Aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov": present and future. Aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, Project 11435. The design of Project 11435 was started by the Nevsky Design Bureau (Leningrad) on the basis of R&D "Order" (see below) and using the groundwork for R&D of the aircraft carrier (see below) in 1978. The first version of the project is the preliminary project "improved project 1143" (see below). The development of the technical proposal was completed in April 1978. Five variants of the ship in terms of armament, power plants were considered, and a variant that was minimally different from the project 1143 was proposed (the preliminary project "improved project 1143" - variant 2 - see below).
The ceremony of acceptance of the aircraft carrier "Liaoning" into the Chinese Navy, Dalyan, September 23, 2012 (http://forums.airbase.ru, source - http://weibo.com).
Aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" at the parade on Navy Day in Severomorsk, July 29, 2012 (photo - Denis Nemetovsky, http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/den-n1977).
Aircraft carrier "Shi Lang" - former "Varyag" pr.11436, China, 2012 (http://www.china-defense-mashup.com).
Artistic representation of the future first Chinese aircraft carrier "Shi Lang" - the former "Varyag" pr.11436 (from the mpleio archive, http://www.militaryphotos.net).
Aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" in circulation, probably 2011-2012. (http://military-photos.livejournal.com).
The aircraft carrier "Shi Lang" on sea trials in the Yellow Sea, 100 km southeast of Dalian, December 8, 2011 (http://digitalglobe.com).
Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" parked in Severomorsk (http://forums.airbase.ru).
The decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated 10/13/1978 instructed the USSR Ministry of Defense to issue a TTZ for the ship pr. 11435, and the Ministry of the Court of Industry - to develop draft and technical designs in 1979-1980. The construction of a series of ships on Project 11435 was supposed to be carried out during 1981-1990. on the slipway "O" of the plant in Nikolaev. The chief designer of the project at the initial stage was O. P. Efimov, from the end of 1979 - V. F. Anikiev. The draft design was approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S.G. Gorshkov in November 1979 (see sketch project 11435). At the beginning of 1980, the Minister of Defense D.F. Ustinov signed a directive of the General Staff (N.V. Ogarkov, N.N. Amelko), which demanded to change Project 11435 (see project 11435 Ustinov-Amelko). According to the plan for 1981-1990, approved in March 1980, the design time was postponed by two years, and construction - to 1986-1991. The draft contract for the construction of the lead ship of the SSZ in Nikolaev was received on March 14, 1980. In April 1980, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S.G. Gorshkov approved the TTZ for the NPKB design studies in order to implement the directive of the Minister of Defense on changing the project. On July 23, 1980, a decision was issued by the SME, MAP, Navy and Air Force, which the development of Project 11435, by order of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated 10/13/1978, was recognized as completed.
The use of aviation on the new TAKR project was worked out by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated March 26, 1980 (on the basis of this decree, the construction contract of 03/14/1980 was terminated). In November 1980, TsNIIVK corrected the TTZ for Project 11435 (see Project 11435 TsNIIVK). At the end of 1980, it was decided to lay down the second ship, Project 1143.4, while maintaining the dimensions and main performance characteristics instead of Project 11435. In February 1981, the Ministries of Shipbuilding and Aviation Industry developed proposals for the improvement of Project 1143.4., Which in April were transformed into a reduced technical project 1143.42 (see below), which was submitted for study by the NPKB. On March 3, 1981, from the Main Directorate of Shipbuilding of the Navy, the plant in Nikolaev received a contract for the construction of order No. 105 (serial number). In September 1981, it was possible to achieve a decision by the Minister of Defense to increase the displacement by 10,000 tons. After that, the Navy requested to change the project for anti-ship missiles "" with an increase in the air wing to 50 aircraft with takeoff using a springboard and without a catapult (see Project 1143.42 MO below).
In the process of modernization of the building berth "O" and the entire shipyard, it was decided to combine the developments on pr. 1143.42 and pr. 11435. The adjustment of the projects was completed in March 1982. The new pr.11435 (final technical design) at the suggestion of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S.G. Gorshkov was adopted by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 392-10 of May 7, 1982 and September 1, 1982 a ship called "Riga" was laid on the slipway "O" of the plant in Nikolaev. In November 1982 the ship was renamed to "Leonid Brezhnev" and in December they began assembling the first hull block of the new ship. The first block was lifted onto the slipway on February 22, 1983. For the first time in the USSR, the hull was assembled from 24 structural blocks (blocks length - 32 m, width - hull width, height - about 13 m, weight - 1400-1700 tons) and a superstructure block. Power equipment was ordered for the ship with delivery in 1983-1984. As a result, the installation of equipment was carried out on an already partially finished hull, which forced the decks to be opened and significantly slowed down the construction. In 1983, the Council of Ministers of the USSR made a decision to build a second ship, project 11435, and in January 1984, a contract for its construction was received from the Navy's Main Directorate of the Navy. The first publication of photographs of the aircraft carrier "Leonid Brezhnev" was noted in 1984 in the French journal Science et Vie (satellite photos). The readiness of the ship No. 105 in March 1984 was 13%, in December 1984 - 20%. The formation of the hull of order 105 was completed in March 1985. The ship's readiness as of May 1, 1985 is 26.4%.
