In an effort to better understand why the Virkamaditya bridge looks so vintage after this multi-year refit/modernization, I did a little research and searching to find relatively recent pictures of the Russian Aircraft Carrier Kuznetsov and its internal spaces, partiuclarly its bridge, CIC, and air operations and mapping areas.
What I found was that the Kuznetsov remains, in terms of its electronics and its equipment, a very 1980s vintage vessel. This does not mean that the vessel (or the Virkamaditya for that matter) cannot be operated effectively, or that it somehow is not "up to snuff," (as we say here in the states) to other STOBAR (SHort take-off, barrier assisted recovery) aircraft carriers in terms of its ability to launch and recover aircraft, project power, or defend Russian interests.
It does indicate that the Russians have a lot of work to do in their planned multi-year refit of the Kuznetsove where they intend to modernize the 25+ year old vessel.
Here are those pictures:
ON THE KUZNETSOV BRIDGE
IN THE KUZNETSOV CIC & AIR OPERATIONS CENTER
As you can see, the workstations, the displays, instrumentation, and work areas are not integrated like newer vessels, and most of the devices themselves are older analog equipment. At the same time, they are clearly stout, and of industrial quality and built to be operated in and handle a rough environment. Supposedly, the newer digital equipment on other nation's newere vessels is also built to take the same type of punishment and operate in that same environment.
Anyhow, I thought this would be of interest here on SinoDefence given some of the discussions we have had regarding the operating environment and equipment on the bridges of other vessels, like the Vikramaditya, the Liaoning, US nuclear carriers, etc.
One thing is for sure, it gives insight into why the rebuilt/refittted Russian Gorshkov, now the Indian Virkamaditay, looks and operates the way it does after refit by the Russians. It is how they operate. Here again is the Vikramaditya's bridge:
THE INS VIKRAMADITYA BRIDGE
What I found was that the Kuznetsov remains, in terms of its electronics and its equipment, a very 1980s vintage vessel. This does not mean that the vessel (or the Virkamaditya for that matter) cannot be operated effectively, or that it somehow is not "up to snuff," (as we say here in the states) to other STOBAR (SHort take-off, barrier assisted recovery) aircraft carriers in terms of its ability to launch and recover aircraft, project power, or defend Russian interests.
It does indicate that the Russians have a lot of work to do in their planned multi-year refit of the Kuznetsove where they intend to modernize the 25+ year old vessel.
Here are those pictures:
ON THE KUZNETSOV BRIDGE
IN THE KUZNETSOV CIC & AIR OPERATIONS CENTER
As you can see, the workstations, the displays, instrumentation, and work areas are not integrated like newer vessels, and most of the devices themselves are older analog equipment. At the same time, they are clearly stout, and of industrial quality and built to be operated in and handle a rough environment. Supposedly, the newer digital equipment on other nation's newere vessels is also built to take the same type of punishment and operate in that same environment.
Anyhow, I thought this would be of interest here on SinoDefence given some of the discussions we have had regarding the operating environment and equipment on the bridges of other vessels, like the Vikramaditya, the Liaoning, US nuclear carriers, etc.
One thing is for sure, it gives insight into why the rebuilt/refittted Russian Gorshkov, now the Indian Virkamaditay, looks and operates the way it does after refit by the Russians. It is how they operate. Here again is the Vikramaditya's bridge:
THE INS VIKRAMADITYA BRIDGE
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