Navy to carry out refurbishment of INS Viraat

MUMBAI: With indications of delay in the delivery of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, the Indian Navy will carry out a "normal" refurbishment of INS Viraat to extend its life, a top official said on Friday.
   
"There is a slippage of around one to one-and-half years in the delivery of Gorshkov due to various reasons. Virat has life in it and we will be carrying out a year-long refit starting early next year so that the ship is healthy till Gorshkov comes," Flag Officer, Commanding-in-chief Western Naval command J S Bedi told here.
    
On a question regarding the strategic implications of the delay, Bedi said, "We would have been much happier if the Gorshkov comes on time...the refit of a 44,000 tonne massive ship is not easy."
   
Bedi said no new military hardware, except a new air surveillance radar, will be installed on the nearly fifty year-old carrier built by the British.
   
"Many internal parts of the ship tend to get corroded due to the elements on the sea and it is important to take care of the same," he said.
   
Bedi said ten of the total fleet of thirteen Sea Harrier aircraft, capable of short take-off and vertical landing, used on the aircraft carrier are already undergoing regular refit.
   
The British have stopped production of the plane and once the job is done, we would be able to use them till the decommissioning of Viraat, Bedi said.
   
Russians have reportedly demanded an increased amount of money than the contractual one citing cost escalation for delivery of Gorshkov which was to be delivered by early 2010.