The descent of the first aircraft carrier pr. 11435 "Leonid Brezhnev" (launch weight - 29,000-32,000 tons according to various sources, readiness 35.8%) took place December 4, 1985 at the same time (after 20 minutes) the second ship of Project 11435 was laid down - "Riga", factory # 106 (according to some sources - the second ship was laid down according to Project 1143.6). In the spring of 1986 P.A. Sokolov was appointed chief designer of pr. 11455. In the summer of 1987, the aircraft carrier "Leonid Brezhnev" was renamed into "Tbilisi"... The ship's readiness according to the results of 1987 was 55-57% (15% lag behind the plan due to the fault of the suppliers of equipment and systems complexes). November 25, 1988 the second ship of Project 11435 was launched and the laying of the ship of the project took place (nuclear-powered heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Ulyanovsk"). The readiness of ship No. 105 in 1988 - 70%, January 1989 - 71%, the cost of an already built ship is 522 million rubles with a shortage of supplies in the amount of 195 million rubles (total - 717 million rubles in prices from 1988-1989 yy). The ship's readiness at the end of March 1989 was 75%. In the spring of 1989 LV Belov was appointed chief designer and mooring trials of "Tbilisi" began (06/07/1989 - 05/25/1990). July 1989 - order readiness 105 - 80.05% (against the plan 76.6%), about 50% of radio-electronic systems and equipment were delivered to the ship. The bulk of the systems were received by the plant in the summer and autumn of 1989.
The first sailing of order 105 took place on October 20, 1989 (the sailing was completed on November 25, 1989) - the sailing of an unprepared ship was allowed by a joint decision of the ICP, MAP, Navy and Air Force without docking, without magnetic processing, without part of the equipment, but ready to work with an air wing. Flight design tests in cooperation with the air wing began in the fall of 1989. The first landing on the deck of the "Tbilisi" November 1, 1989 completed the Su-27K aircraft. on the same day, the first takeoff of the aircraft from its deck (MiG-29K) took place. equipping the ship with weapons systems (the last ZRAK module "Kortik") and REO (subsystem MP-407 of the electronic warfare system "Sozvezdie") was completed in February 1990.
Factory sea trials took place from May 28 (May 25, according to other data - Makarov) to July 31, 1990. In August 1990, the aircraft carrier "Riga" was renamed into "Varangian", and on October 4, 1990 "Tbilisi" was renamed to. On September 29, 1990, the ship returned to the plant for revision of mechanisms and final finishing- during the first stage of testing, the ship covered 16,200 miles, 454 aircraft flights were performed from the deck, the Granit missiles were not launched. State tests of "Admiral Kuznetsev" completed December 25, 1990 and the ship became part of the Navy. Tests of the aircraft carrier and aircraft in the Black Sea Fleet continued until the end of 1991, after which the ship transferred to the Northern Fleet and on January 20, 1992 became part of it. In November 1991, the Russian Navy suspended payments to the Black Sea Shipyard (Nikolaev) necessary for the construction of the Varyag aircraft carrier (67-75% readiness according to various estimates) and (about 20% readiness). In 1995, "Varyag" was excluded from the Russian Navy and transferred to a construction plant against the debts of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, after which it was sold in Macau (April 1998, the buyer is a company from Macau Chong Lot Travel Agency Ltd, price $ 20 million) and eventually ended up in China, where it is being completed as an aircraft carrier (2002).
Project 11435 development
| Project | Year | Description | Technical specifications | Waterism. | Wing | Armament |
| Improved project 1143 | 1978 | Nevskoe PKB, 5 project options | 1 catapult, aerofinishers, emergency barrier, KTU or AEU | 59,000 - 65,000 t | there is no data | 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", etc. |
| Improved project 1143 option 2 | 1978 | Nevskoe PKB | 2 catapults, flight deck and hangar 1.6 and 1.3 times more than Project 1143 | 55000-59000 t | 42 aircraft (14 Ka-25, 18 Su-27K or 28 MiG-29K (Su-25K) or 16 VTOL Yak-41 and 12 MiG-29K (Su-25K)) | without anti-ship missiles |
| Project 11435 outline | 1979 | Nevskoe PKB | 2 catapults, in terms of dimensions, the ship should be able to dock in the Northern Dock of the Sevmorzavod without reconstruction of the enterprise | 65,000 t | 52 aircraft (14 Su-27K, 16 Yak-41 and 22 Ka-27 helicopters) | 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", etc. |
| Project 11435 Ustinov-Amelko | 1980 | MO requirements | springboard instead of catapults, KTU pr.1143.4 or AEU pr.1144 | 55,000 t | 46 aircraft of the Yak-41 type | 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", etc. |
| Project 11435 TsNIIVK | adjustment TTZ TsNIIVK | backup catapult, reducing the structural protection of the hull and the stock of aviation fuel | 55,000 t | 46 short and vertical take-off aircraft (Yak-41), in the future Su-27K and AWACS aircraft | 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", etc. | |
| Project 114342 | 1981 | SMEs and MAP | second ship of Project 1143.4, increase in flight deck, with catapult | 45400-55000 t | 40 aircraft (Su-27K, Yak-41, AWACS aircraft, etc.) | 6 x 2 anti-ship missiles "Basalt", etc. |
| Project 114342 MO | 1981 | MO decision | springboard, no catapult | 55000-65000 t | 50 aircraft | 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", etc. |
Design- the body of the aircraft carrier consists of 24 blocks weighing 1700 tons. The hull was assembled on the slipway "0" of the shipyard in Nikolaev using two "Kane" cranes (Finland) with a lifting capacity of 900 tons each. On the hull of the aircraft carrier, a radio-absorbing coating was used (the effectiveness of which is being questioned by the builders of the ship - Makarov).
