Aircraft Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov: News #2

It's better than nothing, esp. when several European & Asian navies have carriers & r building more, aside from the 11 CVNs in the USN. Even if it'll spend most of its remaining life in port, at least they can maintain skills needed to repair, refit & modernize a carrier.
Would u throw out a nice fur coat after moving to Hawaii? Most people won't, as it may be useful in their future travels.

Tsavo Lion wrote:It's better than nothing, esp. when several European & Asian navies have carriers & r building more, aside from the 11 CVNs in the USN. Even if it'll spend most of its remaining life in port, at least they can maintain skills needed to repair, refit & modernize a carrier.

Do they even need a carier? Especially one in this state? And what for?

It spends most of it's time doing nothing useful, it does not contribute to defense of Russia and (as Syria has shown) it can't even retrieve aircraft which is supposed to be it's core feature.

It's like having missile ship that can't launch missiles.

And let's not go int amount of money that is spent on it without gaining anything out of it.

They also have 1600 crewmen and 620 air group staff tied to it 24/7 who don't contribute to defense needs. And they all cost money.

That's enough people to fully man 8 frigates and quite a few air squadrons. All of which would actually contribute to nation's defense.

Tsavo Lion wrote:Would u throw out a nice fur coat after moving to Hawaii? Most people won't, as it may be useful in their future travels.

If it costs me 2 months worth of income per year then definitely. Especially if I have no intent of traveling anywhere cold in foreseeable future and if standard jacket (LHD) can get the job done anyway.

If u already spent $ on it but can't sell it for equal amount, it would be foolish to do so. Even if it hangs in ur closet, "it not asking for food". Getting rid of isn't an option at this point & in the foreseeable future.

They also have 1600 crewmen and 620 air group staff tied to it 24/7 who don't contribute to defense needs. And they all cost money.

They can be sent to TAD (temporary assigned duty) on rotational basis elsewhere; the same with its air wing.
Most likely they'll try to rise it: https://iz.ru/807202/2018-10-31/nazvany-orientirovochnye-sroki-podniatiia-zatonuvshego-plavdoka-pd-50

PapaDragon wrote:

Tsavo Lion wrote:It's better than nothing, esp. when several European & Asian navies have carriers & r building more, aside from the 11 CVNs in the USN. Even if it'll spend most of its remaining life in port, at least they can maintain skills needed to repair, refit & modernize a carrier.

Do they even need a carier? Especially one in this state? And what for?

It spends most of it's time doing nothing useful, it does not contribute to defense of Russia and (as Syria has shown) it can't even retrieve aircraft which is supposed to be it's core feature.

It's like having missile ship that can't launch missiles.

And let's not go int amount of money that is spent on it without gaining anything out of it.

They also have 1600 crewmen and 620 air group staff tied to it 24/7 who don't contribute to defense needs. And they all cost money.

That's enough people to fully man 8 frigates and quite a few air squadrons. All of which would actually contribute to nation's defense.

Tsavo Lion wrote:Would u throw out a nice fur coat after moving to Hawaii? Most people won't, as it may be useful in their future travels.

If it costs me 2 months worth of income per year then definitely. Especially if I have no intent of traveling anywhere cold in foreseeable future and if standard jacket (LHD) can get the job done anyway.

@Papa Dragon
"Do they even need a carrier? Especially one in this state"!
OMG! You haven`t heard by any chance that for half a year already Kuznetsov is in refit and modernisation comprising full replacement of boilers and refurbishment of turbines where necessary, replacement of almost all wiring and electronics. Hull is constructively in good condition, as it have been built with great margin of toughness.
Nobody mentally sane would scrap such a ship. Of course it would be better to have new carriers, as Russia is committed to have blue water navy apart from coastal forces, but at this moment it is impossible. there are much more other priorities, as Russian navy was in bad shape until recently.

Can't Russia just build a new improved drydock?

Sure, with time & planning and as long as you don't have more important things to put the time & effort into.
This is an unplanned emergency though & if China can pump out a replacement in 1yr for only $40mil why waste time/limited resource developing the capability only to have it wither again from lack of demand?

Far East:



Until now PD-50 worked perfectly. No need for replacement. But it should be no problem to order another one of these.

Thats new Chinese built one for Zvezda right? Its too small to replace PD-50, 40Kton.

