Ship Admiral Kuznetsov characteristics. "Admiral Kuznetsov" (aircraft carrier): characteristics

Armament

Ships of the same type

general information

The first Soviet aircraft carrier designed for conventional takeoff and landing aircraft (the previous types of TAKR were intended for vertical takeoff aircraft). Named after Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov. Built in the city of Nikolaev, at the Black Sea shipyard.

Currently, the ship accommodates Su-25UTG and Su-33 aircraft of the 279th Separate Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (OKIAP), as well as MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB of the 100th OKIAP (based airfield 279 and 100 OKIAP - Severomorsk-3 ), helicopters Ka-27 and Ka-29 of the 830th separate shipborne anti-submarine helicopter regiment (based airfield - Severomorsk-1).

History of creation

Prerequisites for creation

According to the plan for the development of the Navy approved by the government of the USSR in 1945, the construction of aircraft carriers in the USSR was not supposed. N. G. Kuznetsov, who at that time held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, managed to achieve the inclusion of ships of this class only in the design plan. In 1953, Kuznetsov approved a project to create a light aircraft carrier (project 85) for air defense fleet on the high seas. It was planned to build at least eight such ships, and the first of them was supposed to enter service as early as 1960. But in 1955, N. G. Kuznetsov fell into disgrace and was removed from the post of commander-in-chief of the navy. Instead, the chair of the commander-in-chief was taken by S. G. Gorshkov, who in many respects did not share the ideas of his predecessor regarding the development of the Navy.

Although aircraft carriers performed admirably in the naval battles of World War II, since then there has been great progress in both anti-ship and ship-based anti-aircraft weapons. The relatively successful operations of the American carrier formations in Korea and Vietnam took place in range conditions, without enemy opposition from the sea. In fact, aircraft carriers in these conflicts served as mobile air bases for attacks on ground targets, which in no way proved their possible usefulness in a naval battle. This gave the Soviet leadership grounds in the development of the fleet to rely on cruisers and submarines armed with missiles, declaring aircraft carriers "weapons of Western imperialism."

The "first signs" of the Soviet aircraft carrier fleet were project 1123 anti-submarine cruisers, which had an air group of fourteen Ka-25 helicopters on board. However, the capabilities of helicopters did not allow them to organize full-fledged support for naval operations from the air, so it was decided to develop new ships designed for the use of vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Such ships were heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers of project 1143 (of the Kyiv type). Having received powerful missile weapons, these cruisers carried a small air group, whose tasks remained rather auxiliary. In addition, the Yak-38 carrier-based aircraft, being the first serial VTOL aircraft of the Soviet Union, was distinguished by low flight data, and due to its small dimension and weight, it was severely limited in combat load and range. In addition, being intended as an attack aircraft, the Yak-38 was poorly adapted for air defense tasks. Thus, the three ships of the "Kyiv" type, together with the TAKR "Baku", which was their development, continued to be more cruisers than aircraft carriers. The shortcomings of the Yak-38 were supposed to be eliminated on a new generation of carrier-based VTOL aircraft - the Yak-41 multi-role fighter - but this aircraft was created for a long and difficult time, so the timing of its adoption into service was constantly pushed back.

Design

Realizing the limited aircraft carrier capabilities of Project 1143 ships, the Navy leadership decided to build a full-fledged aircraft carrier capable of using conventional takeoff and landing aircraft in addition to VTOL aircraft. The development of the project was entrusted to the Nevsky Design Bureau in 1977. Sketch work went on for almost three years and was completed only in 1980. In total, ten options were prepared, among which were ships with a nuclear power plant. As a result, after several years of approvals, project 11435 was approved. In addition to essential large sizes, the main difference between the new project and the previous ones (1143 and 11434) was a different placement of the main missile system, which now had to be inside the hull. In addition, the superstructure of the ship was shifted to the right, to the sponson (speaking for the contours of the starboard side). Both of these factors made it possible to increase the area of ​​the flight deck to a size suitable for carrier-based aircraft with horizontal takeoff. Initially, the ship was planned to be equipped with two steam catapults, but their placement led to a noticeable increase in the displacement and cost of the cruiser; attempts to meet the given dimension while maintaining the catapults would lead to a deterioration in the combat capabilities of the future ship. The high performance of the 4th generation Soviet fighters, which were supposed to be based on a new ship, made it possible to take off from a springboard without the help of catapults, so it was decided to abandon the latter.

The final project was approved in May 1982, and in September of the same year, the lead ship of the new project was laid down at the Black Sea Shipyard No. 444 in the city of Nikolaev (Ukrainian SSR).

Construction and testing

TAKR "Leonid Brezhnev" at the outfitting wall, illustration from the magazine Soviet Military Power 1987

Su-33 fighter on the deck of an aircraft carrier, 1996

In continuation of the campaign, on October 18, 2004, an accident occurred with a training Su-25UTG. The aircraft made a too hard touch, as a result of which the right landing gear broke. Destruction on the ship was avoided, since the emergency Su-25UTG caught on the landing hook on the arrester cable and stopped the run.

On September 5, 2005, two emergency landings of Su-33 fighters took place in the North Atlantic on the TAKR due to a break in the arrester cable. The first fighter fell into the ocean and sank at a depth of 1100 meters (the pilot - Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Korneev - managed to eject), the second plane stayed on the deck. It was planned to destroy the sunken plane with depth charges due to the presence of secret equipment (for example, the “friend or foe” identification system), but it turned out that this was impossible to do due to the great depth. The command of the Navy expects that the sunken Su-33 will collapse on its own.

December 5, 2007"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" as part of a ship strike group, which includes the BOD "Admiral Chabanenko" and "Admiral Levchenko", went on his second trip to military service to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. During the military service, visits were made to the ports of Italy, France and Algeria, as well as to the island of Malta. When returning across the North Atlantic, the carrier-based formation took part in exercises together with coastal-based naval aviation, as well as aircraft of the Russian Air Force. Combat service continued until February 3, 2008.

From May 2008 to December 8, 2008, the cruiser underwent a seven-month scheduled repair at the facilities of the Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Center. During the repair, the main power plant was updated, work was carried out to repair the air conditioning system, boiler equipment, mechanisms for lifting aircraft to the flight deck.

TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" passes the Strait of Gibraltar in December 2007

In the winter of 2008/2009 - starting from December 2008- the aircraft carrier cruiser again passed military service in the Mediterranean Sea. In this campaign, on January 6, 2009, an accident occurred: during a stop in the roadstead as part of military exercises in the Turkish port of Akzas-Karagach, a fire broke out on board an aircraft carrier cruiser in one of the bow rooms. It was possible to eliminate the fire by the ship's crew, but during the fight against fire from carbon monoxide poisoning, sailor Dmitry Sychev died. According to experts, the aircraft carrier did not receive serious damage and on January 11, 2009, took part in joint exercises with Greece. The hike has been completed February 27, 2009.

December 6, 2011 A heavy aircraft carrier cruiser at the head of a detachment of ships of the Northern Fleet again entered the Mediterranean Sea, to the coast of Syria. In connection with the unrest and coup attempts in this friendly country of Russia, a show of force was needed near its shores, at least in part balancing the constant presence of warships of the US 6th Fleet in that area.