The hull of the ship can be conditionally divided into 27 floors
The total number of premises - 3857 pieces
The number of rooms with thermal insulation - 2426 pieces
Cabins of four classes - 387 pcs
Tambours - 445 pcs.
Fan - 370 pcs
Cubricks - 134 pcs
Storerooms - 120 pcs
Shower rooms - 50 pcs.
Canteen - 6 pieces
Corridors - 6000 m
Electrical distribution devices - 5000 pcs.
Pipelines - 12,000 km
Electric cables - 4100 km
Propulsion system- boiler and turbine, 8 steam boilers of a new type, 4 GTZA TV-12-4 with a total capacity of 200,000 hp. produced by the Kirov plant (Leningrad). Propeller - 4 fixed pitch propellers.
Energy- turbine generators produced by the Kaluga Tubrin Plant, 9 units with a capacity of 1500 kW + 6 diesel generators (1500 kW each) (total 22500 kW).
TTX of the ship:
Crew - 1,533 people without the wing (including 196 officers and 210 warrant officers), 626 people - the composition of the wing.
Length - 304.5 m
Waterline length - 270 m
Waterline width - 38 m
Flight deck width - 72 m
Draft - 10.5 m
Take-off ramp slope - 15 degrees.
The height of the springboard edge above the waterline at full displacement is 28 m
Hangar dimensions - 183 x 29.4 x 7.5 m
Flight deck area:
14300 sq.m. - Project 11435 sketch
10800 sq.m - Project 114342
14800 sq.m - Project 11435
Deck covering - silicon carbide refractory composition
Displacement standard - 43000-46000 tons (according to various sources)
Full displacement - 55000-59000 tons (according to various sources)
Maximum displacement - 65000-67500 tons (according to various sources)
Maximum speed - 32 knots
Full speed:
29 knots - Project 11435
28 knots - Project 1143 outline
30 knots - Project 114342
Economic speed - 18 knots
Travel range:
7000 miles at a speed of 18 knots - Project 11435 outline, Project 114342
- more than 8000 miles at a speed of 18 knots - Project 11435 (9000 miles according to other data)
3850 miles @ 29 knots
Autonomy for stocks - 45 days
Armament:
Superstructure of the aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". The Navy Day parade in Severomorsk, 07/29/2012 (photo - Denis Nemetovsky, http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/den-n1977).
| Project 11435"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" | Project 11436 "Varyag" | Project 11435M | |
| BIUS | "Lesorub-4342" - collecting, processing, storing and displaying information in the framework of ensuring the flagship functions of a formation consisting of nine surface ships. Production - NPO Mars, Ulyanovsk. | "Lumberjack-4342" | "Sigma" |
| Information Exchange System (SOI) | "Tee" (production - NPO "Mars", Ulyanovsk). Provided information exchange between BIUS, weapon systems, radar and other consumers and sources. | ||
| Remote target designation complex | MCRC "Coral-BN" | there is no data | |
| Air target detection radar | complex "Mars-Passat" with 4 HEADLIGHTS / SKY WATCH, developed by the Scientific Research Institute "Quant" (Kiev), tracking up to 120 air targets (according to the project, not achieved during the tests), in a semi-automatic mode, according to the plan, the system was supposed to accompany from 16 to 30 targets, which was also not achieved by 1989. Working hours in semi-automatic mode at the test stage did not allow intercepting aircraft. The delivery of equipment to the ship under construction did not take place according to plan (1986) and was shifted to 1988-1989. | "Forum" | |
| Radar detection of surface targets and low-flying targets | MR-360 "Tackle" (2 pcs) - radar for detecting small-sized low-flying targets of the "cruise missile" type with low RCS, at altitudes up to 100 m, at a distance of up to 33.7 km, with the possibility of automatic tracking of targets, determining the parameters of movement, generation and the issuance of target designation data for 15 air defense missile carriers and ships of the formation. The delivery of equipment to the ship under construction was completed after 1986 (plan) and shifted to 1988-1989. | MP-650 "Boletus" | |
| General detection radar | MR-750 "Fregat-MA" / "Fregat-M2" three-coordinate anti-jamming radar, tracking up to 80 air targets, processing information and transmitting information to the BIUS was carried out by the computer of the "Mars-Passat" complex. During the construction phase, it was planned to use the "Poima" computing subsystem. | "Fregat-MAT" (2 pieces) | |
| Electronic warfare system | "Cantata-M" / "Cantata-11435" (according to the project), in December 1984 the military-industrial complex of the USSR Council of Ministers decided to replace the "Cantata" complex with the new TK-146 "Sozvezdie-BR" complex (development and production - Taganrog Research Institute communications of the Ministry of Radio Industry of the USSR, the decision was approved in 1986). Completion of the complex at the end of March 1989 - 43% (installation began in the fall of 1987). The installation of electronic warfare systems was completed not earlier than 1990 (or later). The complex is equipped with 2 computers. which exchanged data in both directions with the ship's BIUS. The software was not available as of July 1989. As of 02/01/1990, 12 out of 27 stations of the complex were handed over to state tests for adjustment, 47 out of 69 antennas were not connected (due to the unavailability of the complex and shortage of components), the software is not ready, the downhole waveguide sections of the TK-146 equipment were not supplied, adjustment work has not begun. All subsystems of the complex were delivered to the ship and installed by April 7, 1990. In May-June 1990, the software was to be delivered. Subsystems (total 8 pcs): | TK-146 "Constellation-BR" | |
