India's new-old aircraft carrier begins sea trials

The Vikramaditya will be delivered to India later this year to enter into service.

RUSSIA: India’s newest aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, took to the sea for trials from the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia on Friday, The Hindu reported.

The refurbished carrier, which served under the names of the Baku and Admiral Gorshkov under the Soviet Union, and later the Russian federation, is undergoing crucial sea trials before it is delivered to India. Under Russian command, it was listed as a 'aircraft carrying cruiser'.

“The main part of the trials is testing aircraft takeoff and landing,” Sevmash chief Andrei Dyachkov said. “The programme of tests is very tight as deck aviation can operate only from June to September in the harsh conditions of Arctic seas.”

India had called for their own modifications to the cold war era vessel, having its massive missile tubes removed for a ski-jump for aircrafts to be installed and additional parking space for jets.

India is also currently building an aircraft carrier, the Vikrant. The Vikramiditya is due to enter service later in the year.

China, the only other country in the region to have aircraft carriers is currently training on the Varyag in addition to building its own carriers which are due to enter service by 2018.