On December 12, 2011, the connection anchored in the Moray Firth (UK) to replenish water and food supplies. On December 15, due to the worsening weather in the parking area, a detachment of warships weighed anchor and continued the campaign.

On December 23, 2011, a detachment of warships led by the TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" passed the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea.

From January 8 to January 10, 2012, the Russian formation paid a business visit to the port of Tartus (Syria), where it replenished supplies at the material and technical base of the Russian Navy. During the visit, the delegation of Russian sailors met with the governor of Tartus province, Atef Naddaf.

February 16, 2012 TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" completed military service, returning to Severomorsk.

After the completion of military service, the refurbishment of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier was carried out at the Murmansk branch of Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center JSC. By August 23, 2012, the repair was completed.

In September 2013, the cruiser took part in the exercises of the Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea area.

Helicopter Ka-29 over the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" during combat service, Mediterranean Sea, November 24, 2016

FROM December 17, 2013 to May 17, 2014 TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" made a new campaign for military service in the Mediterranean Sea with a call at the material and technical base of the Russian Navy in the port of Tartus (Syria). Rear Admiral Viktor Sokolov, deputy commander of the Northern Fleet, raised his flag on the cruiser. While in the Mediterranean, the aircraft carrier operated in conjunction with the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Peter the Great. During this trip, the pilots of the 279th Naval Aviation Regiment gained significant practical experience in flying from the deck of an aircraft-carrying cruiser on the high seas, having made more than 350 sorties with a total stay in the air of about 300 hours.

On August 19, 2015, a three-month repair was completed on the cruiser at the dock of the 82nd shipyard (Roslyakovo village, Murmansk region). In the course of the work, the electromechanical part of the ship was put in order, and the underwater part of the hull was cleaned and painted.

October 15, 2016 The cruiser left Severomorsk for military service in the Mediterranean Sea. The detachment of warships, in addition to Admiral Kuznetsov, also included the nuclear heavy missile cruiser Peter the Great, the BOD Vice-Admiral Kulakov and Severomorsk, as well as a number of auxiliary ships and vessels. On board the aircraft carrier cruiser was an air group consisting of 10 Su-33 fighters, 4 MiG-29K / KUB fighters, 5 Ka-27 helicopters (including anti-submarine Ka-27PL and rescue Ka-27PS), 2 transport-combat Ka-29 and one Ka-52K combat helicopter, as well as one Ka-31 AWACS helicopter.

From October 19 to 21, training flights of carrier-based aviation were carried out in the Norwegian Sea from the deck of the TAKR. On October 21, the connection passed through the English Channel.

On October 26, 2016, a detachment of warships led by the TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea; refueling at sea with fuel and drinking water was carried out off the coast of Morocco.

Replenishment of aviation ammunition "Admiral Kuznetsov" from a floating crane on the roads of Tartus, December 2016

On November 1, a Russian carrier formation passed Sicily on its way to the eastern Mediterranean and began flight operations. On November 5, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich from the Russian Black Sea Fleet joined the detachment.

On November 13, 2016, due to an accident with arresters, one of the MiG-29K fighters of the cruiser air group could not be taken on deck in time and lost after running out of fuel; The pilot successfully ejected and was rescued.

November 15, 2016 carrier-based aviation aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" began combat work against Islamist militants in Syria (in agreement with the government of the Syrian Arab Republic).

On December 3, 2016, when landing on the deck of the ship, one of the Su-33 fighters of the air group was lost due to a break in the arrester cable; The pilot managed to eject and was not injured.

MiG-29KUB fighter takes off from the Admiral Kuznetsov springboard during combat service, January 10, 2017

On January 6, 2017, a reduction in the grouping of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria was announced, including the withdrawal of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier from the conflict zone.

On January 8, 2017, a detachment of warships led by an aircraft carrier cruiser moved to the central Mediterranean off the Libyan coast (Benghazi-Tobruk area); in coordination with the Libyan National Army group that controls this area, a series of daily exercises at sea was held. On January 11, the board of the Admiral Kuznetsov was visited by the head of the Libyan National Army, General Khalif Haftar.

On January 20, the shipborne aircraft carrier group passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, leaving the Mediterranean Sea.

On January 24-25, 2017, a detachment of warships consisting of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, Peter the Great aircraft carrier, Alexander Shabalin large landing craft and support vessels passed through the English Channel on the way to Severomorsk.

On February 3, an air group from an aircraft carrier cruiser located in the Barents Sea flew to the Severomorsk-3 base airfield.

Vice Admiral Sokolov, cruiser commander Captain 1st Rank Artamonov and Libyan General Haftar with escorts on the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, January 11, 2017

February 8, 2017 TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" stood on the roads of Severomorsk, completing its military service. During it, for almost four months, the ship traveled about 18,000 miles. Upon their return, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky and the heavy aircraft carrier cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov fired a festive salute of 15 artillery rounds. Return salute performed destroyer Northern Fleet "Admiral Ushakov", moored at the pier of the main naval base of the Northern Fleet.

According to information published by the Russian Ministry of Defense, during the combat service, aircraft and helicopters of the Admiral Kuznetsov air group performed 1,170 flights, including 420 combat flights, of which 117 were at night; the remaining 750 sorties were carried out in the course of solving the tasks of search and rescue and transport support. It is known that in the course of military service, part of the carrier-based aircraft was temporarily relocated from the TAKR to the Khmeimim airbase, so a number of the mentioned sorties could be made from it. During the bombing, more than 1,000 militant facilities in Syria were destroyed - including headquarters and command posts, firing positions, as well as accumulations of manpower and equipment. Despite the difficulties with supplying the ship with aviation ammunition at sea - due to the fact that after the decommissioning of the Berezina complex supply ship in the Russian Navy there are no more such ships, this operation had to be carried out on the Tartus road using the SPK-46150 floating crane - delivered to the aircraft carrier the cruiser to combat service, the tasks were successfully completed.

According to representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense, by now the cruiser requires a major overhaul with modernization, which were scheduled to be carried out at the Sevmash shipbuilding enterprise in the period from 2012 to 2017. However, due to a lack of funding, the ship's overhaul was delayed; in 2016, it was reported that the start of the overhaul of the cruiser was scheduled for the first quarter of 2017 - immediately after the ship returned from combat service in the Mediterranean. The work is designed for 2-3 years and will have to include the replacement of the deck flooring and arresters.

Heavy aircraft carrier cruiser(TAVKR) "Admiral Kuznetsov" is designed both to destroy large surface targets, to protect maritime connections from attacks from the air and enemy submarines and for air cover of the operational formations of ships - aircraft carrier multipurpose group (AMG)and giving it combat stability.
"Admiral Kuznetsov" - the only warship of project 11435 "Krechet", was created as a kind of compromise between the line of development of ships with vertical take-off and landing aircraft (projects 1143, 1143.4, remained "Admiral Gorshkov") and developed in the 1970s, but also the remaining unfulfilled projects of full-fledged aircraft carriers with an ejection takeoff of aircraft and a nuclear main power plant (projects 1160 and 1153). The design strength of the air wing at TAVKR is 50 aircraft (LA), including 36 Su-27K fighters, 14 Ka-27 helicopters.

