Aircraft Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov: News #1

The future of the Russian navy aircraft carrier component is in doubt after the Russian defense ministry decided to have its nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, the Admiral Nakhimov, rather than its aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, repaired and refitted at Sevmash, the nation’s largest dockyard.

Sevmash had considered taking either the Nakhimov or the Kuznetsov for extended work after its facilities in the port city of Severodvinsk, including a large dry dock, became available following the conversion of the Kiev-class carrier Admiral Gorshkov into the INS Vikramaditya for the Indian navy. Top Russian and Indian officials are expected to participate in a departure ceremony for the Vikramaditya in mid-November.

After some studies, Sevmash expressed a preference for repairing the Nakhimov, a decision supported by the defense ministry, which is expected to issue an order for the work after the Vikramaditya is formally handed over to the Indian navy. By volume and complexity, the work to be done on the modernization and refit of the Nakhimov will be close to that done on the Gorshkov/Vikramaditya.

Meanwhile, the condition of the Admiral Kuznetsov has been gradually deteriorating following a major, four-year-long repair completed in 2004, due to a lack of high-quality repair facilities at Severomorsk, near Murmansk, where the ship is based. With Sevmash working at capacity on submarines and eventually the Nakhimov, only the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg is capable of building or refitting the largest capital ships. But the Baltic Sea region’s status as a nuclear weapon-free zone has complicated prospects for repairing the Kuznetsov.

The Kuznetsov carries Sukhoi Su-33 single-seat interceptors and Su-25UTG two-seat subsonic trainers with limited land-strike capability, as well as Kamov Ka-27/29 helicopters. The ship’s advertised capacity is 50 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, but the Russian navy does not make public the exact numbers of aircraft on board the ship. The number of Su-33s is estimated to fall between 15 and 20. Last year, the defense ministry placed an order for 24 MiG-29K/KUBs to supplement and eventually replace in-service Su-33s.

As it stands, the long-needed modernization and refit of the Kuznetsov will either be postponed again or may never happen. A next-generation carrier of similar displacement (55,000 to 60,000 tons) under development by the Nevskoye Design Bureau could take the ship’s place. However, the Kremlin has not decided whether such a ship will be constructed.

I don't think Kuznetsov is in any danger. It will get its new air squadron with Mig-29K/KUB. Ship was not that long ago repaired and not so often on sea, so it could easily wait Nakhimov to be repaired and modernized. On the other hand Nakhimov is top priority, because Pacific fleet need that cruiser to work with and defend new Mistral ships in open sea.

When the kuznetsov will deploy to syria end of the year will it carry su-33 or mig-29k or a mix?

Well that is good news as it means two important things... first that the Nakhimov is getting a full refit likely including everything... propulsion, sensors, electronics, and weapons and systems.

Second that a nuclear free Baltic means the K can't be upgraded there... clearly they are going to add nuclear propulsion to the K which has only been speculation so far...

How many Russian Mig-29Ks have been delivered?

I would expect if it sails to Syria any time soon it will probably have a mix though the Mig-29K will be the most potent fighter on board...

GarryB wrote:Well that is good news as it means two important things... first that the Nakhimov is getting a full refit likely including everything... propulsion, sensors, electronics, and weapons and systems.

Second that a nuclear free Baltic means the K can't be upgraded there... clearly they are going to add nuclear propulsion to the K which has only been speculation so far...

How many Russian Mig-29Ks have been delivered?

I would expect if it sails to Syria any time soon it will probably have a mix though the Mig-29K will be the most potent fighter on board...

The only thing i know about the mig-29k is that the delivery started in 2010 but i think there will be enough for an entire airwing.

GarryB wrote:Second that a nuclear free Baltic means the K can't be upgraded there... clearly they are going to add nuclear propulsion to the K which has only been speculation so far...

Don't the SS-N-19s have nuclear warheads, or were those removed or dearmed?

GarryB wrote:How many Russian Mig-29Ks have been delivered?