| Navigation radar | MR-212/201 "Vaygach-U" (2 pcs), "Nayada-M" | there is no data | |
| GAK | MGK-355TA "Polynom-T", MGK-365 "Zvezda" | there is no data | |
| Gus | Anti-sabotage MG-717 "Amulet", OVSRZ "Altyn", sonar MG-35 "Shtil" | there is no data | |
| Navigation complex | "Baseur" with the optical subsystem "Chacon" (2 sets were not supplied as of 01.02.1990). Production - NPO "Nord" (Baku). | there is no data | |
| Communication complex | "Buran-2" with a subsystem of automatic data transmission to and from the aircraft "Priem-K" | there is no data | |
| Space communication complex | Space communication system "Kristall-BK" / LOW BALL (2 antenna posts) | there is no data | |
| Aircraft support equipment | Radio engineering complex "Resistor" - providing short-range aircraft navigation, flight control, approach and landing. The complex was developed by PO "Polet" (Chelyabinsk), chief designer A.M. Breigin. In the future, the system was supposed to provide automatic landing of the aircraft on the ship. The delivery of equipment to the ship under construction was completed after 1986 (plan) and shifted to 1988-1989. Su-27K aircraft were fitted with an A-380 resistor-onboard unit (as of July 1989, the module software was absent, which did not allow automating the Su-27K landing approach - Makarov). The range of the radio beacon as of April 1990 is 18 km. Aviation combat control complex "Tur-434" (the system works in conjunction with the "Resistor" system, production - NPO "Mars", Ulyanovsk.). Luna-3 landing optical system with Saturn landing lights TV landing system "Otvedok-Emancipation" Guidance stations for fighters "Gazon" / FLY TRAP B (2 pcs, unified with the Air Force systems, simultaneous guidance of 4 fighters at 4 air targets, produced by the software "Electron", planned to be installed during the construction phase of the ship) Automated control system "Control" Dodon-4342 simulator THESE and KPA "Mock", "Polar explorer". | there is no data | |
| Other systems | "Terek" and "Balaton" (produced by PA "Aurora") "Accountant" product K-153 TV complex TV-N "Kaskad-U" (manufactured by the Mayak plant, Sevastopol, a system of sensors that are installed on brackets near the propeller shafts) "Larch" "Subtitle-21" | ||
| Mechanical equipment | pumps PKBT-230r (manufactured by Proletarskiy Zavod, Leningrad), TP-22 blowers (Kaluga Turbine Works) refrigeration machines MTXM-2000R |
To support aviation flights, the ship is equipped with:
- a springboard
- aerofinishers (produced by "Proletarskiy zavod", Leningrad)
- gas protection shields.
Wing:
The aircraft carrier can carry up to 50-52 aircraft starting from three starting positions (Project 11435 sketch and Project 114342 - 2 starting positions).
Composition for project 11435 (final):
Su-27K / Su-33, MiG-29K (together 18 pieces)
Ka-27 (16 pcs) - Ka-27RLD (replacement for AWACS Yak-44RLD aircraft of Yakovlev Design Bureau), Ka-27PS (2-4 pcs), Ka-27PL
The combat composition of the air wing (1996.):
Su-33 - 15 pieces
Su-25UTG - 1 piece
Ka-27 - 11 pcs
Su-27K / Su-33 on the deck of the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" (Military parade, 1998)
Su-33 on the deck of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" (http://militaryphotos.net)
Takeoff of the Su-33 from the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" (http://militaryphotos.net)
Takeoff of a pair of Su-33s with the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" (http://militaryphotos.net, no later than 2008)
The combat composition of the air wing (2003, 279th shipborne fighter aviation regiment):
24-36 aircraft (Su-33, Su-27KUB, Su-25UTG)
12 helicopters (Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-31 - the last one - AWACS)
The combat composition of the air wing (2007.):
22 aircraft (Su-33, Su-25UTG)
17 helicopters
The combat strength of the air wing (2015-2017):
Su-33 aircraft (service life expires in 2015, but there is a possibility of its extension until 2025).
Marine deck version.
Aircraft MiG-29K / MiG-29KUB - 24 pcs. According to media reports, the signing of a contract for their purchase is expected at the MAKS-2011 air show.
Tests of the MiG-29K (board number 941) on the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (2007-2009 tentatively, http://militaryphotos.net)
Forerunner projects pr. 11435:
R&D "Order"(1969-1972) - research work - military-economic justification of the aircraft carrier pr.1160. Conducted by the Nevsky Design Bureau (formerly TsKB-17). Scientific adviser - Captain 1st Rank A.A. Borisov. The production of a series of 3 aircraft carriers was proposed to be carried out from the fall of 1973 to 1986.
Su-27K after the first landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier "Tbilisi" pr.11435, November 1, 1989 (photo from the Petrovich-2 archive, http://forums.airbase.ru)
The first landing of the MiG-29K T.Aubakirov on the deck of the aircraft carrier "Tbilisi" pr.11435, November 1, 1989 (photo from the Petrovich-2 archive, http://forums.airbase.ru)
TAKR "Tbilisi" pr.11435 on tests in the Black Sea (photo from the Petrovich-2 archive, http://forums.airbase.ru)
TAKR "Tbilisi" pr.11435 and BPK "Azov" on tests in the Black Sea (photo from the Doctor's archive, http://forums.airbase.ru)
TAKR "Tbilisi" pr.11435 on state tests in the Black Sea (photo from the Petrovich-2 archive, http://forums.airbase.ru).
- 1992 January 20 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union NG Kuznetsov" became part of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy (home port - Severomorsk, board number 063).