The ship command for project 1143.5 is 1 960 people, including 200 officers. Also on the ship are 626 people of flight personnel and 40 people - the headquarters of the formation of ships. 3,857 ship accommodations include 387 cabins, 134 crew quarters with 50 showers, 6 cabins, 120 storage spaces and 6,000 meters of corridors.

The development of the hull is based on the earlier Kyiv class (1143.4, Admiral Gorshkov), which was laid down in 1982, but with a larger displacement of 58,500 tons compared to 40,400 tons, and has a somewhat slow speed of 29 knots on compared with 32 knots on project 1143.4.
In place with order to The hull has a continuous double bottom and 9 decks. The hangar with an area of ​​153x26 m in height occupies three inter-deck spaces (7.2 m) and accommodates 70% of the regular number of aircraft. Inside, it is equipped with a semi-automatic chain transportation system for aircraft (instead of the tow tractors used abroad); tractors are used only to supply the aircraft to the elevator platforms. For fire safety purposes, the hangar is divided into 4 compartments by fire-resistant folding curtains. Local box armor (NKZ) covers the fuel tanks and cellars of aviation ammunition, the total supply of aviation fuel is about 2500 tons. The 4.5 m wide PTZ consists of three longitudinal bulkheads, one of which (2nd) is armored package (multilayer).

The power plant almost completely repeats that used in project 1143.4, but due to the increased fuel supply, the cruising range is 18 knots. stroke increased to 8000 miles. Autonomy increased by 1.5 times.

TAVKR project 1143.5 (since 1981 - 11435) is distinguished by a purely "carrier" architecture with an "island" shifted to the starboard side. The area of ​​the through flight deck is 14800 sq.m, the corner part with dimensions of 205x26 m is located at an angle of 7° to the DP. For the first time in our fleet, hydraulic arresters, an emergency barrier, the Luna optical landing system and onboard aircraft lifts appeared on the ship. The proposed catapults were abandoned at the final stage of the development of the project - they were replaced by a bow springboard with an aircraft exit angle of 14 °. The length of the takeoff run of the Su-33 fighter from two starting positions is 100 m each, from the third position - 200 m.

The doctrine of the Russian Navy is such that it practically does not provide for the use of aircraft carriers. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones is the huge financial costs of maintaining such courts. During the USSR, the first steps were taken towards their creation, but the only ship of this class in our country is the Admiral Kuznetsov. This aircraft carrier has a rather complex and interesting story creation and operation.

Surely not everyone knows that a total of five aircraft-carrying cruisers were built in the USSR. Where did the other four ships go? We will answer these questions, as well as discuss the main technical characteristics of the Admiral Kuznetsov ship. This aircraft carrier began to be designed shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union (together with other similar ships).

Basic information

The start of work on the project dates back to 1978. The Leningrad Design Bureau was responsible for the design activities. First, the engineers offered the military specialists project 1143, which provided for the construction of a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser. The basis was based on long-standing work on the cruiser 1160 with a nuclear power plant.

There are the following projects implemented in the form of built ships or existing in the form of layouts and sketches:

• Sketch 1160, providing for the laying of an aircraft carrier, the displacement of which would be 80,000 tons.
• Type 1153. The displacement of this aircraft carrier was to be 70,00 tons, the project provided for a powerful armament of the ship (in addition to the aviation group itself). There are no built and laid down ships.
• The project, on the adoption of which the Minsudprom insisted. As in the first case, the displacement was to be 80,000 tons. It was envisaged that at least 70 units of aircraft and combat helicopters would be based on board.
• Project 1143 M. It was planned that the ship would be armed with Yak-41 supersonic vertical takeoff aircraft. The third aircraft carrier type 1143 - 1143.3. The ship was laid down in 1975. It was put into service seven years later, but already in 1993 it was decommissioned and cut into metal. The reason is "economic inexpediency of exploitation".
• Type 1143 A. It is similar to the ships of project 1143M, but an increased displacement was provided. This is the fourth aircraft carrier built in the USSR. The bookmark was made in 1978, officially entered the fleet in 1982. In 2004, an agreement was concluded to lease the ship to the Indian Navy, and it was modernized to suit their needs. He joined the Indian Navy three years ago, in 2012.
• Heavy aircraft carrier project 1143.5. As you might guess, this is another upgrade of type 1143. The fifth and last built aircraft carrier.

So where is Kuznetsov?

It is the last ship that is the Admiral Kuznetsov. By order of the Council of Ministers, this aircraft carrier began to be developed at the end of 1978.

It was project 1143.5. The final technical design of the vessel was ready by the middle of 1980. Initially, it was assumed that the construction of the new ship would be fully completed by 1990. The laying was carried out on the stocks of the Nikolaev shipbuilding plant. But the Admiral Kuznetsov did not appear so easily. The aircraft carrier before its "birth into the world" went through many obstacles, as the timing of its construction and commissioning was constantly pushed back.

History of development and construction

The engineers prepared the initial draft design by 1979. Almost immediately, the document was approved by the commander of the Navy, who at that time was Admiral S. Gorshkov. The following year, D. Ustinov (the head of the entire army department) signs another document in which he affirms the need for fundamental changes in project 1143.5. Because of this, the deadline for the actual start of construction of the ship was almost immediately pushed back to 1986-1991.

But already in April 1980, S. Gorshkov approved a new project, in which all the necessary changes had already been made. Finally, in the summer of the same year, all parties involved in the development of the new ship recognize the development of the Type 1143.5 cruiser as finally completed.

But this project has not yet been completed. The snag came out in the list of necessary aviation weapons that should have been on the ship: it needed to be worked out in full accordance with the decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, which left a certain imprint on the speed of work. At the end of the year, the design of the ship 1143.5 is again subject to adjustment.

Some experts at that time expressed the opinion that it would be more expedient to build a second cruiser under project 1143.4 (1143 A), and not waste time and money on finalizing the drawings of a new one. However, this idea was soon abandoned, and project 1143.4 itself was finalized to stage 1143.42.

New delays

At the beginning spring months 1981 Nikolaev Shipbuilding Plant receives a long-awaited order for the construction of a new cruiser. But already in the fall, significant changes were again made to the long-suffering project: the displacement of the ship needed to be increased immediately by 10 thousand tons.

As a result, the current value of this indicator is 67 thousand tons. Among other things, the designers found it necessary to add the following innovations to the sketches:

• It was necessary to install the Granit anti-ship missiles on board the ship.
• The need to increase the aviation group immediately to 50 units.
• Most importantly, the planes had to be launched without the use of a catapult, by a simple trampoline method. This not only reduced the cost of construction, but also significantly extended the technical life of the cruiser.

The final model of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" was ready only in 1982. They laid it down in September of the same year at the Nikolaev shipyards, initially assigning the name "Riga" and the number (according to the factory catalog) 105. Just two months later, the ship is renamed, after which it turns into "Leonid Brezhnev". Already in December, the installation of the first structural block was in full swing. In general, it was the first cruiser in the history of Soviet shipbuilding, which consisted entirely of blocks (24 pieces).