Happier times (?) K in PD-50 back in 2010

So what I'm getting out of this incident is:
- the floating dock started to sink and a crane fell on Kuznetsov, causing some damage
- Kuznetsov is already in another dock undergoing repairs and maintenance
- New floating dock needed or old one repaired?
- some people posting garbage sources like thedrive (lol typical anti Russian sources) and going overboard on the issue.
- In end, ship is still under repair/maintenance/upgrade and that the damages may or may not cause delay in overall work.

It sure sounds like the "sky is falling, but nothing happens" kind of ordeal.

BTW, Zvezda shipyard I believe is able to already hold such sized ships.

..why waste time/limited resource developing the capability only to have it wither again from lack of demand?

It won't be idle as there will be other ships & subs to repair, refit & upgrade.

Kuznetsov is already in another dock undergoing repairs and maintenance

Nope, there's no other dock of this size anywhere close, unless Adm. Nachimov is moved & that dock's entrance enlarged. Adm. K is now moored pier side.

They say it's docked. Tass says so which is official. You aren't. And it isn't pear, but pier.

But maybe you are right. They then should tug it to far east to Star plant. Fly in experts and what not, and have it done there.

FYI, "docked" may mean "moored or tied up at". Pl. see my earlier post about towing it to the FE.

It won't be idle as there will be other ships & subs to repair, refit & upgrade.

Capability to make new floating docks would become idle.

To be fair there are probably a bunch of other old floating docks in need of replacement so arguably it could be useful as part of a longer shipyard replacement/modernisation programme.

On the other hand buying off China offers not only a cheap & quick solution but will help the strategic Russia/China relationship.


Another older pic of K in PD-50


BTW apparently the head mechanic of the dock is still Missing, presumably went down with the dock.

That's an old captured German dock from WWII. There is also dock 82 but it may not be suitable or it would've been mentioned already: https://www.korabel.ru/news/comments/novaya_veha_82_srz_rakurs_buduschego.html
Source: the rise of a floating dock in Murmansk will take at least six months

Interesting, there is actually a new shipyard being built directly opposite where PD-50 is, with 2* drydocks easily big enough for K expected to be completed in 2020.
But its going to be making LNG production modules.

Perhaps the replacement plan for PD-50 was to start using that once its order book eases off?

Pl. include sources for every piece of news. IMO, if there's urgency to refit warships, they'll be given a priority over commercial shipbuilding.

If the yard is private, it is money that matters. If the Navy pays, the ship will be repaired.

They can put all kinds of pressure on them using carrot & stick tactic in the negotiation of contracts. Moscow can prevent them from getting future contracts should they not agree. Every1 there understands that w/o a strong fleet there's no strong defense & no respect & consideration from others, like it was in the 1990s.

I'm talking about the facility at Belokamenka for Novatek
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/industry-and-energy/2018/01/we-are-making-murmansk-world-leader-oil-and-gas-says-novatek-0
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/industry-and-energy/2017/06/four-artificial-islands-will-be-built-kola-bay
They started building last year, expected completion in 2020.

Pretty sure Oil/Gas gets priority over Navy but the location would make it handy for Navy work once the Oil/Gas stuff tapers off.

Pics of K https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3403576.html

Didn´t someone on this forum say that Kuznetsov needs a bigger crane?

This story must be partial.

If the blackout caused the dock to sink then it has holes on it.
Means thy had to run the pumps 24/7 to keep it float.

So, as soon as there was no electricity the dock started to tilt, so they choose to sunk it, causing same damage to the Kuz rather than to capsize the carrier.

Risks lifting the dock; it may not be feasible: https://news.rambler.ru/army/41197213-plavdok-admirala-kuznetsova-okazalsya-nepodemnym/?readmore

After the refit, they better transfer her to the Black Sea, so winter storm related damage to power supply won't happen again. Bigger docks can be built/brought  there, the local weather is better for training, added firepower won't hurt, & the Med. Sea & the Indian Ocean r much closer.

Tsavo Lion wrote:Risks lifting the dock; it may not be feasible: https://news.rambler.ru/army/41197213-plavdok-admirala-kuznetsova-okazalsya-nepodemnym/?readmore

After the refit, they better transfer her to the Black Sea, so winter storm related damage to power supply won't happen again. Bigger docks can be built/brought  there, the local weather is better for training, added firepower won't hurt, & the Med. Sea & the Indian Ocean r much closer.

And in Black Sea you will use dock for what?

You do not expect Carrier and SSBN to pass Bosporus and Dardanelles don't you?

It's a TAKR, not CV, & we already discussed the issue on this & other threads. Also, a big dock can be used by several ships & subs.
SSBNs can be sent there w/o BMs, if need be.