Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

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''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov'' (russian: Адмира́л фло́та Сове́тского Сою́за Кузнецо́в, Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov or "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov", originally the name of the fifth ) is an aircraft carrier (heavy aircraft cruiser in Russian classification) serving as the flagship of the Russian Navy. It was built by the Black Sea Shipyard, the sole manufacturer of Soviet aircraft carriers, in Nikolayev within the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) and launched in 1985, becoming fully operational in the Russian Navy in 1995. The initial name of the ship was ''Riga''; it was launched as ''Leonid Brezhnev'', embarked on sea trials as ''Tbilisi'', and finally named ''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov'' after Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolay Gerasimovich Kuznetsov.

She was originally commissioned in the Soviet Navy, and was intended to be the lead ship of the two-ship . However, its sister ship ''Varyag'' was still incomplete when the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991. The second hull was eventually sold by Ukraine to China, completed in Dalian and commissioned as .

, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' is out of service for a refit in Murmansk. In November 2018, it was damaged by a falling 70-ton crane from the floating dry dock and a fire that killed two during the refit. The dry dock, which sank due to a power outage while holding ''Admiral Kuznetsov'', was vital to repairing the carrier, which changed its estimated return to service to 2022 or later. In 2021, the Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Vladimir Korolev, told the TASS news agency that the vessel was expected to begin post-repair sea trials in mid-2023 and rejoin the fleet later that year, although this may have been pushed back a year or more due to delays. In May 2022 it was reported that repairs to the vessel were scheduled for completion in Murmansk in September 2022 but after flaws were found in the work, the date for the return to service was pushed back to at least 2024.

Design

The design of ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' class implies a mission different from that of the United States Navy's carriers. The term used by its builders to describe the Russian ships is (TAVKR) – "heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser" – intended to support and defend strategic missile-carrying submarines, surface ships, and naval missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian Navy.

''Admiral Kuznetsov''s main fixed-wing aircraft is the multi-role Sukhoi Su-33. It can perform air superiority, fleet defence, and air support missions and can also be used for direct fire support of amphibious assault, reconnaissance and placement of naval mines. The carrier also carries the Kamov Ka-27 and Kamov Ka-27S helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and small transport.

For take-off of fixed-wing aircraft, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' has a ski-jump at the end of its bow. When taking off, aircraft accelerate toward and up the ski-jump using their afterburners. This results in the aircraft leaving the deck at a higher angle and elevation than on an aircraft carrier with a flat deck and catapults. The ski-jump take-off is less demanding on the pilot's body, since the acceleration is lower, but results in a clearance speed of only requiring an aircraft design which will not stall at those speeds.

The "cruiser" role is facilitated by ''Admiral Kuznetsov''s complement of 12 long-range surface-to-surface anti-ship P-700 Granit ( NATO reporting name: Shipwreck) cruise missiles, resulting in the ship's Russian type designator of "heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser".

Unlike most western naval ships that use gas turbines or nuclear power, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' is a conventionally powered ship that uses mazut as a fuel, often leading to a visible trail of heavy black smoke that can be seen at a great distance. Russian naval officials have said that the failure to properly preheat the heavy mazut fuel prior to entering the combustion chamber may contribute to the heavy smoke trail associated with the ship.

Transiting the Turkish Straits

''Admiral Kuznetsov''s designation as an aircraft-carrying cruiser is very important under the Montreux Convention, as it allows the ship to transit the Turkish Straits. The Convention prohibits countries from sending an aircraft carrier heavier than 15,000 tons through the Straits. Since the ship was built in the Ukrainian SSR, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would have been stuck in the Black Sea if Turkey had refused permission to pass into the Mediterranean Sea. However, the Convention does not limit the displacement of capital ships operated by Black Sea powers. Turkey allowed ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' to transit the Straits, and no signatory to the Montreux Convention ever issued a formal protest of its classification as an aircraft-carrying cruiser.

History

1990s

''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov'', constructed at Chernomorskiy Shipyard, also known as Nikolayev South Shipyard, in Nikolayev within the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was launched in 1985, and became fully operational in 1995. An official ceremony marking the start of construction took place on 1 September 1982; in fact it was laid down in 1983. The vessel was first named ''Riga'', then the name was changed to ''Leonid Brezhnev'', this was followed by ''Tbilisi''. Finally, on 4 October 1990, it was renamed ''Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza N.G. Kuznetsov'', referred to in short as ''Admiral Kuznetsov''. The ship was 71% complete by mid-1989. In November 1989 it undertook its first aircraft operation trials.

In late 1991 following the August Coup and the independence of Ukraine, Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk sent a telegram to the ship's commander Viktor Yarygin, declaring that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was Ukrainian property, and that the ship should remain in Sevastopol until the Ukrainian government made a decision on its fate. Deputy commander of the Northern Fleet Yuri Ustimenko urgently arrived from the Arctic to pre-empt the Ukrainian government and gave the order for ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' to sail to Vidyayevo so the ship could remain in the Soviet fleet. In December 1991, it sailed from the Black Sea to join the Northern Fleet. Only from 1993 on did it receive aircraft.

From 23 December 1995 through 22 March 1996 ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' made its first 90-day Mediterranean deployment with 13 Su-33, 2 Su-25 UTG, and 11 helicopters aboard. The deployment of the Russian Navy's flagship was undertaken to mark the 300th anniversary of the establishment of the Russian Navy in October 1696. The deployment was to allow the carrier, which was accompanied by a frigate, destroyer and oiler, to adapt to the Mediterranean climate and to perform continuous flight operations until 21:00 each day, as the Barents Sea only receives about one hour of sunlight during this time of year. During that period the carrier lay at anchor off the port of Tartus, Syria. Its aircraft often made flights close to the Israeli shore line and were escorted by Israeli F-16s. During the deployment, a severe water shortage occurred due to evaporators breaking down.

At the end of 1997 it remained immobilized in a Northern Fleet shipyard, awaiting funding for major repairs, which were halted when they were only 20% complete. The overhaul was completed in July 1998, and the ship returned to active service in the Northern fleet on 3 November 1998.

2000–2010

''Admiral Kuznetsov'' remained in port for two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000–2001. This deployment was cancelled due to the explosion and sinking of the nuclear-powered submarine . ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' participated in the ''Kursk'' rescue and salvage operations in late 2000. Plans for further operations were postponed or cancelled. In late 2003 and early 2004, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' went to sea for inspection and trials. In October 2004, the ship participated in a fleet exercise of the Russian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean. During a September 2005 exercise, a Su-33 accidentally fell from the carrier into the Atlantic Ocean. On 27 September 2006, it was announced that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would return to service in the Northern Fleet by the year's end, following another modernization to correct some technical issues. Admiral Vladimir Masorin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, also stated that Su-33 fighters assigned to it would return after undergoing their own maintenance and refits.

From 5 December 2007 through 3 February 2008 ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' made its second Mediterranean deployment. On 11 December 2007, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' passed by Norwegian oil platforms in the North Sea, outside Bergen, Norway. Su-33 fighters and Kamov helicopters were launched from ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' while within international waters; Norwegian helicopter services to the rigs were halted due to the collision risk with the Russian aircraft. ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' later participated in an exercise on the Mediterranean Sea, together with 11 other Russian surface ships and 47 aircraft, performing three tactical training missions using live and simulated air and surface missile launches. ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' and its escorts returned to Severomorsk on 3 February 2008. Following maintenance, it returned to sea on 11 October 2008 for the Stability 2008 strategic exercises held in the Barents Sea. On 12 October 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the ship during the exercise.

From 5 December 2008 through 2 March 2009, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' made its third Mediterranean deployment. On 5 December 2008, the carrier and several other vessels left Severomorsk for the Atlantic for a combat training tour, including joint drills with Russia's Black Sea Fleet and visits to several Mediterranean ports. On 7 January 2009, a small fire broke out onboard ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' while anchored off Turkey. The fire, caused by a short circuit, led to the death of one crew member by carbon monoxide poisoning. On 16 February 2009, it was involved in a large oil spill, along with other Russian naval vessels, while refuelling off the south coast of Ireland. On 2 March 2009, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' returned to Severomorsk, and in September 2010 it left dry dock after scheduled repairs and preparations for a training mission in the Barents Sea, later that month.