The length of each was about 32 meters, the height was 13 meters. The weight of each element sometimes reached 1.7 thousand tons. By the way, all add-ons huge ship also made according to the block diagram. But not only this is unique "Admiral Kuznetsov". The aircraft carrier, the characteristics of which we describe in this article, with the normal operation of the supply plants, could be built in three to four years, which is an absolute record for ships of this class.

Alas, the unhurried work of the factories slowed down its entry into the Soviet Navy several times.

Onboard systems installation

The order for all power and power plants was made for 1983-1984. The factories failed: they deviated greatly from the schedule, as a result of which, for the installation of engines and turbines, it was necessary to partially disassemble the hull and, in some areas, remove the upper deck. The French from a spy satellite first captured the ship in 1984. At that time, its readiness was already at least 20%.

The cruiser was lowered from the stocks at the end of 1985. The weight of the hull and the systems mounted at that time did not exceed 32 thousand tons. Experts estimated the readiness of the aircraft carrier at 38.5%.

The following year, the changes again affected the Admiral Kuznetsov (aircraft carrier). The designer of project 1143.5 has changed, P. Sokolov has become it. By the middle of 1987, the ship was renamed for the third time. This time it is TAKR "Tbilisi". Readiness approached 57%. By that time, the cruiser could be approximately 71% complete, but due to equipment suppliers, the project was repeatedly rudely stalled. Only by the end of 1989, readiness began to reach 70%.

The cost of the ship in those years was estimated at 720 million rubles, and the rise in price by 200 million was caused precisely by the delays of suppliers. In response to this, the chief designer was again changed, which this time was L. Belov. The ship was approximately 80% complete. By that time, more than half of all radio-electronic equipment had been installed on the ship, and most were able to deliver only by 1989 (and the delivery was scheduled for 1984).

First time out to sea

The first exit to the sea dates back to October 20, 1989. It was officially authorized and approved by all project participants. In principle, by that time the ship was finally completely ready, but the aviation group had not yet been delivered. The campaign lasted a little more than one month. When was the first landing on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov made? It happened on the first of November 1989. The Su-27K aircraft was the first to start testing. Immediately after landing, the MiG-29K left the deck, with which there were no problems either.

All weapons and radio systems were installed only in 1990. But still, the readiness of the cruiser reaches 87%. In the spring and summer of the same year, sea trials of the ship began. Finally, in October of the same year, the ship acquires its final name. Now this is the same Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov".

During the first stage of testing alone, the cruiser covered more than 16,000 nautical miles under its own power, aircraft took off almost 500 times from its deck. Not a single landing on the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" ended in an emergency, which for the first time tested ships is just a great indicator!

The first tests were completed at the end of 1990. Until 1992, the final stage of the State acceptance took place (as part of the Black Sea Fleet), after which the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was included in the Northern Fleet.

Basic information on the design of the ship

As we have already said, the ship consists of exactly 24 blocks, each of which weighs about 1.5 thousand tons. The hull was made by welding, has seven decks and two huge platforms at once. To lift parts of this size and weight, Soviet engineers had to use Finnish Kane cranes, each of which could lift up to 900 tons to the required height. The peculiarity of the ship is also that its entire body is covered with a special coating that effectively absorbs the signal of enemy radars.

By the way, about the recent modernization that the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" has undergone. Last news they say that this composition has been significantly improved, so that the ability of a huge ship to literally "dissolve" in the open sea has become even more impressive.

Other figures

If (very conventionally) we divide the ship into average floors of a residential building, then their number will be 27. In general, there are 3857 rooms inside the cruiser at once, which perform a variety of functions. It is worth noting that there are only 387 cabins (which are divided into four classes), 134 sailors' quarters, six huge dining rooms, and fifty well-equipped showers for personnel. Thus, the Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" is a real floating city! Its autonomy is one and a half months.

It may seem that this is not enough. But this is until you find out the number of crew and flight personnel. There are more than 1.5 thousand people on board. Pilots - 626 people. Just imagine the laboriousness of providing food and drink for more than two thousand people for a month and a half on the high seas! So the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov", whose dimensions can really amaze the imagination, is indeed monumental.

In total, during the construction of the ship, engineers used more than four thousand (!) Kilometers of cable, 12 thousand kilometers of pipes for the circulation of liquids for various purposes. The through deck area is 14,000 m². It ends with a springboard, the slope of which is 14.3 degrees in its steepest part. The springboard at its highest point rises 28 meters above the water. The maximum speed is 32 knots. In economy mode, the ship accelerates to 16 knots.

Deck and runways

Special fairings are installed on the edges of the deck and the bow springboard itself. Aircraft are delivered to the landing deck of the cruiser using lifts, the carrying capacity of which is 40 tons each. Aviation units are delivered to the stern and bow. The width of the deck is 67 meters. The total length of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" is 304.5 meters.

The draft depth of the giant cruiser is 10.5 meters.

A section of the deck 250 meters long and 26 meters wide is intended directly for landing. It is located with a slope of seven degrees. To cover this area, scientists at one time developed a special composition "Omega", which prevents slipping and protects the deck material from extreme high temperatures. For the areas from which the Yak-41 vertical planes take off and land, heat-resistant plates AK-9FM are used.

The total number of launch strips is two, and they converge at the highest point of the springboard, which generally distinguishes the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov from other ships of a similar class. The star located on its stem emphasizes the majestic and formidable features of the huge cruiser.

On the left side there is an alternate runway, the length of which is already 180 meters. To protect the maintenance personnel, deflectors equipped with powerful cooling systems are mounted throughout the deck. To ensure the safe landing of flight units, Svetlana-2 arresters are used. In the event of an emergency, there is an installation (emergency barrier) with the "talking" name "Nadezhda". The Luna-3 telemetry and control system is responsible for landing aircraft.

Survivability Service

To store most of the air group, a special protective hangar is 153 meters long and 26 meters wide. The height of this office space is 7.2 meters. The hangar houses approximately 70% of all flight units of the ship. In addition, fire engines and emergency tractors are also located in it. Planes are taken out of the hangar in a semi-automatic mode, while tractors drive them along the deck. The entire hangar is divided by four special "curtains", which are mounted in order to increase fire safety.

To increase the "survivability" of the ship, its internal partitions are made according to the sandwich scheme - with alternating layers of steel and fiberglass. The yield strength of the metal used for the construction of partitions is 60 kgf/mm². All tanks of tankers, premises and vehicles for the transport of ammunition are protected by a layer of armor.

"Kuznetsov" is also unique in that it (for the first time in the history of domestic shipbuilding) used underwater combined protection. Its depth is about five meters. The ship can withstand the flooding of five adjacent compartments at once, the total length of which is approximately 60 meters.

"Reports from the fronts"

By the way, where is the famous aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov located now? News reports that the ship and her crew are currently in Severomorsk, having returned from a long training cruise in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In its course, deck-level aircraft and helicopters repeatedly practiced air combat and preventive interception of targets.

That's where the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is now. It should be noted that at any time he can withdraw from the parking lot and once again go on a long trip.

