Soviet aircraft carrier Kuznetsov
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The Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov (originally named Tbilisi) was intended to be the lead ship of the Kuznetsov-class of aircraft carriers (also known as Project 1143.5, the Brezhnev class, or the Kreml class) but the only other ship of her class, the Varyag, has never been commissioned and is thought to be currently owned by the People's Republic of China. She was named after the Soviet admiral Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov.
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Design of the class
Intended missions
While designated an aircraft carrier, Kuznetsov's design implies a mission different from that of either the United States Navy's carriers or those of the Royal Navy's. The Russian ship is termed by her builders to be a tyazholiy avionosnyy kreyser - a "heavy aviation cruiser" - intended to support and defend strategic missile-carrying submarines, surface ships, and maritime missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian fleet. The aircraft of the Kuznetsov are essentially constrained to air superiority operations. The lack of catapults on the Kuznetsov precludes launching strike aircraft with heavy loads, which makes it essentially impossible for aircraft to attack land or naval targets. The carrier can carry helicopters for anti-submarine operations, however, and she also carries anti-shipping missiles.
Hull and Flight Deck
The hull design is based on the earlier Admiral Gorshkov, launched in 1982, but is larger. The flight deck area is 14,700 m² and aircraft take-off is assisted by a bow ski-jump angled at 12º. The flight deck is equipped with arrester wires but has no catapults. Two starboard lifts carry aircraft from the hangar to the flight deck.
Airwing
The ship has the capacity to support 16 Yakovlev Yak-41M (NATO reporting name "Freestyle"), twelve Sukhoi Su-27K fixed-wing aircraft and a range of helicopters including four Kamov Ka-27-LD (NATO reporting name "Helix"), 18 Ka-27 PLO, and two Ka-27-S.
Armament
The ship has a Granit (NATO reporting name SS-N-19 "Shipwreck") anti-ship missile system equipped with twelve surface-to-surface missile launchers. The Klinok air defence missile system, with 24 vertical launchers and 192 missiles, defends the ship against anti-ship missiles, aircraft and surface ships.
The Kashstan Air Defence Gun and Missile System, supplied by the Instrument Design Bureau and Tulamashzavod JSC in Tula, provides defence against precision weapons including anti-ship and anti-radar missiles, aircraft and small sea targets. Eight systems are fitted, combining missile launcher, 30 mm twin gun and radar/optronic director. The range of the laser beam-riding missiles is from 1.5 to 8 km. The gun can fire up to 1,000 rounds per minute in the range 0.5 to 1.5 km. Six AK630 30 mm air defence guns are also fitted.
The ship is equipped with an Udav-1 anti-submarine system with 60 anti-submarine rockets. Udav-1, supplied by the Splav Research and Production Association in Moscow, protects surface ships by diverting and destroying incoming torpedoes. The system also provides defence against submarines and saboteur systems such as underwater vehicles. The system has ten barrels and is capable of firing 111SG depth charge projectiles, 111SZ mine laying projectiles and 111SO diverting projectiles. The range of the system is 3000 m and the submarine engagement depth is to 600 m.
Electronics
The ship's radars include a D/E band air and surface target acquisition radar, an F-band surface search radar, G/H band flight control radar, I-band navigation radar, and four K-band fire control radars for the Kashstan Air Defence System. The ship's hull-mounted search and attack sonar, operating in the medium- and low-frequency bands, is capable of detecting torpedoes and submarines. The anti-submarine warfare aircraft are equipped with surface search radar, dipping sonar, sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detectors.
Propulsion and performance
Initially Western analysts anticipated that Kuznetsov would have a Combined Nuclear And Steam (CONAS) propulsion plant similar to the battlecruiser Kirov and the SSV-33 command ship. However, Kuznetsov is conventionally powered by eight boilers and four steam turbines, each producing 50,000 hp (37 MW), driving four shafts with fixed-pitch propellers. The maximum speed is 29 knots (54 km/h), and the range at maximum speed is 3,800 miles (6,100 km). At 18 knots (33 km/h), the maximum range is 8,500 miles (13,700 km).
Unit histories and current status
Admiral Kuznetsov
The Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, which was also constructed at Nikolayev South Shipyard, was launched in 1985, and the ship became fully operational in 1995. The Kuznetsov made a brief Mediterranean training cruise early in 1996. At the end of 1997 she remained immobilized in a Northern Fleet shipyard, awaiting funding for major repairs that were halted when only 20% complete. The overhaul was finally completed in July 1998, and the ship was formally returned to active service in the Northern fleet on November 3, 1998. Apparently, the ship remained in port for about two years. In the fall of 2000, the Kuznetsov went to sea for operations related to the rescue and salvage operations of the Kursk submarine. Plans for further operations were postponed or cancelled. In late 2003 and early 2004, the Kuznetsov went to sea for inspection and trials. In late October 2004, the ship participated in a fleet exercise of the Russian navy in the Atlantic Ocean.
Although cash shortages and technical problems have resulted in limited operations, it is expected that the Admiral Kuznetsov will remain in active duty until at least 2025-2035.
Varyag
- Main article: Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag
The Varyag was constructed at Nikolayev South Shipyard on the Black Sea in Ukraine. The vessel was launched in 1988, but was never commissioned into the Soviet navy. She was given to Ukraine, and eventually sold to China.
Specifications
- Designer: Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau
- Builder: Nikolayev South
- Displacement: 43000 t light, 53000-55000 t standard, 66600-67500 t full load
- Length: 300 m (1000 ft) overall, 270 m (900 ft) at waterline
- Beam: 73 m (240 ft) overall, 38 m (125 ft) waterline
- Draft: 11 m (36 ft)
- Armament:
- 16 Granit SS-N-19 "Shipwreck" SSM
- 18 x 8-cell SA-N-9 Gauntlet SAM VLS
- 8 CADS-1 CIWS (each 2 x 30 mm gatling AA plus 16 SA-N-11 SAM)
- 8 AK-630 antiaircraft guns (6 x 30 mm, 6,000 rd/min/mount, 24,000 rounds)
- 2 RBU-12000 UDAV-1 antisubmarine rocket launchers (60 rockets)
- Klinok air defence missile system (24 launchers, 192 vertical launch missiles; rate of fire: 1 missile per 3 s)
- Kashtan air defence gun and missile system (256 missiles, 48,000 rounds; range: 0.5 to 1.5 km)
- Aircraft:** 16 Yak-41
- 12 SU-27k or MIG-29k
- 4 KA-27LD32
- 18 KA-27PLO
- 2 KA-27S
- Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp (149 MW)
- 2 x 50,000 hp (37 MW) turbines
- 8 boilers
- 4 fixed pitch props
- 9 x 1500 kW turbogenerators
- 6 x 1500 kW diesel generators
- Range: 3850 nautical miles (7,100 km) at 32 knot (59 km/h); endurance: 45 days
- Speed: 32 knots
- Complement: 1960 + 626 air group + 40 flag, 3857 rooms
- Armor: uncertain; probably little or none
External links
- Article on GlobalSecurity.org about the Kreml class aircraft carrier (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1143_5.htm).
- A Foolhardy Naval Exercise (http://www.cdi.org/russia/329-9.cfm) - Critical article about the Fall 2004 exercise in which the Kuznetsov participated.
- General information and images on www.naval-technology.com (http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/kuznetsov/index.html#kuznetsov5)ja:アドミラル・クズネツォフ