2011–2012 Mediterranean deployment

The Russian Main Navy Staff announced that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would begin a deployment to the Atlantic and Mediterranean in December 2011. In November 2011, it was announced that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would lead a squadron to Russia's naval facility in Tartus.

A Russian naval spokesman announced via the ''Izvestia'' daily that "The call of the Russian ships in Tartus should not be seen as a gesture towards what is going on in Syria... This was planned already in 2010 when there were no such events there" noting that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would also be making port calls in Beirut, Genoa and Cyprus. On 29 November 2011, Army General Nikolay Makarov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, said that Russian ships in the Mediterranean were due to exercises rather than events in Syria, and noted that ''Admiral Kuznetsov''s size does not allow it to moor in Tartus.

On 6 December 2011, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' and its escort ships departed the Northern Fleet home base Severomorsk for a Mediterranean deployment to exercise with ships from the Russian Baltic and Black Sea Fleets. On 12 December 2011, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' and its escorts, were spotted northeast of Orkney off the coast of northern Scotland, the first such time it had deployed near the UK. shadowed the group for a week; due to severe weather, the group took shelter in international waters in the Moray Firth, some from the UK coast. ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' then sailed around the top of Scotland and into the Atlantic past western Ireland, where it conducted flight operations with its Sukhoi Su-33 'Flanker' jets and Kamov Ka-27 helicopters in international airspace. On 8 January 2012, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' anchored near shore outside Tartus while other ships from its escort entered the port to use the leased Russian naval support facility to replenish their supplies, after which all ships continued their deployment on 9 January. In February 2012, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' returned to its home base of Severomorsk, having lost propulsion during the return voyage in the Bay of Biscay. The tugboat took the vessel in tow and aided ''Admiral Kuznetsov''s return.

2013–2014 deployment

On 1 June 2013, it was announced that the ship would return to the Mediterranean by the end of the year, and on 17 December, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' departed its home base for the Mediterranean. On 1 January 2014, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' celebrated New Year's Day while at anchor in international waters of the Moray Firth off northeast Scotland. The anchorage allowed replenishment of ship's supplies and respite for the crew from stormy weather off the southwest coast of Norway. It then proceeded to the Mediterranean Sea, docking in Cyprus on 28 February. In May 2014, the ship and its task group: the ''Kirov''-class nuclear-powered cruiser ''Petr Velikiy''; tankers ''Sergey Osipov'', ''Kama'' and ''Dubna''; the ocean-going tug ''Altay'' and the ''Minsk'' (part of the Black Sea Fleet), passed the UK while sailing for home. Despite financial and technical problems, resulting in limited operations for the ship, it was expected that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would remain in active service until at least 2030.

Mid-life refit

In April 2010, it was announced that by late 2012, the ship would enter Severodvinsk Sevmash shipyard for a major refit and modernization, including upgrades to obsolete electronics and sensor equipment, installation of a new anti-aircraft system (Pantsir-M) and an increase of the air wing with the removal of the P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles. Possible upgrades that were mentioned exchanging the troublesome steam powerplant to gas-turbine, or even nuclear propulsion, and installation of catapults to the angled deck.

The Navy expected to acquire Mikoyan MiG-29K aircraft for ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' by 2011; this later was confirmed by a defense sub-contractor The MiG-29Ks would replace the 19 carrier-based Su-33 fighters, a resource set to become obsolete by 2015. Producing more Su-33s is possible but not cost-effective for such small volumes; the MiG-29K is more convenient as the Indian Navy also placed an order for a total of 45 aircraft, thereby reducing development and manufacturing costs. India paid $730 million for the development and delivery of 16 MiG-29Ks; 24 additional aircraft for the Russian Navy would cost about $1 billion.