The second half of the 20th century marked a change in leadership in the expanses of the world's oceans. The battleships have left the proscenium. These steel and armored leviathans have dominated the seas for the previous 100 years. After the end of World War II, battleships were forced to go down in history, giving way to ships of a different class. Gone are the days when armored ships with powerful artillery were perfect for demonstrating military power at sea. In the 20th century, aviation entered the scene and became one of the decisive weapons at sea. The era of aircraft carriers has begun.

Floating airfields are becoming a convenient tool for the manifestation of international politics. Aviation - the main armament of an aircraft carrier - together with missile weapons now constitutes the main strike force at sea.

The place of an aircraft carrier in naval strategy

Ended Second World War clearly showed with the help of what means of armament it is possible to achieve dominance at sea. The geopolitical picture in the world has also changed. Britain, due to large military losses at sea and the difficult post-war economic situation, lost the status of the Mistress of the seas and oceans. The Royal Navy, the French, Italian and Japanese navies in the post-war period ceased to be a serious sea ​​power. The leading maritime power, which managed not only to maintain, but also to increase its naval forces during the hostilities, was the United States of America. By the end of the war, the US Navy had 1,500 ships of all classes, of which 99 were aircraft carriers alone.

It should be noted that in the United States, the military was the first to conclude that the future of the navy belongs to aircraft carriers. It is much more convenient to pursue your own policy in the world not with battleships and cruisers, but with the help of aircraft carriers. In place of the policy of gunboats, came the strategy of aircraft carriers. The naval forces, which own ships of this class, are becoming a convenient and flexible military tool capable of solving tactical and strategic tasks in the zone of free access to the coast.

For reference: TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" is the only aircraft-carrying ship in the world that can freely operate in the Black Sea, enter and exit through the Black Sea straits of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. The Montreux Convention prohibits aircraft carriers from entering the Black Sea. Soviet aircraft-carrying cruisers became a successful military-technical solution that allowed the Soviet Union to have ships of this class in this area.

Subsequent military conflicts, the war in Korea, military operations in Indochina demonstrated the leading role and place of aircraft carriers in naval strategy. This was well known not only in Washington and London, where the construction of aircraft carriers did not stop. The need to have aircraft carriers in their fleet was quickly understood by the governments of France and Italy, where after the war they began building their own ships of this class. Following the leading world powers, third world countries joined this process. Aircraft carriers, although of old construction, appear in the fleets of Brazil, Argentina and India.

The idea of ​​building aircraft-carrying ships was also considered with particular interest in the Soviet Union. The naval confrontation between the USA and the USSR that emerged in the post-war years only accelerated the work of domestic design bureaus in this direction. However, the first full-fledged Soviet aircraft carrier, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov or TAKR, entered service only in the winter of 1991, when the USSR had already disappeared from political map peace. The main reasons for such a protracted start were the policy of the Soviet leadership, which initially relied on the creation of a nuclear missile submarine fleet, lack of experience in building ships of this class in the Soviet Union.

The first signs in the Soviet navy were the aircraft-carrying ships of project 1123.1-3 of the anti-ship missile class. These were helicopter-carrying cruisers, which received the code "Condor" according to the NATO classification. The main means of fighting these ships was a dozen Ka-25 helicopters. The main function of ships of this class is to search for and destroy enemy submarines in ocean communications.

The further development of the aircraft-carrying component in the Soviet Navy was the aircraft-carrying cruisers of project 1143.1-4 of the Kyiv class. These were already ships that vaguely resemble aircraft carriers, both in terms of performance characteristics and functionality. The lead ship of this project, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Kyiv, was commissioned in December 1975. On this ship, the main armament was already an air wing, consisting of 12 Yak-38 aircraft and 12 Ka-25 helicopters. In terms of displacement and size, these were large warships of the ocean zone, capable of operating as part of large formations of ships at a considerable distance from the bases of the fleet. In total, 4 heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers of the Kyiv class were put into operation in the USSR. These warships for the first time demonstrated to the world the ability of Soviet shipyards to build aircraft carriers.

It should be noted: In terms of the number of aircraft carriers launched and commissioned, the USSR was second only to the United States. Great Britain, which for a long time used aircraft carriers built during the Second World War, managed to build and put into operation only 4 ships of this class in the post-war period. In France, the construction of ships of the same type was limited to the construction of 3 units. Italy commissioned two aircraft carriers into its fleet, and Japan generally switched to the construction of combined ships, aircraft-carrying destroyers and large landing ships.

In the USSR, after the commissioning of heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers of the Kyiv class, there has been a trend towards the transition to a full-fledged warship capable of basing aircraft with horizontal takeoff and landing. The aircraft carrier cruisers of project 1143.1-4 served as a technological platform for the subsequent development of the Soviet aircraft carrier fleet. In this regard, the top military leadership of the country had grandiose plans. It was planned to build larger and more powerful aircraft-carrying ships for the Soviet Navy. An improved version of the project was the heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers of project 1143.5-6, of which only the Admiral Kuznetsov TAVKR was launched and put into operation.

The first ship of the improved project 1143.5 was laid down on September 1, 1982, and received the name "Riga" in 1983. New Soviet aircraft carriers were supposed to bear names consonant with the names of Soviet cities. In the future, the political situation influenced the fate of the ship. Already in the process of launching the ship was named "Leonid Brezhnev", in honor of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee L. I. Brezhnev. After launching in August 1987, the ship was named "Tbilisi".

Mooring trials began on the ship only two years later, in 1989. At the same time, the ship received its crew, the process of equipping the ship's systems with the main means of detection, tracking and weapons began. During the following time, for test purposes, the takeoff and landing of carrier-based Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft were practiced on the ship in an experimental and experimental manner. The ship, after short trips to the sea, returned to the factory wall for revision. In October 1990, after the beginning of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ship received its next and last name - "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov." In January 1991, the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" - the first full-fledged aircraft carrier - was enrolled in the Northern Fleet Russian Federation. The name of the new ship was not given by chance. It was in those years that the real facts of the huge contribution of Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov to the process of increasing the defense capability of the domestic navy during the Great Patriotic War were first revealed.

It is important to note that no less than 12 years have passed since the development of the project and before the commissioning of the ship. During this time, the vision of the place and role of an aircraft carrier in the fleet has changed significantly. In the United States, they completely switched to the construction of aircraft carriers with a nuclear power plant. In France and the UK, work was actively carried out to create conceptually new aircraft carriers capable of carrying a large number of aircraft for various purposes. In Russia, which at the beginning of the 1990s entered a period of protracted political and economic crisis, there was no understanding of the concept of the role of the aircraft carrier fleet in modern conditions.

Disappeared from the political map of the world of the USSR, as a result of which the cold war. The huge naval economy inherited from the Soviet Union required colossal forces and resources. Under such conditions, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" began its combat service.

What is the first domestic aircraft carrier?

The ship is an aircraft-carrying self-propelled platform capable of receiving and sending aircraft with a traditional take-off and landing pattern. Unlike the previous aircraft carriers of the Kyiv class, the aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov had an extended landing deck instead of an upper deck. In the bow of the flight deck there was a springboard, which increased the lift of the aircraft taking off. This scheme replaced the steam catapults familiar to ships of this class, which act as a launch booster.

