News for the Week

Frukus

The United States, France, United Kingdom, and Russia are conducting join operations and drills in the Baltic Sea. These are annual exercises that build cooperation and security measures between the countries. The following ships are participating in the exercises.

United States-USS Normandy (CG-60)

France- DeGrasse

Russian- Yaroslav Mudriy

United Kingdom- HMS York

Here is a quote from the commanding officer of the USS Normandy,Capt. Kevin Hill

“Another essential part to promoting peace and security throughout a region is that we and our partner nations need to be able to work together and stand tall to deter an enemy threat. With these security exercises, we showed that we are more than capable of coming together to stand up for freedom and democracy in a way that says we stand united. We will continue to ensure that the waters of the world are secure and free of oppression.”

Here is an article about FRUKUS

Yuri Dolgorukiy

The Yuri Dolgorukiy has completed all of its sea trials and will soon be accepted into the fleet. The planned day of turnover will be Navy Day, 29 July. Also mentioned by the shipyard is that the former Admiral Gorshkov will be turned over to the Indian Navy by the 4th of December.  

For the Russian speakers out there here is the article. 

Ties to the Indian Navy

I wrote about this subject just about a month ago, but the ties between the Indian and Russian navies are once again in the news.

Officially on Wednesday the INS Chakra was accepted by the Indian Navy. This contract was signed for 10 years, and is worth one billion dollars to the Russian Navy. But this may not be the only delivery this year to the Indian Navy. 

INS Chakra being commissioned in the Indian navy

The Vikramaditya (previously the Admiral Gorskov of the Soviet and Russian Navy) will be delivered to the Indian Navy by the end of 2012.

The Vikramaditya  in the shipyard at Severodvinsk.

Several more Talwar class frigates will also be delivered before the end of the year.

Talwar (Krivak III) class frigate

All three of these deals have been delayed. In some cases the Indians have endured several years worth of delays, and restructuring of contracts. Like a lot of promises made in the Russian defense industry, only time will tell if these promises are fulfilled. 

 K-152

     The Nerpa is an Akula II class submarine that has now been leased to the Indian Navy for a period of 10 years. This was a deal that was many years in the making, with coutless delays, and it's interesting that this isn't the first time that a nuclear powered vessel has been transferred between navy's ( K-43 a Charlie class SSGN was leased to the Indian Navy as the Chakra from 1988 to 1992).

 

      The submarine was originally laid down in 1993 at Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Because of financial difficulties and the loss of specialist's the submarines construction was delayed. Construction did not begin again until 2004 when it was reported that the Indian Navy expressed interest in acquiring the ship. For the next several years there were many conflicting reports about if the ship was going to serve with the Russian Navy or with the Indian Navy. Still there were many delays, and the submarine didn't start sea trials until 2008.

     
While on sea trials in 2008, a fire suppression system went off and killed 20 people and injuring many more. This was the worst submarine accident in the Russian Navy since the Kursk.

 The ship was returned to the ship yards to undergo further repairs.

 

     Finally in late 2009 the submarine was commissioned into the Russian Navy. An Indian crew was being trained at this time to eventually take over operations on board the submarine. The transfer was completed at the end of 2011, and the submarine was renamed INS Chakra.

 Here are some of the specifications according to RIA Novosti: