Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov Admiral Gorshkov was a modified " Kiev " - class aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy , originally named Baku . Sometimes " Admiral Gorshkov " is considered a separate class due to its improvements including a phased array radar , extensive electronic warfare installations , and an enlarged command and control suite . In 2004 , she was sold to India for conversion into a STOBAR carrier now named INS " Vikramaditya " . History . The ship was laid down in 1978 at Nikolayev South ( Shipyard No . 444 ) in Ukraine , launched in 1982 , and commissioned in December 1987 . The delay in commissioning was largely caused by software bugs in the new command and control system . The ship was renamed " Admiral Gorshkov " after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 , as the city of Baku was now in independent Azerbaijan . Sergey Gorshkov was responsible for the expansion of the Soviet Navy during the Cold War . In 1994 , following a boiler room explosion , the ship was docked for a year of repairs . Although she returned to service in 1995 , she was finally withdrawn in 1996 and offered for sale . On January 20 , 2004 , Russia agreed to sell the " Admiral Gorshkov " to India , though payment details are still being worked out . The original price was $ 947 million . The upgrade would be undertaken by Russia ’ s major shipyard , Sevmash Enterprise . As of 2009 , Russia is upgrading the ship by stripping all the weaponry from the ship ' s foredeck to make way for a Short Take - Off But Arrested Recovery configuration , with a ski - jump on the bow . The carrier will be named INS " Vikramaditya " in Indian Navy service . Russia would also change the boilers to diesel fuel . On December 17 , 2009 , it was reported that India and Russia ended the stalemate over the " Admiral Gorshkov " price deal by agreeing on a price of USD 2 . 3 - billion On September 17 , 2012 , the Indian Navy revealed the " Admiral Gorshkov " ( still to be named INS " Vikramaditya " ) had failed its sea trials . The refitted aircraft carrier could not reach " full speed " due to malfunctioning boilers . " Some of the 44 , 500 - ton warship ' s eight boilers malfunctioned during the strenuous full - steam trials " . The Indian Navy had planned on commissioning the " Vikramaditya " on December 4 , 2012 , " Navy Day " . Because of the failed sea trials , the warship must undergo repairs and modifications that will delay its commissioning for about 11 months , until October 2013 . Design . The fourth of the Project 1143 aircraft carrying cruisers , " Baku " had many differences from the rest of the class , trialing technologies to be used on the " Admiral Kuznetsov " . The most obvious is the massive planar array above the bridge . This was the antenna for the Mars - Passat ( " Sky Watch " ) 3D air search radar , comparable to the US SCANFAR radar if not the AN / SPY - 1 used by the Aegis combat system . Like SCANFAR , Sky Watch proved troublesome and was probably never operational . The biggest change to the weapon systems was the replacement of the SA - N - 3 ' Goblet ' and SA - N - 4 ' Gecko ' SAM launchers with four SA - N - 9 ' Gauntlet ' VLS launchers . This allowed room for another two SS - N - 12 ' Sandbox ' launchers . The two AA guns of the " Kiev " s were replaced with 100 mm guns , and the SUW - N - 1 launcher was removed . The air wing was the same as the other " Kiev " s , consisting of a squadron of twelve Yak - 38 ' Forger ' V / STOL aircraft ( until they were retired in 1992 ) , twelve Ka - 27 ' Helix - A ' ASW / SAR helicopter s and two Ka - 31 ' Helix ' AEW helicopters . Flight operations were assisted by the distinctive new Cake Stand TACAN . " Baku " was used for trials of the Yak - 141 Freestyle supersonic VTOL fighter .