The ship was designed to operate Soviet 3rd generation MiG-29 fighters and Su-27 fighter-bombers in the naval version.

Main performance characteristics ships were as follows:

• standard displacement - 45 thousand. tons (total displacement 60 thousand tons);
• the length of the ship along the flight deck is 305 m;
• the width of the ship along the flight deck is over 70 m;
• the power of the propulsion gas turbine plant is 200,000 l/s;
• travel speed - maximum 29 knots, with an economical course - 14 knots;
• economical range of 8400 miles;
• autonomy is 45 days.

It should be noted that the ship has a combined booking system. Inside the ship there are "dry compartments" and puff anti-torpedo protection. Up to 50 aircraft should be based on the ship. The main strike wing is represented by 26 MiG-29K or Su-27K vehicles. The helicopter group consisted of 18 Ka-27 and Ka-29 anti-submarine helicopters, four electronic intelligence vehicles and 2 rescue helicopters. In addition to combat aircraft, the aircraft carrier TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" had powerful anti-ship weapons, represented by 12 "Granit" anti-ship missile systems. Anti-aircraft missile artillery complex"Kortik" together with the launchers "Dagger" provided air defense.

From the composition of the armament, the conclusions arise that the ship is fully consistent in terms of combat power with a missile cruiser. In terms of the aviation component, the Russian aircraft carrier performs rather auxiliary functions. The presence of a springboard significantly limits throughput take-off deck, which does not allow in combat conditions to ensure the rapid launch and reception of aircraft.

To date, the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" of project 1143.5 remains the only operating aircraft carrier. Even despite the presence of serious flaws in its design, the ship continues to carry out combat service as part of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Federation. The small size of the aviation group affects the combat capability of the ship. Anti-ship missiles "Granit" can be called an anachronism for ships of this class, deliberately making the structure of the ship heavier and limiting its technological space.

On the this moment the main combat load on the ship fell during the Syrian crisis. Aircraft-carrying cruiser from November 2016 to January 2017 as part of the operational-tactical group of ships of the Russian Navy in operations on the territory of the Syrian Republic. After a long voyage, the Russian aircraft carrier returned to Severomorsk, where it is getting ready for another scheduled overhaul.

New generation aircraft carriers in Russia are only at the project stage. Painstaking work is underway and the search for the optimal design of an aircraft carrier that could become serial and was a versatile and modern warship.

"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (former names in the order of assignment: "Soviet Union" (project), "Riga" (bookmark), "Leonid Brezhnev" (launching), "Tbilisi" (tests)) - heavy aircraft carrier cruiser (TAVKR) project 1143.5, the only one in the Russian Navy in its class (as of 2016). Designed to destroy large surface targets, protect naval formations from attacks by a potential enemy.

Aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" - video

Named after Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union. Built in Nikolaev, at the Black Sea shipyard. Part of the Northern Fleet. The MIG-29K, Su-25UTG and Su-33 aircraft of the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (base airfield - Severomorsk-3) and the Ka-27 and Ka-29 helicopters of the 830th Separate Shipborne Anti-Submarine Helicopter Regiment are based on the cruiser (home base - Severomorsk-1), as well as the latest attack helicopters Ka-52K ship-based.

The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" has an extremely powerful and constantly modernized short-range missile defense of its own to repel missile and bomb attacks. The anti-aircraft armament of the ship consists of 4 six-barreled launchers of the Kinzhal air defense system (192 missiles), 8 Kortik launchers (256 missiles), 6 six-barreled 30-mm AK-630M rapid-fire launchers (48000 shells). Also, the aircraft carrier has a very perfect layered protection against torpedoes from 2 RBU-12000 installations (60 missiles), including the setting of false acoustic targets, the rapid deployment of anti-torpedo minefields and the destruction of torpedoes with depth charges near the aircraft carrier itself. The aircraft carrier also has a survivability design with multiple bulkheads to withstand hit below the waterline of ammunition up to 400 kg of TNT. Thus, an aircraft carrier can repel massive rocket-bomb and torpedo attacks even without the help of the warrant itself, which can focus on destroying missile and torpedo carriers.

The aircraft carrier is also a carrier of 12 4K-80 vertical launchers for heavy Granit missiles capable of hitting targets at a distance of 700 km with a launch weight of 750 kg. The initial versions of the missile were created to destroy US aircraft carrier groups, the latest upgrades of the complex allow it to hit coastal targets as well.

The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" is the only aircraft carrier in the world that can operate in the Black Sea. Under the Montreux Convention, the passage of clean aircraft carriers through the Bosporus and Dardanelles is prohibited.

The fifth heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of the USSR Navy - "Riga" was laid down on the slipway of the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant on September 1, 1982 (Nikolaev, Ukrainian SSR). It differed from its predecessors by providing for the first time the ability to take off and land on it traditional aircraft, modified versions of the land-based Su-27, MiG-29 and Su-25. To do this, he had a significantly enlarged flight deck and a springboard for taking off aircraft. Construction for the first time in the USSR was carried out by a progressive method of forming a hull from large blocks weighing up to 1400 tons.

Even before the end of the assembly, after the death of Leonid Brezhnev, on November 22, 1982, the cruiser was renamed in his honor in the TAVKR "Leonid Brezhnev". Launched on December 4, 1985, after which its completion afloat continued.
Loading and installation of weapons on the aircraft carrier (except for the zonal block of launchers of the Granit SCRC), electrical equipment, aviation equipment, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as equipment of the premises were carried out afloat, during the completion of the ship near the Northern embankment of the Big Bucket.

On August 11, 1987, it was renamed TAVKR "Tbilisi". On June 8, 1989, its mooring trials began, and on September 8, 1989, the crew moved in. On October 21, 1989, the unfinished and understaffed ship was put to sea, where it conducted a cycle of flight design tests of aircraft intended to be based on board. As part of these tests, the first takeoffs and landings of aircraft on it were made. On November 1, 1989, the first landings of the MiG-29K, Su-27K and Su-25UTG were made. The first takeoff from it was made by the MiG-29K on the same day and the Su-25UTG and Su-27K the next day, November 2, 1989. After completing the test cycle on November 23, 1989, he returned to the factory for completion. In 1990, he went to sea many times to carry out factory and state tests.

On October 4, 1990, it was renamed once again (4th) and became known as TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov."

Service TAKR "Admiral Kuznetsov"

On November 1, 1989, for the first time in the USSR, a Su-27K fighter (test pilot of the Sukhoi Design Bureau V. G. Pugachev) landed on the deck of the Tbilisi TAVKR. On the same day, it took off for the first time from the deck using the MiG-29K springboard (test pilot of the Mikoyan Design Bureau T. O. Aubakirov). Also on this day, the Su-25UTG training aircraft (test pilot of the Sukhoi Design Bureau Igor Votintsev and test pilot of the LII Alexander Krutov) made the first landing on the deck. On August 1, 1990, state tests began. During the tests, 16.2 thousand miles were covered, 454 aircraft flights were made. In May 1990, the ship was temporarily included in the 30th division of surface ships of the KChF.