I know of at least two flying around Yeysk this summer.

The fact that there is only one dry dock large enough to work on ships of that size is pretty pathetic.

I dont think the Kutznetsov is in any danger, no big deal if she wont go to an upgrade the most important is a good air wing and escort ships.
The Nahkimov is badly needed in the pacific when the Mistrals get there, and after that Peter the great will need the same upgrade.

dionis wrote:The fact that there is only one dry dock large enough to work on ships of that size is pretty pathetic.

How many ships of that size does Russia operate?

Not so pathetic anymore.

The only thing i know about the mig-29k is that the delivery started in 2010 but i think there will be enough for an entire airwing.

According to this article:

http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20131022/184294872/MiG-Begins-Testing-New-Russian-Navy-Fighter-Jets-.html

Mig has just started testing the Mig-29Ks ordered by the Russian Navy.

The contract was signed Feb 2012 for 20 single seat and 4 two seat aircraft, the first four of which will be delivered by the end of this year (2013).

The 2010 contract was for Indian Migs which were delivered on time.

I rather doubt they will take them to syrian waters in such a case... they will use them at their new carrier training facility and then start landing them on the Kuznetsov, though I suspect they likely took the opportunity to give some of their pilots experience with the Indian Migs for landing and flight experience.

Don't the SS-N-19s have nuclear warheads, or were those removed or dearmed?

Removing them from their tubes would be trivial and it is very unlikely the missiles would be loaded for a complete refit that includes replacing the missile tubes anyway.

And of course the other reason... why would 12 Granits in tubes stop the K upgrade when the ship they are upgrading instead carries 20 Granits and has part nuclear propulsion already?

I know of at least two flying around Yeysk this summer.

They will likely be Mig test birds checking the different equipment for the Russian Navy is working before handing them over to the RuN.

The fact that there is only one dry dock large enough to work on ships of that size is pretty pathetic.

Who said they only have one?

There is a world of difference between only having one and only having one available.

The Nahkimov is badly needed in the pacific when the Mistrals get there, and after that Peter the great will need the same upgrade.

Exactly, and the second upgrade should be easier with the experience of the first under their belt... at the end of the day the Russian Navy doesn't need the day to day use of a fixed wing carrier as it only makes the occasional long voyage... once its Kirovs are patched up and fully upgraded however they will be formidable ships to base a carrier group around... that will be when a carrier will be vastly more useful.

GarryB wrote:And of course the other reason... why would 12 Granits in tubes stop the K upgrade when the ship they are upgrading instead carries 20 Granits and has part nuclear propulsion already?

No, I was wonering if the Granits might be enough to prevent Kuznetsov from using the Baltic facilities for upgrade work while Nakhimov is in Severodvinsk.

GarryB wrote:They will likely be Mig test birds checking the different equipment for the Russian Navy is working before handing them over to the RuN.

Maybe, but they may also be part of an operational unit sent there for local workup while the ski-jump is finished, there was an Su-25UTG with them at the time.

EDIT: nevermind, no they aren't, not if the report that the first VMF birds are entering flight test is accurate.

Which docks could build or upgrade an aircraft carrier in Russia?

AFAIK the Granits are to be removed as part of the upgrade so I rather doubt they would go to an upgrade with missiles in the tubes.

The Granits have been removed from Kuzya a long time ago in any case.

http://www.balancer.ru/forum/punbb/attachment.php?item=359073&download=2&type=.jpg

WHat a pretty pic of Kuzya.

Come to think of it, if this planned modernization does actually happen ( I would rather see that than new carriers in the near future) then the empty phased array banks can finally be filled by Poliment.

TR1 wrote:http://www.balancer.ru/forum/punbb/attachment.php?item=359073&download=2&type=.jpg

WHat a pretty pic of Kuzya.

Come to think of it, if this planned modernization does actually happen ( I would rather see that than new carriers in the near future) then the empty phased array banks can finally be filled by Poliment.

