ORAC
2nd Oct 2011, 07:40
Typhoons Subs for Scrap, Kuznetsov To Sail (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=7840523&c=EUR&s=SEA)
........Izvestia reported on Sept. 30 that Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, is being readied for another Mediterranean cruise - a voyage which may be the ship's last operational mission.
In the same story, however, Izvestia reported that the Defense Ministry has made no announcement "to write off Kuznetsov any time soon."
The 58,500-ton Kuznetsov was placed in service at the end of 1990 after more then eight years under construction, and is the only full-deck carrier ever built by the Russian Navy. The ship has spent most of its career tied up, and has made only three oceanic voyages. The most recent cruise was to the Mediterranean in 2008-2009, when the ship visited Syria.
The Kuznetsov's sistership, Varyag, was never completed by the Russians, and sold to China in 2001. The Chinese have been working to complete the ex-Varyag, which went to sea for the first time under its own power in August for four days of engineering trials.
The Kuznetsov is a more advanced and capable design than the modified Kiev-class carrier Admiral Gorshkov, still being rebuilt for India as the Vikramaditya.
The Kuznetsov has often put to sea without a full complement of aircraft. Izvestia reported the General Staff of the Russian Navy as saying the air group for the upcoming Mediterranean cruise would, include eight Su-33 jet fighter, several MiG-29K jets, and "a couple" Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters from the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment.
This would be the first at-sea deployment of the MiG-29K from the ship, which conducted trials with the fighter in 2009.
........Izvestia reported on Sept. 30 that Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, is being readied for another Mediterranean cruise - a voyage which may be the ship's last operational mission.
In the same story, however, Izvestia reported that the Defense Ministry has made no announcement "to write off Kuznetsov any time soon."
The 58,500-ton Kuznetsov was placed in service at the end of 1990 after more then eight years under construction, and is the only full-deck carrier ever built by the Russian Navy. The ship has spent most of its career tied up, and has made only three oceanic voyages. The most recent cruise was to the Mediterranean in 2008-2009, when the ship visited Syria.
The Kuznetsov's sistership, Varyag, was never completed by the Russians, and sold to China in 2001. The Chinese have been working to complete the ex-Varyag, which went to sea for the first time under its own power in August for four days of engineering trials.
The Kuznetsov is a more advanced and capable design than the modified Kiev-class carrier Admiral Gorshkov, still being rebuilt for India as the Vikramaditya.
The Kuznetsov has often put to sea without a full complement of aircraft. Izvestia reported the General Staff of the Russian Navy as saying the air group for the upcoming Mediterranean cruise would, include eight Su-33 jet fighter, several MiG-29K jets, and "a couple" Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters from the 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment.
This would be the first at-sea deployment of the MiG-29K from the ship, which conducted trials with the fighter in 2009.