In December 1991, the commander of the ship received a telegram from the President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, which explained that the cruiser was the property of Ukraine and until a government decision was made, it should remain on the Sevastopol roadstead. The command of the Russian Navy decided to transfer it to the Northern Fleet. At night, the ship left the Sevastopol raid and headed for the Bosphorus. On December 1-24, 1991, the cruiser made the transition around Europe to the place of permanent deployment in Vidyaevo, Murmansk region.

On December 25, 1990, 8 years, 3 months and 24 days after the laying, the acceptance certificate of the cruiser was signed. On January 20, 1991, he was officially transferred from Ukraine to Russia and enrolled in the Northern Fleet, on January 20, the naval flag was hoisted on him. In 1992-1994 various tests of the ship, its weapons and air group continued, the cruiser spent three to four months a year at sea, participated in exercises. In 1993, the first serial Su-33s began to arrive for his air group. In the winter of 1994-1995, the main boilers were repaired.

In the year of the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet, on December 23, 1995, as part of a shipborne multipurpose group, he entered combat service in the Mediterranean Sea, having on board an air group consisting of 13 Su-33s, 2 Su-25UTGs and 11 helicopters. Gibraltar passed through 10 days of the campaign, January 4, 1996. January 7, 1996 anchored off the coast of Tunisia until January 17. There, an exchange of visits took place with the US Navy, including landings of Russian helicopters on American aircraft carrier and vice versa, as well as the transportation of Russian pilots on US aircraft. From January 28 to February 2 he made a business call to Tartus. February 4, entry to the island of Crete. February 17 - 18 made a visit to La Valletta. March 2 - air defense exercises by an aircraft carrier multipurpose group with the development of Su-33 aircraft interceptions and cruise missiles. March 6 - Passage of Gibraltar. At the final stage of the campaign, he took part in the command and staff exercises of the Northern Fleet. As part of the exercises, a conditional repulse of an attack by 4 Tu-22M3s was carried out. They were intercepted at a distance of 450 km from the center of the warrant. March 22, 1996 moored at the base. In fact, 12 air targets were intercepted, two foreign submarines were detected, artillery and missile weapons were fired, including missile system"Granite". The entire campaign was accompanied by serious problems with the main power plant, as a result of which the ship repeatedly lost its course and could not reach full speed, as well as various problems with ship systems.

From 1996 to 1998 it was under repair, which was greatly delayed as a result of underfunding. In 1998 he took part in major exercises of the Northern Fleet. In 1999, he twice went to sea for combat training. In 2000, he participated in a major exercise during which the K-141 Kursk nuclear-powered missile submarine was killed, and took part in a rescue operation. As a result of this tragedy, the second campaign of the cruiser for military service in the Mediterranean Sea, which was to take place at the end of 2000, was canceled.

From 2001 to 2004 was on a scheduled average repair. In 2004, as part of a group of 9 ships of the Northern Fleet, including the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, the missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the destroyer Admiral Ushakov and support vessels, participated in a month-long voyage to the North Atlantic, during which as well as flight design tests of the Su-27KUB. In 2005-2007, he carried out military service, went to sea two or three times a year. On December 5, 2007, as part of a naval strike group, he went on his second campaign for military service in the Mediterranean Sea, which lasted until February 3, 2008.

December 5, 2007 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" led a detachment of warships that set off on a campaign in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the Russian Navy resumed its presence in the oceans.

On December 8, 2008, the repair was completed, which was carried out for 7 months at the facilities of the Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Center. The main power plant was updated on the ship, work was done to repair the boiler equipment, the air conditioning system, and mechanisms for lifting aircraft to the flight deck. Cable routes were replaced, separate blocks of the cruiser's weapons systems were restored.

December 6, 2011 TAVKR went along with a detachment of ships of the Northern Fleet to the Mediterranean Sea - to the coast of Syria.

According to representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the TAVKR requires a major overhaul and, possibly, it will be completed from 2012 to 2017 at the Sevmash shipbuilding enterprise, but due to lack of funding, repairs are postponed indefinitely.

The ship's seventh long-range voyage was completed in May 2014.

From May 14 to August 20, 2015, the TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" was under repair at the dock of the 82nd shipyard in Roslyakovo.

From January to June 15, 2016, the TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" was under repair at the 35th shipyard in Murmansk, where it was restoring technical readiness before a long sea voyage.

At the beginning of July 2016, it was reported that the ship would lead the permanent grouping of the Navy in the Mediterranean Sea from October 2016 to January 2017, and would participate in the Russian operation in Syria (the trip was previously announced for the summer of 2016).

On August 8, 2016, a full-time MiG-29KR fighter from the 100th Separate Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (OKIAP) of the Naval Aviation of the Northern Fleet made its first landing on the deck of the cruiser; It was also reported that from mid-August until October 1, the ship will be at the 35th shipyard to undergo the second stage of maintenance and restore technical readiness.

On October 15, 2016 at 15:30, a ship group led by the TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" set off on the first combat campaign to the coast of Syria. The group also included the Peter the Great TARKR, large anti-submarine ships Severomorsk and Vice Admiral Kulakov, as well as support vessels.

Assessment and prospects of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"

Being the first full-fledged aircraft carrier in Soviet maritime practice (that is, capable of receiving horizontal takeoff and landing aircraft with high combat qualities), the TAVKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov", however, could not fully overcome the shortcomings of the first Soviet TAVKR type " Kyiv". The bet on replacing full-fledged steam catapults with springboards led to the difficulty of takeoff and landing operations (due to the presence of only one direction for launch). On the other hand, the use of a springboard made it possible to significantly save on the mass, internal volume and energy required to accommodate, maintain and power the steam catapult system. Also, the rejection of a complex system of steam catapults increased the combat stability of the air regiment in case of failures due to malfunctions or combat damage to the entire system, and, as a result, the impossibility of using the TAVKR air regiment. The absence of specialized AWACS aircraft that could take off from a springboard led to a short radar detection range. As a result, the capabilities of the TAVKR for over-the-horizon detection were limited to AWACS helicopters, which had a short range. BBC experts, commenting on these shortcomings, note that "possible skepticism on this issue should be somewhat moderated," because. the very maintenance of an aircraft carrier and its orders in a combat-ready state and their ability to carry out a long-range campaign represents a serious projection of strength.

The advantage of the unusual design of an aircraft carrier that combines the weapons of a missile cruiser (aircraft carrier) is that the Admiral Kuznetsov is actually the only aircraft carrier in the world that can operate in the Black Sea. The fact is that the Montreux Convention of 1936 prohibits the passage of “clean” aircraft carriers through the Bosporus and Dardanelles, but does not prohibit the passage of missile cruisers for the USSR and Russia, which are additionally aircraft carriers.

