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INS Vikramaditya will take to the sea for crucial pre-inductiontrials on June 8, Russian shipbuilding sources said. Last month, the trials were put off by two weeks due to bad weatheralerts. However, the delay will not affect the scheduled delivery of theaircraft carrier to the Indian Navy in December, according to theSevmash shipyard, where the Soviet-era Admiral Gorshkov carrier hasundergone modernisation and repairs. "We are confident that we will hand over the vessel to Indiaon December 4, Navy Day," said Sevmash Director-GeneralAndrei Dyachkov. The towering 45,300-tonne, 284 metre-long Vikramaditya stood mooredat Sevmash when this writer, first foreign correspondent allowed onboard, visited the vessel last week. The ship, rich with the smellof freshly painted walls and equipment, was bustling with pre-trialactivity as workers took advantage of the postponement to putfinishing touches to the 2,700 compartments of the 60-metre tallcarrier. The Sevmash chief was visibly proud of the work his shipyard did inconverting the Gorshkov heavy carrier/cruiser into a full-fledgedaircraft carrier. ‘As good as modern vessel' "Vikramaditya is as good as any new modern-day aircraftcarrier," Mr Dyachkov told The Hindu in his first interview to a foreign newspaper. "Given propermaintenance, it will stay in service for up to 40 years." Mr. Dyachkov is aware of bad blood in India over the huge costescalation but says the price review was inevitable. "When we opened up the equipment we realised that the scopeof work would be far bigger than [what] the original contractenvisaged. Most equipment had to be replaced and the ship wascompletely rewired with 2,400 kilometres of new cables," hesaid. "Never before has an aircraft carrier undergone suchmassive modernisation." The Sevmash chief would not discuss the refurbishment cost, but themedia usually give $615 million as the initial contract price and$2.2 billion as the final price. However, Russian sources havepointed out that 25 per cent of that sum was the cost of trainingIndian personnel and building onshore infrastructure in India, andanother 10 per cent was for additional systems New Delhi wantedinstalled when the contract was being renegotiated. Mr. Dyachkov said Sevmash could have cut the cost by using cheapermaterials and equipment but it rejected the option. "Our top priority was to ensure irreproachable quality,reliability and long service life for the vessel. In fact, theshipyard did not make much profit on this contract, as most of thecontract cost went to the suppliers of equipment andsystems." More than 400 subcontractors were involved in the project,including 10 Indian companies which supplied communication systems,protective coating, a telephone exchange, life rafts, pumps,hygiene and galley equipment, and many more. Extensive remodelling Designed to operate only vertical takeoff aircraft, the ship hasbeen extensively remodelled. It has had its flight deck extendedand turned into a full runway with a ski jump and arrestor wires.The vessel has new engines, new boilers, new generators, electricalmachinery, communication systems and distillation plants. With INS Vikramaditya overhaul practically over, Sevmash is nowfocussed on carrying forward cooperation with India in the sphereof aircraft carriers. "We are in talks with several Indian companies for setting upa joint venture to provide the full range of post-guaranteemaintenance and repair services to INS Vikramaditya, including thesupply of spares," said Mr. Dyachkov. Sevmash, which has built more than 200 submarines and surface shipsover its 70-odd years' history, is also keen on taking part in theconstruction of India's indigenous aircraft carriers. "We have amassed invaluable experience in decades-longcollaboration with Indian shipbuilders, which has been furtherenriched during the retrofitting of Gorshkov and modernisation ofKilo-class INS submarines," said Mr. Dyachkov. I am an expert from hairsalonequipments.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Round Hair Brush , China Hair Stylist Combs, Hair Stylist Combs,and more.
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