Vikramaditya-class (modified Kiev)

The vessel originated as the modified Kiev-class aircraft cruiser Baku, commissioned into the Soviet Navy in 1987. Renamed Admiral Gorshkov in 1991, the ship served with the Russian Navy until its decommissioning in 1996. On 20 January 2004, India purchased the vessel for conversion into an aircraft carrier. The refurbishment took place at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, Russia, where the ship was transformed from a hybrid cruiser-carrier into a dedicated STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) platform.

The design utilizes a 14.3-degree bow ski-jump to facilitate aircraft launches and three 30-meter arrester wires for recoveries. Structural modifications included the installation of 234 new hull sections and the enlargement of the aft aircraft lift. The ship’s propulsion system consists of eight turbo-pressurized boilers driving four geared steam turbines. Internal combat systems are managed by the LESORUB-E computer-aided action information system, which integrates data from the ship’s sensors and tactical data links. For aviation control, the vessel employs the Resistor-E automated air-traffic control system and the LUNA landing system. The air group includes Mikoyan MiG-29K multirole fighters and a variety of helicopters, including the Kamov Ka-31 for early warning and the Ka-28 for anti-submarine warfare.

The Indian Navy commissioned the vessel on 16 November 2013, and it reached its homeport at INS Kadamba, Karwar, in January 2014. It was formally inducted into service on 14 June 2014. The carrier has since operated as the flagship of the Indian Navy, leading carrier battle groups that include destroyers, frigates, and tankers. In 2016, the ship conducted port visits to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Male, Maldives. It has participated in several international naval exercises, including Exercise Malabar in 2017 and 2020, and the Milan 2024 multinational exercise.

In January 2020, the carrier was used for the first successful deck landing and takeoff trials of the naval variant of the HAL Tejas. During 2023 and 2024, the vessel participated in dual carrier operations alongside INS Vikrant in the Arabian Sea. In October 2024, the ship conducted bilateral maritime exercises with the Italian Navy’s Cavour carrier strike group. Maintenance history includes a scheduled refit at Cochin Shipyard in 2016 and a contract for a short refit and dry docking signed in late 2024. Recorded operational incidents include a boiler room fire in April 2019 and a fire during sea trials in July 2022. The vessel is projected to remain in service until approximately 2052, pending a structural audit in 2035.