The presence of the Granit SCRC perfect for its time with missile defense / air defense breakthrough technologies was intended to create advantages for the ship in a duel with other aircraft carriers and their warrants, since the Granit SCRC was designed to ensure that, without raising its air wing, Admiral Kuznetsov "could attack an enemy aircraft carrier group with a rocket salvo. For a long-range strike, the complex needs accurate target designation, carried out by the Sustained aviation complex from Tu-95RTs aircraft, Ka-25Ts helicopters or other complexes for obtaining approximate target coordinates. The urban legend is quite popular that the Granit SCRC cannot function without target designation of the Legend ICRC, which has been decommissioned. However, even the initial versions of the Granit SCRC do not require control in flight and when attacking a target, as they simply require the introduction of target coordinates obtained in any way during launch, then the missile followed the inertial navigation system and independently found targets on its own radar at the finish line . In 2001, NPO Mashinostroeniya, in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of Russia, began work on modernizing the on-board equipment of the Granit missiles to transfer navigation and computing electronics to one element base with the export version of the Yakhont SCRC with its navigation systems and electronic equipment. At the same time, it is envisaged to extend the service life of missiles up to 30 years, and the service life of the ship elements of the complex - for life for the carrier. On October 16, 2016, a previously unannounced version of the Granites modernization for attacking coastal targets was tested, many experts, like Konstantin Sivkov, believe that this is the most likely use of Granites ending their service life. Granites can be very effective for hitting area targets, provided that the enemy has suppressed or does not have a local missile defense system, because. have a record mass and range for missile-tossed ammunition - 750 kg per 700 km.

Due to the deployment of Granit missiles, the aircraft carrier has a relatively small hangar.

In April 2016, the National Interest and other sources reported on the plans of the Russian Navy to replace the Granit with universal launchers based on the ZS-14 for more compact cruise missiles of the Caliber and Onyx families, as well as a new Zircon missile, which has hypersonic speed for a breakthrough modern systems PRO. Judging by the satellite images of the Admiral Nakhimov under repair, the dismantling of the Granites launchers and the installation of the ZS-14 Admiral Kuznetsov, in turn, should undergo a comprehensive repair and modernization from 2017, during which the Granites are expected to be replaced by modern missile weapons.

BBC experts, evaluating the aircraft carrier project, note that its most important significance for the Russian Navy is maintaining the experience of using aircraft carriers and the availability of both specialists and pilots who can handle equipment on aircraft carriers. This makes it possible both to effectively modernize the aircraft carrier and to use experienced personnel to create new Russian aircraft carriers. In this regard, BBC experts note that if the aircraft carrier is used in a real strike operation in Syria, the Russian Armed Forces will gain experience that few countries in the world have.

Commanders of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"

During the service, the ship was commanded by:

Captain 1st rank V.S. Yarygin (1987-1992);
- Rear Admiral (assigned while commanding the ship) I. F. Sanko (1992-1995);
- Rear Admiral (assigned while commanding the ship) A. V. Chelpanov (1995-2000);
- Captain 1st rank A.V. Turilin (2000-2003);
- Captain 1st rank A.P. Shevchenko (2003-2008);
- Captain 1st rank V. N. Rodionov (2008-2011);
- Captain 1st Rank S. G. Artamonov (since 2011).

Incidents at the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov"

On October 19, 1995, an Mi-8 helicopter crashed. While taxiing on the flight deck, the helicopter was overturned by a strong side wind. The ship received no damage. The aircraft's main rotor was completely destroyed. A fragment of the blade hit the officer's hand and tore out the bone.

On October 18, 2004, the Su-25UTG crashed. The plane made a hard landing, as a result of which the right landing gear broke. Major damage to the cruiser was avoided due to the fact that the Su-25UTG caught on the landing hook of the stopper cable. Among the alleged causes of the accident are crew error and metal fatigue stress. The aircraft was delivered to 121 ARZ (Kubinka), but was recognized as unrepairable, after which it was decommissioned.

On September 5, 2005, two emergency landings of Su-33 fighters took place in the North Atlantic on the TAVKR. One of the fighters fell into the ocean and sank at a depth of 1100 meters (Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Korneev, who was flying the plane, ejected), the second stayed on the deck. The cause of both accidents was a break in the stopper cable. It was planned to destroy the sunken plane with depth charges due to the presence of secret equipment (for example, the “friend or foe” identification system), but it turned out that this was impossible. The command of the Navy expressed the hope that the aircraft would destroy itself.

On January 6, 2009, during a stop in the roadstead as part of military exercises in the Turkish naval base Akzas, a fire broke out on board an aircraft carrier in one of the bow rooms. The fire was put out by the ship's crew. Conscript sailor Dmitry Sychev died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. According to experts, the TAVKR did not receive serious damage and on January 11 took part in joint exercises with Greece.

Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

Navigation weapons: Complex "Beysur"

Radar weapons: 1 × RLC with phased array "Mars-Passat"; 1 × radar MR-750 "Fregat-MA"; 2 × radar MR-360 "Tackle"; 3 × Radar "Vaigach"
- SU aviation: 1 × "Resistor-K42"; 1 × "Lawn"

Electronic weapons: BIUS "Lumberjack"; Communication complex "Buran-2"; SJSC "Polynom-T"; GAS "Zvezda-M1"; Electronic warfare complex "Sozvezdie-BR"

Anti-aircraft artillery: 6 × 6 AK-630 (48,000 rounds)

Missile armament: 12 × PU SCRC "Granit"; 4 × 2 ZRAK "Kortik" (256 missiles, 48,000 shells); 4 × 6 launchers of the Kinzhal air defense system (192 missiles)

Anti-submarine weapons: 2 × 10 RBU-12000 (60 bombs)

Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

Aviation group: 50 aircraft and helicopters
- According to the project: 26 × MiG-29K or Su-27K; 4 × Ka-27RLD; 18 × Ka-27 or Ka-29; 2 × Ka-27PS
- Actually: 14 × Su-33; 2 × Su-25UTG; 10 × MiG-29K; 4 × MiG-29KUB

The performance characteristics of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

Displacement of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

61 390 t the largest; 59 100 tons full; 53,050 tons normal; 46,540 t standard

Dimensions of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

Length: 270 m at the waterline; 306.45 m longest
- Width: 33.41 m at the waterline; 71.96 m longest
- Height: 64.49 m overall
- Depth (from DWL): 31.42 m in the bow; 25.7 m amidships; 25.7 m aft
- Draft Average (from OP): with a standard displacement of 8.05 m; with a normal displacement of 8.97 m; with a full displacement of 9.76 m
- Largest: 10.4 m
- Reservation: Rolled steel, duplication of the body with "dry compartments". Anti-torpedo three-layer protection 4.5 m wide, can withstand 400 kg of TNT charge.

Engines of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

Boiler turbine, four-shaft
- Steam turbines: 4 GTZA TV-12-4
- Number of boilers: 8 boilers KVG-4

Power
- Steam turbines: 4 × 50,000 hp
- Turbine generators: 9 × 1500 kW
- Diesel generators: 6 × 1500 kW
- Propeller: 4 five-bladed propellers
- Travel speed: 29 knots (54 km / h) maximum; 18 knots (33 km/h) combat economic progress; 14 knots (26 km/h) economic speed

cruising range

At speed: 29 knots - 3850 miles; 18 knots - 7680 miles; 14 knots - 8417 miles
- Autonomy of navigation: 45 days