M A I N   N E W S

Gorshkov malfunction: No word from Russia yet
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 24
India is yet to hear from Russia on the exact nature of error reported in the boilers of sea-borne aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. The malfunction was reported in the warship almost two weeks ago.

The Russians have so far failed to convey the exact malfunction in the boilers or the time it will take to correct the flaws, say sources.

Two weeks ago, the 500-member Indian Navy team on board Admiral Gorshkov — still undergoing trials in the Barents Sea — had reported the problem with the warship’s boilers, especially when it hits top speeds nearing 30 knots (around 55 kmph), to the Naval headquarters. The problem lies with the insulation system of the boilers (eight of them powering four engine shafts).

The insulation system comprises a special ceramic called “fire-brick”, which helps maintain optimum temperature in the boilers.

The malfunction was noticed when the warship was being made to run full throttle at sea over a period of 10 days.

One possible reason for the lack of official Russian communication stems from the fact that the warship is still sailing and undergoing trials.

The warship is expected to return to Russian seaport of Severodvinsk in the White Sea, where it was refitted, early next month when it completes a 90-day trial.

Once it is back at the port, a detailed assessment will be made on the functioning of the boilers. Initial reports sent by the Indian crew suggest that three of the eight boilers are not performing at their optimum levels.

The malfunction notwithstanding, the warship continues to sail and undergo other trials like the landing and take-off of MiG-29K fighters from its deck. The sonar, radar and electronic warfare suite are also being tested.

Cloud over deadline

The renovated and refurbished $2.3 billion aircraft carrier is scheduled to be delivered on December 4 this year. Under the contract, a grace period of four months can be accorded.

Andrei Dyachkov, president, United Shipbuilding Corporation, was quoted by Russian news agency ‘Interfax’ as saying that repairs would push back the delivery by five months until May, 2013. The Indian side is skeptical of the media reports, as they cannot be taken as the official word on the condition of the warship, and will wait for the ship to first dock at the port, where engineers will estimate the nature of work.

Routine refit

The repair of the boiler insulation can be completed within the grace period of the contract - around four months or till April 2013 - as it does not require any external work. The change of boiler insulation is a routine refit carried out by the Navy workmen in Indian shipyards. For this task, the shipyard does not need to take out the boilers by cutting through the hull of the 44,550-ton warship.

$2.3-bn deal

India and Russia had signed a $2.3-billion (around Rs 12,650 crore in today’s valuation) contract for refitting an aircraft carrier of the erstwhile Soviet Navy. The first contract was signed in 2004 when no other country was ready to sell such a technology to India.