ID :
42117
Thu, 01/22/2009 - 12:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/42117
The shortlink copeid
Russia indefinitely puts off delivery of nuke subs to India
Vinay Shukla
Moscow, Jan 21 (PTI) In what could be a major set back
for India's defence preparedness, Russia has "indefinitely"
postponed the delivery of 'Akula-II' class Nerpa nuclear
submarine, citing that sea trials were still incomplete.
"The pre-delivery trials have been postponed by the
Amur Shipyard as it has no trial crew and is running short of
cash," the Kommersant daily reported Wednesday.
The Amur Shipyard is yet to constitute a new trial
team for these class of nuclear submarines after November 8
accident in which 20 members of the trial team were killed
during the subs sea trials in Sea of Japan, the paper said.
It said the new team will not be ready before March
and would have to undergo up to one year long refresher course
before it could be authorized to resume pre-delivery trails.
Under the larger Gorshkov package with Russia, the
Indian Navy was to get first of the two Shchuka-B project
nuclear submarines on lease last year. But later the Russians
revised the delivery schedule to August 2009.
The submarines are being acquired to train the Indian
crews for the indigenous submarines being developed under
Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project.
"Some members of the trial team, which was on the
submarine during last year's accident have died, some are
medically unfit, while some others have refused to go to the
sea due to psychological reasons," Gennady Bagin, Director of
'Vostok'- a unit of the Amur shipyard, was quoted as saying by
the daily.
The accident-hit nuclear submarine is berthed at the
cash-strapped 'Vostok' plant and some work is still underway
on it despite the cut in the power quota due to non-payment of
power bills.
India and Russia have still to renegotiate the deal
for the refitting of the aircraft carrier Gorskov with Moscow
demanding double the negotiated price of USD 2.5 billion.
The delivery of the warship is already delayed till
2012 and now it appears that Russians may not be able to meet
new deadline for the supply of nuclear submarines too.
Moscow, Jan 21 (PTI) In what could be a major set back
for India's defence preparedness, Russia has "indefinitely"
postponed the delivery of 'Akula-II' class Nerpa nuclear
submarine, citing that sea trials were still incomplete.
"The pre-delivery trials have been postponed by the
Amur Shipyard as it has no trial crew and is running short of
cash," the Kommersant daily reported Wednesday.
The Amur Shipyard is yet to constitute a new trial
team for these class of nuclear submarines after November 8
accident in which 20 members of the trial team were killed
during the subs sea trials in Sea of Japan, the paper said.
It said the new team will not be ready before March
and would have to undergo up to one year long refresher course
before it could be authorized to resume pre-delivery trails.
Under the larger Gorshkov package with Russia, the
Indian Navy was to get first of the two Shchuka-B project
nuclear submarines on lease last year. But later the Russians
revised the delivery schedule to August 2009.
The submarines are being acquired to train the Indian
crews for the indigenous submarines being developed under
Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project.
"Some members of the trial team, which was on the
submarine during last year's accident have died, some are
medically unfit, while some others have refused to go to the
sea due to psychological reasons," Gennady Bagin, Director of
'Vostok'- a unit of the Amur shipyard, was quoted as saying by
the daily.
The accident-hit nuclear submarine is berthed at the
cash-strapped 'Vostok' plant and some work is still underway
on it despite the cut in the power quota due to non-payment of
power bills.
India and Russia have still to renegotiate the deal
for the refitting of the aircraft carrier Gorskov with Moscow
demanding double the negotiated price of USD 2.5 billion.
The delivery of the warship is already delayed till
2012 and now it appears that Russians may not be able to meet
new deadline for the supply of nuclear submarines too.