If the russians dont equip the K with cats i think its smarter to make a new carrier. And IF they equip the K with cats i think a sister ship isnt a wrong idea.

They said that the K would probally deploy to syria by this end year, but i didnt heard anything about it and couldnt find something about it.
Does anyone know if the K will still deploy to syria??? Is the K in Murmansk at the moment?


Thanks, Flyingdutchman.

I would expect it will be taking on its new Mig-29s and will likely be involved in lots of training exercises to get as many pilots current on the new aircraft and also day/night current.

GarryB wrote:I would expect it will be taking on its new Mig-29s and will likely be involved in lots of training exercises to get as many pilots current on the new aircraft and also day/night current.

So it will deploy to syria?

I doubt. Kuznetsov will more probably care for northern route and Arctic region.

Pre-cruise workup was in early October. Supposed to head for the Med in December (i.e. anytime now). Four MiG-29Ks just got delivered so they're probably not going to be there, although they may show up while the K is in the Med. These are probably the airframes seen at Yeysk this summer checking out NITKA's replacement (unless those were Indian FULCRUMs, can't tell in the overheads), so if they're still down there/head back down there they could join up with K sometime. Otherwise they'll likely head to Severomorsk-3 and wait for K to return.

TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" set sailed for a longer voyage (Mediterranean and North Atlantic)

http://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201312171348-ad8c.htm

MOSCOW, January 10 (RIA Novosti) – A naval task force led by Russia’s largest warship has passed through the English Channel on its way to the Mediterranean, a Russian military official said on Friday.
The group carried out naval aviation exercises while passing close to UK territorial waters, Captain 2nd Class Yevgeny Kirillov said.
The group of ships, consisting of the Russian Navy’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and five escort vessels from Russia’s Northern Fleet, had days earlier anchored in the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland due to inclement weather, the UK Defense Ministry confirmed on its website on Friday.
The Royal Navy dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender from Portsmouth on December 19 to escort the Russian task force. Goodwill messages were exchanged between the Russian and British ships on New Year’s Eve, the UK Defense Ministry added.
The Russian carrier group left port on December 17 for the deployment.
In August, Russian news agencies quoted a military source saying a long-distance sea deployment by Russian warships including the Admiral Kuznetsov would call at Russia’s only Mediterranean naval facility located in the Syrian port city of Tartus.
A task force led by the Admiral Kuznetsov made a port call at Tartus two years ago.
The Kuznetsov has an air group including Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker-D fighter jets and antisubmarine helicopters.

And i would guess a few MiG-29K.

runaway wrote:MOSCOW, January 10 (RIA Novosti) – A naval task force led by Russia’s largest warship has passed through the English Channel on its way to the Mediterranean, a Russian military official said on Friday.
The group carried out naval aviation exercises while passing close to UK territorial waters, Captain 2nd Class Yevgeny Kirillov said.
The group of ships, consisting of the Russian Navy’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and five escort vessels from Russia’s Northern Fleet, had days earlier anchored in the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland due to inclement weather, the UK Defense Ministry confirmed on its website on Friday.
The Royal Navy dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender from Portsmouth on December 19 to escort the Russian task force. Goodwill messages were exchanged between the Russian and British ships on New Year’s Eve, the UK Defense Ministry added.
The Russian carrier group left port on December 17 for the deployment.
In August, Russian news agencies quoted a military source saying a long-distance sea deployment by Russian warships including the Admiral Kuznetsov would call at Russia’s only Mediterranean naval facility located in the Syrian port city of Tartus.
A task force led by the Admiral Kuznetsov made a port call at Tartus two years ago.
The Kuznetsov has an air group including Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker-D fighter jets and antisubmarine helicopters.

And i would guess a few MiG-29K.

NICE!!!!! and yes i would guess a few mig-29k's to!



Another question i read that the Kuznetsov will be decommissioned in 2025-2030 what will happen then are there any serious plans for any aircraft carriers in the future?

No MiG-29Ks on this voyage whatsoever.