(2nd Update)

An Indian delegation of Defense Ministry officials traveled thousands of miles from New Delhi to visit the Kyiv-class aircraft carrier at the Ukrainian shipyard, at which time the Gorshkov had been decommissioned from the Navy and mothballed, and was parked at the Ukrainian Black Sea shipyard for the refit program.

The Gorshkov has only been in service for less than five years, so it looks far newer than the second-hand aircraft carriers that Indian officials are known for, and after a simple refurbishment and maintenance at the Black Sea shipyard, the Gorshkov looks like a beautiful commodity for sale, waiting to be visited by Indian officials.

Standing on the deck of the Gorshkov, the Indian delegation seemed to be able to feel the powerful impact of this Soviet-created steel monster, and the completely different design concept from the Virat made the aircraft carrier look more like a steel behemoth, simple and practical, and the anti-ship weapons and batteries carried on it gave people the illusion that this aircraft carrier was not a platform used to park fighters and form combat effectiveness for the aircraft carrier group, but a pure maritime offensive weapon.

Just like the Soviet Marshal Gorshkov, named after this aircraft carrier, the Kiev-class aircraft carrier brought into full play the Soviet Navy's saturation offensive combat ideas.

"The Gorshkov has a crew of 2,200 people and a displacement of 33,440 tons, and when fully loaded, it is 44,490 tons. The draft is about 10 meters, and the aircraft carrier has a total length of 273.1 meters and a total width of 51.9 meters. The power plant is 8 boilers, 4 steam turbines. The power is 4 sets of gears to drive the turbine, 4 axles. With a power of 200,000 shaft horsepower, it can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots. ”

The Soviet side meticulously introduced the detailed data of the Gorshkov to the Indian delegation, so that the Indian delegation could better experience the true side of the Gorshkov. The carrier-based aircraft on it were all docked in place.

"The Gorshkov was originally designed to carry 14 Yak-141 fighters. 6 Yak-38M fighters. 12 Ka-27 helicopters and 4 Ka-31 helicopters. It is equipped with 12 twin SS-N-12 anti-ship missile launchers, 192 SA-15 anti-aircraft missile launchers with 24 8 SA-15 air defense missiles, 8 single-mounted 100 mm/70x diameter guns with two units, 10 AK-63030mm short-range guns, torpedo tubes, and two RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers. ”

"But we don't need so many anti-ship weapons, we need carriers that can carry more aircraft." The Indian delegation was not very satisfied with the design of the Gorshkov and pointed fingers at the carrier-based aircraft.

"Of course. At the same time, in a short period of time, missiles beyond the anti-strike capability of the aircraft carrier can be launched at the same target from different directions in the air, on the surface, and under the water, at different levels, so that the anti-missile resistance capability of the enemy's aircraft carrier formation at sea will be in a state of saturation that cannot be dealt with in a short period of time, so as to achieve the goal of increasing the probability of anti-ship missile penetration and destroying the target. The main mode of operation of the Gorshkov was to attack, not to become a docking platform for the fleet. ”

The Soviet accompanying officer replied unhurriedly, "That's why the Gorshkov proposed a modification plan, after all, he is the second-generation Kiev-class aircraft carrier of our Soviet Union." In terms of thinking, it is still stuck in the era of Brezhnev, and the aircraft carrier is mainly anti-ship and anti-air. Otherwise, we wouldn't have come up with a plan for a transformation. Isn't it? ”

The words of the Soviet official fell into the hands of the Indian delegation, and he nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, the things of the old era can also continue to serve the new era through transformation, although he is only a distorted product of your saturation attack, but it is also a good medium-sized aircraft carrier, and if it is transformed, the potential will not lag behind the aircraft carriers of other countries." ”

After disembarking from the aircraft carrier Gorshkov, the Soviet officials in charge of the negotiations offered Indian officials a modification of the aircraft carrier at the design bureau. He handed the amendments into the hands of each of the delegates and began to fool the laymen.

