INS Vikramaditya to Take Sea in Four Months

26.01.2012 About 100 days left to May 25 when Project 11430 aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will start sea trials. Up to 3,000 shipwrights and experts daily work on the carrier modernized at JSC Sevmash Shipyard. No wonder that labor power is such significant – only 3.5 months left to sea trials, and there is much work to be done. Igor Leonov who is in charge of the ship's delivery told the yard's newspaper Korabel about achieved results and plans for the winter.

"The most important task for nearest few days is normal starting of four stern boilers. Two boilers have already passed steam test. The rest of boilers will be tested this week. According to work schedule, on Jan 26 Vikramaditya is receiving own steam generated by portside boilers for the first time. The steam is used for operation of the ship's mechanisms. In a few days we're going to start autonomous work of the starboard boilers, and that will mean the beginning of full-fledged mooring trials", said I. Leonov. As for him, bow boilers will be brought into energy mode late January. The ship must be ready to move by boilers early April.

The next objective for January is shipyard trials of steering system, completion of washing and testing of hydraulic system, and assembling of high-pressure air system. Those are the most important general-purpose shipboard systems, and their readiness affects trial periods of many other systems, for one, arresters.

Adjustment works on radioelectronics are to be finished in February and then dual matching will start. Dozens of adjusters representing contracting parties are working on the ship. So far, there are no doubts that coastal tests of radioelectronics will be completed late March or early April. Finally, the tests will be finished at sea.

Bow and stern elevators will be assembled till the end of Jan, and then their mooring trials will start. "In mid-February we're going to test aircraft-related systems such as retaining and arresting devices", Leonov said. "In March we will face a very critical task – taking on board 700 cubic meters of aircraft fuel. By that time, all hot works must be over, and ramified fuel feed system must be assembled. Then will start thorough flushing of fuel pipes and tanks. Requirements for fuel cleanliness are very high; it must not contain foreign particles larger than 3-5 microns. Along with that we will test aviation fuel stations. All those works will take about two months", concluded the interviewee.

According to I. Leonov, the most critical work is finishing of service utility premises. This issue is upon maximal attention, since Russian crew will settle in the ship by Feb 23. A number of living quarters and ablutions in the ship's bows must be prepared by that time.

"New bonus plan for workers and specialists was put in action in December. Its effectiveness surpassed all expectations – the month's schedule was completed in-full, and this trend goes on", pointed out Leonov.