1993 - Su-33 serial carrier-based aircraft began to arrive at the aircraft wing of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov".
1994 September - the first exercises of the Northern Fleet in which the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" took part.
1994-1995 winter - the main boilers of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" were repaired.
1995 December 23 - 1996 March 22 - the first long-term cruise of the aircraft carrier as part of an aircraft carrier strike group (Atlantic and Mediterranean). During the cruise, an exercise was carried out to repel a raid of 4 Tu-22M3s, the aircraft were intercepted by carrier-based Su-33s at a distance of 450 km from the center of the order. The entire trip was accompanied by serious problems with the main power plant, as a result of which the ship was repeatedly deprived of its course, and could not reach full speed, as well as various problems with the ship's systems.
1996 - during the landing approach, the Su-33 of the pilot Vitaly Kuzmenko crashed (the pilot was killed).
1996-1998 - was under repair.
1998-2000 - in service with the Northern Fleet. Around this time, the combat post of the Granit missile system was put out of action - as a result of erroneous actions of the crew, it was flooded with fuel when refueling the ship and cannot be restored ( information not confirmed).
2001 - according to media reports, the ship was delivered for repairs in Ura-Guba without an air group.
2001-2004 - the ship is under scheduled mid-life repair at SRZ-35 "Sevmorput" (Murmansk).
- 2003 October 23 - during the 4-day running post-repair tests, serious problems arose with the condition of the ship. The maximum speed does not exceed 18 knots. Some of the boilers are out of order high pressure GEM, the ship was under the threat of sinking. To complete the repair of the ship in 2003, 150 million rubles were allocated.
2004 January 28 - according to media reports, the aircraft carrier is based at the Sevmorput shipyard. According to unconfirmed reports, the Granit missile system has not been restored and is not operational.
2004 February 17 - the ship takes part in a naval exercise in the Barents Sea together with the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great. The ship was withdrawn from SRZ-35 to the roadstead of Severomorsk on 13.02.2010 due to the completion of repairs.
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 in Severomorsk, March 1, 2004 (photo by Art Navsegda, http://en.wikipedia.org).
2004 May 24 - the former commander of the Northern Fleet, Admiral Gennady Suchkov, declares that he is not ready for campaigns and that the aircraft carrier is likely to fail due to the complete lack of funding for repair and maintenance work.
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" on the roadstead of Severomorsk, September 20, 2004 (photo - Mustafin Renat).
2004 October 18 - Su-25UTG made a hard landing on the TAKR deck - the landing gear was broken, the deck cover of the TAKR was damaged.
2005 September 5 - on the aircraft carrier there were two accidents during the landing of the Su-33 on the deck. In both cases, the air arrestor cable was cut off, one plane was lost, the pilots ejected. Flights of the Su-33 have been suspended indefinitely.
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 in service at the dock in Roslyakovo near Murmansk, June 2006 (photo by Mikhail Rogov, http://en.wikipedia.org).
2007 December 5 - February 3, 2008 - TAKR (based - Severomorsk) participates in a cruise to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea as part of the AUG.
2008 May - December 8 - repairs at the Zvezdochka shipyard (Severodvinsk), the main power plant was renewed, boiler equipment was repaired, cable routes and other equipment were replaced.
2008 early December - February 27, 2009 - the ship was on a voyage to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. He returned to the base in Severomorsk.
2009 January 6 - while parking in the roadstead in the Turkish port of Akzas-Karagach, a fire broke out in one of the bow rooms. As a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, one sailor died.
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 in Murmansk, August 20, 2009 (photo PinkFloyd99, http://en.wikipedia.org).
- 2010 June - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 transferred from SRZ-35 "Sevmorput" (settlement Rosta, Murmansk) to Roslyakovo.
Conclusion of the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 with SRZ-35 in Murmansk in Roslyakovo, June 2010 (photo from the archive of the user "inquiring808", http://forums.airbase.ru).
- 2010 June 25 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 delivered for dock repairs to floating dock PD-50 SRZ No. 82 in Roslyakovo (Northern Fleet).
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 in the floating dock PD-50 SRZ No. 82 (photo courtesy of 10V,)
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 in the floating dock PD-50 SRZ No. 82 in Roslyakovo, 10.07.2010 (http://www.air-defense.net/forum).
- 2010 September 11 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 removed from floating dock PD-50 SRZ No. 82 in Roslyakovo.
2011 February-March - unconfirmed information about plans for the delivery of aircraft carrier to PO "Sevmash" for modernization (did not take place). The upgrade may take up to 5 years. Earlier it was announced (April 2010) about plans to place the ship for repair at Sevmash since 2012 with the completion of the repair with the modernization of weapons and equipment systems in 2017.
2011 April 22 - unconfirmed information about a fire on the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435.
2011 May 8 - the commander of the Chinese Navy, Admiral Wu Shengli, visited the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435. Probably in this moment the cruiser was under repair in Murmansk or Roslyakovo.
Visit of the Commander of the Chinese Navy, Admiral Wu Shengli, to the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435, May 8, 2011 (http://china-defense.blogspot.com).
- 2011 August - during the MAKS-2011 airshows it is expected to sign a contract for the supply of the Russian Navy with 24 carrier-based fighters MiG-29K / MiG-29KUB for the aircraft wing of the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov".
