INDIAN NAVY REDUCES IT'S FORCE LEVEL TO REDUCE COST OVER RUNS

The Navy’s force levels will reduce by next year as the domestic warship building program is facing delays and cost overruns, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) released on Tuesday.
In its latest report on the indigenous warship building program, CAG underlined that the strength of warships in the navy has been stagnating, signalling that by next year, the navy will face ‘large short falls against the planned levels’. By 2012, Indian Navy may retain only 61, 44 and 20 per cent of the envisaged force levels of frigates, destroyers and Corvettes.
Rapping the Navy for poor planning, the CAG said that the reasons for delay are hiccups in the finalization of structural drawings, untimely availability of steel and inadequate infrastructure.

INS VIKRAMADITHYA BEGINS IT'S MOORING TEST

 

The Russian built Indian Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya has begun mooring trials on March 1 in Russia. The order to start testing was signed by Sevmash Director General Nikolai Sevmash Kalistratov. Sevmash, the agency which is involved in transformation of the carrier says that this is a serious step in the modernization of the ship, particularly marked in the master schedule building.

Outfitting work entered its final stage. The ship has been gradually populated with the equipment, machinery, pipes, cables, and now all this must be checked in different modes. Tests will be conducted on special programs and techniques.
As per sevmash, the most difficult and important test will be the main power plant. The second major task will be to check electronic armament complexes, including complexes of Indian origin and aviation facilities ships. Mooring tests will be important for testing training systems and equipment. The factory sea trials has been planned to begin in late 2011.