"The modification work of the Gorshkov mainly includes the following aspects: the transformation of vertical and short-distance take-off and landing into a glide jump take-off and blocking landing mode. The installation of new combat systems is as follows: the removal of naval guns, anti-ship weapons and anti-aircraft missile launchers on the bow deck and their replacement with a full runway and a 14.3° upturned skid deck, lengthening and widening the bow flight deck, enlarging and reinforcing the aft aircraft lifts. ”

"Installation of blocking devices, installation of three blocking cables, installation of anti-aircraft search radar, navigation equipment and aircraft landing aid. Installation of fire control and electronic warfare systems, installation of new air conditioning and power systems, upgrading of air defense, installation of Kashtan systems and Barak ship-to-air missile vertical launch systems. ”

"The combat performance of the aircraft carrier will be greatly improved after the modification, and the previous Kyiv class paid special attention to the power of missile attacks, so that a large number of anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft missiles were equipped on the aircraft carrier, which squeezed the valuable flight deck space of the aircraft carrier and limited the number of carrier-based aircraft. For aircraft carriers, carrying carrier-based aircraft, using carrier-based aircraft companies to dominate the air and sea is the main task, and the rest can be handed over to the formation ships, and adding too much load to the aircraft carrier will lead to a decline in performance. ”

"And you see, the modified Gorshkov can actually carry 24 MiG-29K fixed-wing aircraft and a number of helicopters, which is just enough to meet your domestic fighter needs. The MiG-29K can reach a combat radius of 1050 kilometers when carrying a drop fuel tank, two K73 and 2 K27 missiles, while the Rafale fighter of the French Charles de Gaulle has a combat radius of only 1093 kilometers. ”

Soviet officials deliberately compared the Charles de Gaulle with the Gorshkov, but he also deliberately overlooked one thing, the Gorshkov had a carrying capacity of only 24 aircraft, but the Charles de Gaulle could carry up to 40 Rafale, although the combat capability was comparable, but the number was far less than that of the Charles de Gaulle. Moreover, Charles de Gaulle is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which is far superior to the Gorshkov in terms of endurance, and the Gorshkov can only carry early warning helicopters, while the Charles de Gaulle has a ceiling, detection capacity and load capacity are far superior to the fixed-wing early warning aircraft of early warning helicopters.

It can be said that although the modified Gorshkov is much better than the light aircraft carrier, there is still a long gap compared to the Charles de Gaulle.

But when they heard that the Gorshkov was comparable to the Charles de Gaulle, the Indian delegation immediately exchanged words in private, and in their opinion, it felt like buying a nuclear-powered heavy aircraft carrier at a price that might not even be a light aircraft carrier.

"Can this aircraft carrier renovation plan still satisfy everyone?" Seeing the irrepressible excitement on the faces of the Indian delegation, the observant Soviet officials hurriedly struck with a hot iron to facilitate the deal.

"Of course I am satisfied." The Indian delegation nodded, "We will fully relay this plan to the Indian Ministry of Defense when we go back, so that they can also understand the superior performance of this aircraft carrier, and presumably the Ministry of Defense will generously allocate funds to our navy." ”

So far, the Soviet side has not opened up the price of the aircraft carrier, they want to first create an aircraft carrier for the Indians that you have picked up cheaply, and you will regret it if you don't buy it, and then ask the Indians for a high cost of modification, and they will blackmail them several times. After all, the additional money for such a drastic modification of one aircraft carrier is enough to buy three destroyers.

Seeing that the time was ripe, the Soviet official pushed a few cards in front of the Indian delegation with great interest, and sent a favor along the way, "This is some of the gifts that our Soviet military has prepared for the Indian delegation, and I hope you can laugh at it." ”

"What is this?" A member of the Indian delegation asked, picking up the card.

"Bearer bank accounts, the money in which they can also be used to contribute to India's national defense, probably buying civilian private jets is no problem." Soviet officials were familiar with Indian ways, and in a country where justice and government were equally corrupt, there was nothing that could not be made in dollars. And this gift is just a catalyst to insure the final word about this huge deal. Presumably, when they return, the Indian Navy will raise a unified slogan to buy the Gorshkov.

Both sides smiled, and the Indian delegation generously accepted the card handed by the Soviet official, stood up and shook hands with the Soviet official, and said with a smile, "I hope that we in India and the Soviet Union can cooperate happily." ”

"Again, we work well together."

The Soviet side also said with a smile. (To be continued.) )