2011 December 06 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" left the main base of the Northern Fleet in the city of Severomorsk in the Barents Sea. With the release of the aircraft carrier, the formation of the shipborne aircraft carrier group (CAG) of the Northern Fleet begins, which, in addition to the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov", will include the large anti-submarine ship "Admiral Chabanenko" and support vessels - the rescue and towing vessel "Nikolai Chiker", tankers " Sergey Osipov "," Vyazma "," Kama ". The long voyage of the shipborne aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet will take place in the regions of the North-East Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. The CAG is expected to arrive in the area of the port of Tartus (Syria). The commander of the aviation group, including Su-33 aircraft and pilots of two aviation squadrons of the Northern Fleet, is Colonel Igor Matkovsky.
TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" and the rescue tugboat "Nikolai Chiker" in the Atlantic, December 2011 (http://www.function.mil.ru).
- 2011 December 12 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" dropped anchor in the Gulf of Morey Firth, located northeast of Great Britain. During the stop, it is planned to replenish water and food supplies. On December 15, 2011, the ships continued their voyage due to the deteriorating weather conditions in the parking area.
2011 December 18 - on the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" flights of carrier-based aircraft Su-33 began.
Su-33 over the aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" west of Ireland in December 2011 Published on 12/20/2011 Photo montage based on photos from the destroyer York ROYAL NAVY from http://www.navynews.co .uk. When using a link to is required.
Su-33 flights from the aircraft-carrying cruiser pr.11435 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" west of Ireland in December 2011 Published on 12/20/2011 Photos from the destroyer York ROYAL NAVY (http://www.navynews.co.uk ).
- 2011 December 23 - an aircraft carrier group with the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar.
2011 December 30 - south of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean basin, an aircraft carrier group with the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" resumed carrier-based aircraft flights.
Flights of the Su-33 from the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" in the Mediterranean, 12/30/2011 (http://www.function.mil.ru).
- 2012 January 08 - the shipborne aircraft carrier grappa of the Russian Navy, led by the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" entered the Syrian port of Tartus on a friendly visit. The group left Tartus on January 10, 2012.
2012 February 16 - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435 completed the cruise to the Mediterranean Sea and returned to the home port of Severomorsk.
2012-2017 - scheduled for the end of 2010, the timing of modernization of the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". The modernization will be carried out at PO "Sevmash", Severodvinsk.
2013 05 September - The Ministry of Defense of Russia reports that the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435, having spent several days at sea, performed combat training exercises with practical firing by anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapon systems, training to destroy floating sea mines and repulsing attacks of air attack means of a conventional enemy. The complex of measures being worked out also includes work on measuring the magnetic fields of the ship, as well as checking the performance of all complexes designed to support flights of deck-based fighters Su-33. Soon TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" will become part of the ship's strike group, which will work out a number of combat training missions at sea ranges of the Northern Fleet.
Register of aircraft carrier pr. 11435:
| project | serial no. | plant | laid | launched | entered service | basing | note | |
| "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" | Project 11435 | S-105 | 01.09.1982 | 04.12.1985 | 25.12.1990 | Northern Fleet, Severomorsk (2010) | early names: "Riga", "Leonid Brezhnev", "Tbilisi" | |
| "Varangian" | Project 11436 | S-106 | Shipyard No. 444, Nikolaev, slipway "O" | 04.12.1985 | 25.11.1988 | - | home port - Sevastopol | early names: "Riga", the ship was sold unfinished for metal in readiness 67-68% |
| "Shi Lang" (unofficial, former "Varyag") "Liaoning" | S-106 | GCC Dalian (China) | - | - | 2010 r.(early plans) 2012 (plans for 2011) 25.09.2012 | Dalian (Far) | being completed (2010-2011), the first exit to the sea - August 10-14, 2011 |
Board numbers of aircraft carrier pr.11435:
| Year | TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" | TAKR "Varyag" / "Liaoning" |
| 1989 | 111 | |
| 1990 | 113 |
As we said earlier, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (hereinafter - "Kuznetsov") turned out to be too large for one article in the cycle. That is why, before taking on its description, in three separate articles we considered the history of creation and their - Yak-141, MiG-29K and Su-33.
Next, we should talk about the design features and capabilities of our only ship capable of providing flights of horizontal take-off and landing aircraft, but ... Knowing what controversy this can cause in the comments, the author of this article preferred to first tell about the service of the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov", without anything its current state, nor the specifics of its combat use in Syria, will not be clear.
Let us recall (briefly) the main tactical and technical characteristics of the only aircraft carrier in Russia.
Standard displacement (according to various sources) is 45,900 - 46,540 tons, total - 58,500 - 59,100 tons. The "largest" displacement of the TAKR is also mentioned - 61,390 tons. The power of the machines (four-shaft boiler-turbine unit) is 200,000 hp, the speed is 29 knots. The cruising range at a speed of 18 knots was supposed to be 8,000 miles. Autonomy for stocks, provisions and drinking water- 45 days.
Armament - airplanes and helicopters (the total number can reach 50 aircraft), as well as 12 Granit anti-ship missiles, 192 Kinzhal missiles, 8 Kortik air defense missile systems and 8 30-mm AK-630M installations, the Udav anti-torpedo missile system "(Based on RBU). It was believed that this complex is capable of destroying a homing torpedo with a 76% probability. Crew size (actual) up to 2,100 people. aircraft carrier personnel and 500 people. air groups.
The aircraft carrier, which at that time bore the name "Riga", was laid on the slipway "0" of the Nikolaev ChSZ in a solemn atmosphere on September 1, 1982 at 15.00. Present at the ceremony, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S.G. Gorshkov personally attached a silver mortgage board to the bottom section of the hull.