2016 Syrian campaign

Following ongoing maintenance, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' set sail on 15 October 2016 from the Kola Bay for the Mediterranean, accompanied by seven other Russian Navy vessels including the nuclear-powered battlecruiser and two s. The carrier was accompanied by an ocean-going tugboat, as a precaution due to potential propulsion failure. The airwing included 6-8 Su-33 fighters, four Mig-29KR/KUBR multi-role aircraft, Ka-52K "Katran" navalised attack helicopters, Ka-31R "Helix" AEW&C helicopters and Ka-27PS "Helix-D" search and rescue helicopters. All the Su-33 aircraft had been upgraded with the Gefest SVP-24 bombsights for free-fall bombs, giving them a limited ground-attack capability. Analysts, including Mikhail Barabanov of the ''Moscow Defense Brief'', suggested that a lack of trained pilots restricted the number of fixed-wing aircraft that could be deployed from the carrier.

On 21 October, the ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' battle group sailed through the English Channel, escorted by Royal Navy ships, while UK Defence Minister Michael Fallon speculated that the taskforce was designed to "test" the British naval response. On 26 October 2016, the ship was reported to have passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and refuelled at sea off North Africa the following day. On 3 November 2016, the ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' battle group paused off the east coast of Crete. On 14 November 2016, a MiG-29K crashed into the sea after taking off from the carrier. The pilot ejected safely from the plane and was rescued by helicopter. According to initial reports from Russian officials, the crash was a result of technical malfunction, but it was later revealed that the plane had actually run out of fuel waiting to land while the crew was attempting to repair a broken arresting wire. The carrier commander could have diverted the aircraft to land at a nearby airbase, but hesitated in the hope that the arrestor gear would be repaired in time.

On 15 November 2016, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'', took part in "a large-scale operation against the positions of terrorist groups Islamic State and Al-Nusra, in the provinces of Idlib and Homs" in Syria by launching Su-33 fighter strikes. This was the first time the Russian aircraft carrier would take part in combat operations. The Russian Defence Ministry later reported that at least 30 militants had been killed as a result of those strikes, including three field commanders, among them'' ''Abul Baha al-Asfari, leader of Al-Nusra reserves in the provinces of Homs and Aleppo. Al-Asfari had also planned and led several insurgent attacks on the city of Aleppo itself. The Su-33s reportedly used precision bombs. On 3 December 2016, an Su-33 crashed into the sea after attempting to land on the carrier. The plane crashed on its second attempt to land on the aircraft carrier in good weather conditions. The pilot was safely recovered by a search and rescue helicopter. Initially it was suspected that the plane missed the wires and failed to go around, falling short of the bow of the warship, but later it was revealed that the arresting cable failed to hold the aircraft, and was damaged in the attempt. Following the two incidents, the air wing was transferred to shore at Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia, Syria to continue military operations while the carrier's arresting gear issues were addressed.

Post-Syrian operations

In early January 2017, it was announced that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' and its battlegroup would be ceasing operations in Syria and returning to Russia as part of a scaling back of Russian involvement in the conflict. During its deployment off Syria, aircraft from ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' carried out 420 combat missions, hitting 1,252 hostile targets. On 11 January 2017, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was conducting live-fire training exercises in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya. The Russian defence ministry announced that on 11 January, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was visited by Libya's military leader Khalifa Haftar, who had a video conference with Russian defence minister Sergey Shoygu while on board.

On 20 January, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was sighted passing west through the Strait of Gibraltar and six days later, it was escorted back along the English Channel by three Eurofighter Typhoons of the Royal Air Force and the Type 23 frigate . It arrived back in Severomorsk on 9 February. On 23 February 2017, President Vladimir Putin said that the ship's deployment to the Mediterranean had been his personal initiative.

Refit

The carrier started an overhaul and modernisation program in the first quarter of 2017 to extend its service life by 25 years. ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was to undergo modernization at the 35th Ship Repair Plant in Murmansk between 2020 and 2021, upgrading the ship's power plant and electronics systems.

''PD-50'' sinking

On 30 October 2018, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was damaged when Russia's biggest floating dry dock, , sank, causing one of its 70-ton cranes to crash onto the ship's flight deck, leaving behind a hole. One person was reported missing and four injured as the dry dock sank in Kola Bay. ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was in the process of being removed from the dock when the incident occurred, and was towed to a nearby yard after the incident. According to Alexei Rakhmanov in early 2019, president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, the cost of repairing the damage was estimated to be RUB 70 million (about US$1 million).

