Future crew of Indian aircraft-carrier to train in Russia

NEW DELHI, April 15 (Itar-Tass) - A total of 154 Indian seamen, who
will make up the bulk of the future crew of the Indian aircraft-carrier
Vikramaditya (former Admiral Gorshkov) will train in Russia, the Hindu
newspaper reported on Friday referring to the Indian Navy spokesman PVS
Satish.
He said the team of Indian seamen will take over the naval ship after
it is upgraded at the Sevmash shipyard in Russia's Severodvinsk. The
Vikramaditya will become the most powerful among the Indian naval ships.
Earlier a pilot training centre was opened in India's Goa. It will
train pilots of 16 MiG-29K fighter jets that will be based on the
Vikramaditya along with antisubmarine helicopters. Some of the future
pilots earlier trained in Russia and the United States.
India and Russia signed an agreement to modernize the
aircraft-carrying cruiser in 2004. However, the final date has been
repeatedly postponed, and now the handing over of the ship to the Indian
Navy is scheduled for December 2012. According to local press,
modernisation of the aircraft-carrier and new state-of-the-art equipment
will cost 2.9 billion dollars. The ship will have the crew of 1,400 people.
In order to strengthen its naval aviation, India plans to buy from
Russia an additional batch of 29 MiG-29K aircraft.