The start of construction was preceded by extensive preparations, including a major modernization of the slipway, as well as the installation of two 900-ton KONE gantry cranes purchased in Finland. These huge structures (height - 110 m, portal size - 150 m) made it possible to move loads weighing up to 1,500 tons. As a result, the Nikolaev ChSZ received a slipway complex, which allows building and launching ships with a launch weight of up to 40,000 tons.
Interestingly, one of the advantages of the deal with the French for the acquisition of Mistral-class helicopter carriers is the transfer by the French side of technologies for large-tonnage modular assembly, which we allegedly did not possess. In fact, the hull of the future "Kuznetsov" was assembled from 21 blocks 32 m long, 13 m high and a width corresponding to the ship's hull. Each of these blocks weighed up to 1,400 tons; the superstructure was the 22nd block.
Installation of a superstructure on the second ship of the series - at that time "Riga", and later - "Varyag"
The construction of the first unit began a little later than the official bookmark, in December 1982, and it was installed on the slipway on February 22, 1983. It is interesting that during the construction of the ship, the computers of the designer, the Nevsky Design Bureau, were linked to the computing center of the ChSZ into a single electronic computing system. , which greatly simplified access to necessary documentation... New design techniques have speeded up progress significantly construction works... New (including electronic) were introduced everywhere, for example, it was possible to abandon the traditional markings on the plaza. Cable works, for the first time in the history of Russian shipbuilding, were carried out immediately on the slipway.
Renamed into "Leonid Brezhnev" TAKR was launched on December 4, 1985, having a mass of 32,000 tons (of which the ship itself weighed 28,000 tons, the rest - ballast and other cargo), mooring tests began on June 8, 1989. Of course, this year the ship was not yet ready to go to sea, but the need to gain practical experience in take-off and landing on deck led to the fact that on October 21 the aircraft carrier (now - "Tbilisi") for the first time departed from the shipyard berth and headed for Sevastopol ... There, at the test site near Cape Margopulo, the first tests took place, as well as fly-overs of the ship by Su-27K and MiG-29K fighters.
On November 1, 1989, the first in the history of the Russian Navy took place the landing of a horizontal take-off and landing aircraft on the deck of the ship: at 13.46 V.G. Pugachev landed on the Su-27K with tail number 39. At the same time, the ship's readiness even by the beginning of 1990 was 86%. State tests were started on August 1, 1990 and were carried out very intensively - in 2 months and 4 days (the ship returned to the plant to eliminate the comments on October 4, 1990), the aircraft carrier traveled 16,200 miles, 454 aircraft and helicopter flights were made from its deck ... For the first time, night launch and landing of aircraft were tested.
The acceptance act was signed on December 25, 1990, and on January 20, 1991, the aircraft carrier (now - "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov") was enlisted in the Northern Fleet. After 9 days (January 29), the naval flag was raised over the ship for the first time.
It was assumed that 1991 Kuznetsov will spend in the Black Sea, he was even included in the 30th division of surface ships of the Black Sea Fleet, and then, in 1992, the aircraft carrier will enter its first combat service in the Mediterranean Sea, upon completion of which it will go to the Northern Fleet ... However, in November 1991, it became clear that the collapse of the USSR had become irreversible, and the situation had become ... let's say, unstable. As you know, for a certain period of time, Ukraine claimed no less than the entire Black Sea Fleet of the USSR. The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Chernavin, decided to transfer "Kuznetsov" to the north, and on December 1, 1991, the ship went to sea.
The first TAKR campaign took place without any special excesses, although, of course, there were some nuances. Already in the Aegean Sea, the vibration of the third machine was discovered, as it turned out later - a fishing net was wound around the propeller. It did not particularly "stick", so we went with it to Gibraltar, and even there, during a two-day stay (connected, first of all, with taking fuel), it was cut off by the efforts of the divers on board the ship.
During this campaign, Kuznetsov first met with the US Navy, an aircraft carrier strike group led by the aircraft carrier George Washington. The Americans immediately raised their aircraft and began flying over and photographing the newest aircraft carrier, and also tried to explore its physical fields. In response, ours transmitted the signal "I am carrying out exercises", increased the speed to 24 knots and took off both rescue helicopters (unfortunately, there were no aircraft on board the "Kuznetsov" during this transition). The patrol ship "Zadorny" fished out a hydroacoustic buoy from the water. There was nothing more worthy of mention in that campaign, and on December 21, 1991, the aircraft carrier arrived at its destination. Here "Kuznetsov" was included in the 43rd division of missile cruisers based in Vidyaevo.
In order to understand what happened to our aircraft carrier further, it is necessary to stop and figure out the situation in which our only heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser found itself.
First- This is the largest and most complex ship of all built in the USSR. It implemented fundamentally new technologies necessary for basing horizontal take-off and landing aircraft. Without a doubt, this was a huge step forward, but usually in such cases, ships with so many new technologies suffer from many "childhood diseases" that need to be identified and "treated".
Second- we can say that we inherited Kuznetsov from the USSR, but this cannot be said about its air group. The Su-33 has not yet completed its tests. Yes, it was developed in the USSR, but fine-tuning of such a complex object as a carrier-based combat aircraft is extremely difficult, and it was necessary to organize also mass production.
Third- the issue of training deck pilots. Without a doubt, there were many professional pilots in the USSR, there were also those who piloted VTOL aircraft, but no one knew the specifics of takeoff from a springboard and landing with an aerial finisher, except for literally a few test pilots.
