Red Soviet Union

Carrier! Hearing what Andre said, the visiting Indians were immediately overjoyed.

Although India's national strength is weak now, in the hearts of Indians, they have always believed that they are the most powerful! They have big ambitions! At the same time, since India is surrounded by seas on both sides, India has always attached great importance to the construction of its navy!

At the same time, the Indian Navy was also one of the first countries to acquire an aircraft carrier. As early as the late 1950s, when India had just become independent and its economy was still very backward, India purchased the British Royal Navy's Dignity class light aircraft carrier. The fifth ship Hercules, and renamed it Vikrant, which is a transliteration, meaning thoroughly defeating those who dare to fight with me, becoming the first country in Asia with an aircraft carrier after the war .

This aircraft carrier is a new aircraft carrier. Construction started in 1944. It was prepared for World War II. However, after World War II ended, the status of the British empire on which the sun never sets plummeted. The economic downturn made them continue to reduce their navy. , The aircraft carrier also interrupted the project. This class lasted until 1957. After India bought it, it restarted and modernized. It was completed in 1961 and equipped with the Indian Navy.

It's just that this aircraft carrier looks too small now! Its standard displacement is 15,700 tons, full load displacement is 19,500 tons, the ship is 213.3 meters long, 24.4 meters wide, the flight deck is 210 meters long, 39 meters wide, and the draft is 7.3 meters. It uses 2 steam turbines with a total power of 40,000 horsepower, two shafts, and a maximum speed of 23 knots. Even a frigate can't keep up with this speed!

At the same time, this aircraft carrier can only carry the British Seahawk fighter-bomber and the French Tradewind anti-submarine aircraft, which are barely enough for the second-generation aircraft at most. Compared with the current advanced fighters, their combat effectiveness is too poor!

Therefore, up to now, the Indian Navy has been quite cold about its own aircraft carrier. Although this is an old ship with outstanding military exploits, in the third India-Pakistan war that broke out in 1971, the Vikrant aircraft carrier sank and damaged many Pakistani warships in succession, completely cutting off East Pakistan and West Pakistan. between transportation and maritime military power projection. Unfortunately, that was more than ten years ago!

The Indian Navy needs a new aircraft carrier! This has been demonstrated many times in the Indian military.

However, India itself does not have the ability to manufacture aircraft carriers, so India's only option is to outsource! However, how to outsource is one of their biggest headaches!

They set their sights on England, which was preparing to sell their old ship, the Hermes.

This warship also belongs to the old warship of the World War II era, and it is the British Centaur class. The construction started in June 1944, and it was launched in February 1953. It was stopped and reworked many times, and it was not until November 59 that it joined the active service of the Navy. The standard displacement of this warship is 23,900 tons, and the full-load displacement is 28,700 tons; the power plant is 2 gas turbines, and the maximum speed is 28 knots.

Historically, until April 1986, the Indian Navy purchased the ship from the United Kingdom at a relatively low price of 25 million pounds. After refitting and overhauling, it was renamed Virat; 12 Sea Harrier V/STOL fighters.

The Indian Navy has two aircraft carriers at the same time, and in Asia, it can be regarded as showing off its might at any time.

But now, the situation has changed a lot. The Hercules has experienced the Falklands War. During the war, it was attacked several times. The last time, it almost fell under the attack of the sun along with the US aircraft carrier. middle! Although it didn't sink in the end, it just managed to drive back to the UK!

The condition of this warship is already quite bad! Although the British offered a lower price, only 20 million pounds, the Indian Navy has been evaluating and feels that it may fall into the sea without much manipulation when it bought this junk!

But now, the Soviet Union is asking whether the Indians are interested in the Kiev,

Of course they are interested!

The Kiev is still the flagship of the Pacific Fleet. This warship has been in service for less than eight years, and it is the most robust period! At the same time, this warship has made great achievements in battle, and has beaten the U.S. Navy to the ground many times!

With a displacement of 40,000 tons, it can carry more than 20 advanced fighter jets. The combat effectiveness of this aircraft carrier is far stronger than that of the Hermes, and even stronger than that of the Vikrant. If India obtains this warship, then The combat effectiveness of the Indian Navy can reach a new level!

However, the Soviets would never give it to them for free. What price would the Soviets offer for this warship? If there is too much, I can't bear it!

Rajiv glanced at General Kumaramangalam. Rajiv also knew the needs of the navy. However, Rajiv did not know the details after all, so now he had to listen to the views of the general he brought.

General Kumaramangaram understood, and said to Andre: My old friend, Marshal Andre, our navy intends to buy a new aircraft carrier, but if the price is too expensive, we can't afford it, you I also know that the GDP of our country is less than a fraction of that of the Soviet Union.

If you want it, you just have no money. General Kumaramangalam has expressed his own meaning quite clearly!

Andrei turned his head and asked Gorshkov beside him: Comrade Gorshkov, how much did we spend on building the Kiev?

Gorshkov said: Our Soviet is a planned economy, and many of them cannot be calculated. According to preliminary estimates, this aircraft carrier also cost us about 2 billion rubles.

2 billion rubles! Hearing this, the Indians immediately felt very embarrassed. Even if the Soviets did not increase the price and sold it to their own side at the original price, their own side would not be able to afford it!

Now, with the continuous expansion of the Soviet Union, the ruble has also begun to enter the international market, and India also has ruble foreign exchange reserves, but it is only 300 million rubles!

Everyone looked at Andre. If Andre said that he would sell it to India at the original price, India would really be sorry! However, it is impossible for the Soviets to sell it to their own side at a low price.

Why? This aircraft carrier is not a decommissioned aircraft carrier, but the main aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Soviet Pacific Fleet! People use it well, and if you sell it to yourself, the original price is already a favor.

Considering the affordability of our Indian friends, I think we can make a discount of 200 million rubles and sell it to India. Andre said: Do you think you can afford this price?

200 million rubles! Immediately, everyone was overjoyed!