20 fighters are available right now as we speak and 8-10 more will be availebe by year end.

24 x MiG-29K/KUB
16 (on deck) – or even 12/12 (deck/hanger)
8 (hanger)
24 (flight deck recovery capacity without using hanger space)

6 x Ka-27/31
5 x Ka-27/31 (the stern helipad is vacant when no 29K is anchored at stern)
1 (in hanger)

Total – 30 aircrafts

Now the wartime capacity is mostly 50% surge from the regular (which I consider as the above) capacity. So add 12 more 29K airframes to the numbers. Helos can be deployed off other ships, so no need to increase the numbers from the 6 units.

What do you mean the Charles de Gaulle will be “handing over” their number 2 slot???

well you would have sensed the numbers I mentioned including those for Liaoning and Kuznetsov. CDG currently occupies the no 2 slot when it comes to number of fighters after Amrikhan carriers.

Yeah, that simply will not be happening. The power and capability of CDG is much higher that of INS Vikramaditya. A nuke powered, Rafale equipped carrier with E-2Cs is still very much in a different league. Thats not even taking into account the nuclear equipped missiles it most likely carries in emergencies.

Other than unlimited range from N-plant for the carrier and the potent air-defence missiles, the N-powered CDG does not have much in terms of aircrafts so to speak now. CDG top speed is limited to 25 knots and for a N-powered aircraft carrier its too slow compard to other N-powered carriers that rate for over 30knots. It also need to slow down some knots when the steam catapults are in use. Also, its the 10 x Rafale-M that are the best CDG have but in limited numbers and then probably 2-4 x E-2.

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With 20-24 x MiG-29K/KUB and 6 x Ka-31/27, INS Vikramaditya would be taking the 2nd slot in a years time. The other operational carrier which can out number Vikie to the number 2 slot is Kuznetsov when fully integrated with the 24 x MiG-29K/KUB and the residual Su-33. But that will take untill 2015 end, by which time Brits will have their new shiny QE in water but without the aircrafts in numbers.

Rafale should have enough thrust to use the ramp from the longest start point but this needs to be proved a good place to start would be RNSA Yeovilton or RAF Whittering which both have land based ramps from the Harrier days

Frenches can test Rafale for STOBAR ops in India at Shore Based Test Facility at Goa and see if it is worth for STOBAR ops with the current engines. It might also help in future development. MiG-29K/KUB are using the facility to train for STOBAR ops.

You can hardly call that replenishment at sea: she is not moving and within clear sight of land. Clearly, during her maiden trip to India, she will be taking spares and such along. That is stuff she would not normally carry. Unless perhaps e.g. on a humanitarian mission, or when used in helicopter assault role. Which would be exception rather than rule, imho.

yup. I mean replenishing the stocks for the crew as can be seen in the video. The video was mainly to give an idea on the usage of the starboard area.

INS Vikramaditya along with INS Viraat and couple of Sea Harriers checking out the Vikie. But the Black Panthers wont allow them to land…. its their ship and they would loved to be the first ones to touch down. 😀

I have sort of updated/revised the airgroup and the capacity of INS Vikramaditya. Below are my new figures…

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^ the sketch and the model gives us an airgroup of 12 & 14 aircraft arranged in different config. From all the pics and videos available of the sea trials we can almost confirm these positions.

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^ Article related to MiG-29K/KUB in Take-Off magazine had the above pic showing the MiG-29K armed with R-73E AAMs and underbelly drop tank. But its the pic of a MiG-29K (21 August 2013) that had just landed with its ‘unused’ weapons and was being rotated to the service area on the port side which tells us that it does have anchoring points for atleast one aircraft even though the pic does not show it.

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^ this pic (finally) shows/confirmed the first sketch showing three 29Ks parked at stern. The pic only shows two aircraft, but I’m putting faith in three aircraft as illustrated in the sketch. This gives us the below airgroup.

Normal air group capacity – 16 + 3 = 19

MiG-29K/KUB
3 (bow)
1 (aside island)
8 (aft of island)
3 (stern)
1 (portside)

Ka-27/31 – 3

Flight deck recovery capacity – upto 24 + 4 = 28

MiG-29K/KUB
12 (bow)
8 (aft of island)
1 (aside island)
1 (portside)
1 (stern – the last trapped K/KUB)
1 (elevator #1 aside island)

Ka-27/31 – 4

Read the below figures as wartime capacity or wartime surge from the normal capacity when the carrier is deployed to its designated operational area. This surge can be in support of strike ops where more airframes might be useful. Such a situation may not necessarily involve storing the aircraft safe inside the hanger (as in long transit) and are likely to be parked on the deck itself. The main obstruction will be the deck management and fine tuning the aircraft rotation. But its not impossible and we are likely to see a positive result by next Navy day when the Navy will have nearly 28 x 29K/KUB to test the deck.

Total fixed wing aircrafts carried/accomodated
upto 24 (on deck after recovery) + upto 12 (inside hanger or already took to air) = upto 36 x MiG-29K/KUB

Total rotary winged aircraft carried/accomodated
4 (recovered) + 6 (inside hanger or in air)

Cumulative capacity of aircraft that can be serviced/operated by the carrier.
upto 36 x MiG-29K/KUB + 10 x Ka-27/Ka-31 = 46 aircrafts

24 x MiG-29K/KUB will be a definite capacity that we are going to see in the near future in the form of two squadrons – INAS 303 Black Panthers and INAS 300 White Tigers (or other name if they raise a new one). INS Vikrant will be having similar capacity and IN will be operating 4 squadron worth of aircraft from its carrier deck by 2018-2019.

INS Vikramaditya replenishment (small scale) at sea. It will give an idea of what the starboard area will mainly be used for.

Indian Navy have really given a New Year treat with those photos. Simply awesome! 😎

Shiv Aroor havn’t forgotten to post the IN promo material either.
http://www.livefistdefence.com/2014/01/photo-ins-vikramaditya-enters-arabian.html

This is the largest reception that any ship in Indian Navy have got till date, which was borne out of necessity in addition to the primary factor of what INS Vikramaditya means to Indian Navy and that in a year or two will be taking over as the flag ship. I believe two other factors that made Indian Navy to send a task force to recieve INS Vikramaditya are
1) lack of own (Vikie) fighter units and air-defence systems 2) incidents of P-3 buzzing the carrier and chances of unwanted aircrafts straying too close to Vikie was more than likely.

It was also a good relief of an incident free transit through the transit. Two pics of Vikie transiting Suez from Russi forum. Its not as good as the wonderful pics of French groups recent transit photos… Probably more may come out in due time. But for now only two.