The fallen crane was removed in two to three months. In late May 2019, seven months later, information posted on Digital Forensic Research Lab's blog suggested that repair work of the aircraft carrier was underway. That same month, it was also announced that two graving docks in Roslyakovo, Murmansk Oblast would be merged and enlarged to accommodate ''Admiral Kuznetsov'', the work taking a year and a half.

Fire

In December 2019, a major fire broke out on board ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' as work continued on the ship's refit. Two people died and fourteen suffered injuries from the fire and smoke inhalation. Fire-related damage aboard ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was estimated at US$8 million.

Another fire was reported on December 22, 2022, but was soon extinguished.

Overhaul and upgrade

In June 2021, Vladimir Korolev, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation announced that the overhaul and upgrade of ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' had been expected to be completed in the first half of 2023. The avionics, flight deck with the ski jump, electric equipment, and the power plant will be replaced. The carrier would also receive a new fully domestic takeoff and landing control system, with the onboard airpower remaining the same. Due to the lack of a large enough dry dock, a new dry dock was being constructed in Murmansk. While this was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would not be docked until at least June 2022 due to safer weather conditions at that time. The ship was not expected to return to active operations until late 2023.

In November 2021 it was reported that "bad weather" had caused significant delays to repair work which might push back the completion of the refit by more than one year. In March 2022, it was reported that the ship would be dry docked from April to September for further repair work. On 13 May 2022, TASS reported that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' was expected to be dry docked on 15-17 May 2022, after which the pumping out of water and restoration of the bridge would take 2 months. However, this docking was delayed for several days due to poor weather conditions, until 20 May 2022 when the docking of ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' finally took place.

Shortly after docking, it was reported that the return to service date was delayed until at least 2024, due to defects found during repair. On 15 June 2022, the General Director of the United Shipbuilding Corporation announced that the Russian Navy would receive the ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' in early 2024, after an extensive modernisation which will extend its service life by 10-15 years. On 27 July 2022, it was reported that the dry dock had been drained, allowing repairs on the aircraft carrier to commence.

In an interview on 15 August 2022, the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov confirmed that ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' would be handed over to the Russian Navy in the first quarter of 2024. He also stated that the aircraft carrier is expected to remain in service for at least another 25 years, due to it undergoing a significant modernisation. In December 2022, the carrier was being preparing to leave dry dock but that operation would take up to a month. During the start of the process another, apparently small, fire was reported to have broken out on an open area of the deck. However, it was claimed to have been extinguished. The overhaul of the carrier is still expected to last into 2024.

Gallery

File:MilitarySportsHoliday2017-02.jpg, ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' at the rehearsal of the parade of ships of the Northern Fleet on 27 July 2017
File:Kuznetsov 960111-N-9085M-002.jpg, Take-off deck
File:The 279th separate naval fighter regiment (Murmansk Region) (21).jpg, Sukhoi Su-25UTG on the deck of ''Admiral Kuznetsov''
File:Sukhoi Su-33 on Admiral Kuznetsov-2.jpg, A Sukhoi Su-33 preparing to take off from ''Admiral Kuznetsov'' in the Barents Sea.
File:Kamov on Admiral Kuznetsov.jpg, Kamov Ka-27 on the deck of ''Admiral Kuznetsov''
File:Dmitry Medvedev on the Admiral Kuznetsov-12.jpg, President Dmitry Medvedev aboard ''Admiral Kuznetsov''

See also

* List of aircraft carriers
* List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union

References

External links

Kreml-class aircraft carrier
at GlobalSecurity.org


at Faqs.org

Video clip of Su-33 operating on the deck of ''Kuznetsov''

Aircraft cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov
- on Russian News Agency TASS Official Infographic

''Admiral Kuznetsov'' rejoining the Northern Fleet
at RIA Novosti

{{DEFAULTSORT:Admiral Kuznetsov
Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carriers
Ships built at the Black Sea Shipyard
1985 ships
Cold War aircraft carriers of the Soviet Union
Aircraft carriers of Russia
Ships of the Russian Northern Fleet
Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war
Ships built in the Soviet Union