In other words, the state tests were passed, the acceptance certificate was signed, the flag was raised, and on December 21, 1991, Kuznetsov himself arrived at the place of permanent deployment. But at the same time, we still did not even have a combat-ready aircraft-carrying cruiser with a manned and trained air group in the fleet, and in order to get it, the Russian Federation needed to make a lot of efforts. The problem was that the country was entering an era of political mess and financial crises, notoriously known as the "wild nineties", which, of course, did not contribute at all to the acquisition of the combat capability of such a complex weapons system, which was the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov".
Organizationally, the Kuznetsov air wing was issued in February 1992., having formed the 57th Smolensk Red Banner mixed naval aviation division (57th scud), which included:
1.279th shipborne fighter aviation regiment (279 kiap). It was to include two Su-33 squadrons and, probably, a squadron of Su-25UTG training aircraft;
2. 830th shipborne anti-submarine helicopter regiment (830 kplvp), equipped with Ka-27, Ka-27PS and Ka-29 helicopters.
In turn, 279 kiap were formed on the basis of two compounds. On the one hand, the 279th kiap became the heir to the 279 okshap (a separate shipborne assault aviation regiment), which dates back to December 1, 1973, when the formation of the first in the USSR regiment of carrier-based aircraft Yak-36M (Yak-38) for the aircraft carrier began. Kiev". This regiment was a pioneer in every respect: it was the first to master completely new technique, which were VTOL aircraft, its pilots became the first pilots of carrier-based aviation, they were the first to gain experience in sea and ocean cruises ... All this was on them, so who else, if not them, was to master the newest Su-33?
However, in addition to them, many officers of another formation, the 100th Research and Instructor Fighter Aviation Regiment (100th Iiap), with which ... an interesting story turned out, also entered the 279th KIAP.
This regiment was created on December 24, 1985 (based at the Saki airfield, Crimea) with the aim of studying the capabilities of carrier-based aircraft, testing the tactics of its use, as well as training carrier-based aviation pilots. That is, the regiment was staffed with extra-class pilots, who just had to figure out what the Su-33, MiG-29K were and how all this could be most effectively applied in battle - and then teach it to others. But the USSR collapsed, and the 100th Iiap ended up on the territory of now sovereign Ukraine ...
Surely, many readers of the site have watched the film "72 meters" at one time. There is an episode in which the crew of the Black Sea submarine must choose - the Ukrainian oath and service in the sunny Crimea or the polar hills, where the boat will have to leave. With few exceptions, the crew chooses loyalty to duty, and to the sound of the "Farewell of the Slav" they leave the pier where the "solemn event" was planned.
This episode immediately became, as it is fashionable to say now, an Internet meme and, by the way, the reason that the rental of "72 meters" in Ukraine was banned. But ... this episode is not fictional at all. Many people faced a similar dilemma, including, of course, the personnel of the research and instructor aviation regiment. So - about a hundred officers of the 100th IIAp, including 16 pilots headed by Lieutenant Colonel Timur Avtandilovich Apakidze (by the way, the commander of the 100th IIAp), following not the letter, but the spirit of the oath they had given, chose to leave the hospitable Crimea, having moved with families to the polar Severomorsk.
Nails would be made of these people ...
Timur Avtandilovich Apakidze in the cockpit of the Su-33
Without a doubt, these officers were carriers of a unique, at that time, experience in operating deck aircraft, without which development would have been extremely difficult. However, even with them, work on the adoption of the Su-33 and the preparation of an air wing for "Kuznetsov" could not be resumed where they were completed in the Crimea. The fact is that the 3rd Directorate of the State Scientific Research Institute of the Air Force remained in Ukraine, which was engaged in testing the aviation of the Navy. As a result, all materials and documents on the stages of flight design and state tests of the Su-33, performed in Crimea, were unavailable - “fraternal” Ukraine categorically refused to transfer them to the Russian Federation. One of the Su-27K (T10K-7), which remained at the Kirovskoe airfield in the Crimea, was also "jammed".
But that was not all. In Crimea, NITKA remained - a unique training complex for training pilots of carrier-based aviation, capable of even simulating the pitching when landing on the deck of an aircraft-carrying cruiser. Subsequently, it was still possible to agree with Ukraine on the operation of this complex, and, starting in July 1994, the training of aviation personnel of the Russian Navy was resumed on it, but for two whole years after the appearance of Kuznetsov in the north (1992-1993), it turned out to be is not available to us. And later ..., for example, in 1994, Ukraine let our pilots to the thread for a whole month. But it was not only about the complex, of course. During the Soviet era, the most complex infrastructure for the development of carrier-based aircraft was created in the Crimea, and NITKA, in fact, was a part of it. And in Severomorsk, except for military airfields, by and large, there was nothing.
In other words, after the collapse of the USSR, we lost the infrastructure for research and training of deck pilots, as well as a lot of materials on previously performed tests. The country, of course, did not have the funds to restore all this in any way to the full extent. The only "training ground" on which the state tests of the Su-33 could be resumed was, in fact, the aircraft carrier itself. But here, too, not everything was in order.
It is well known that a huge problem for our aircraft-carrying ships (and not only them) was the lack of equipped basing sites. And, I must say that some conclusions from the operation of the aircraft carrier of previous projects in the USSR were nevertheless made. So, Kuznetsov in Vidyaevo was awaited by a pontoon-spacer specially made at ChSZ - a very complex engineering structure, created specifically to ensure the basing of the newest aircraft carrier in the north. For this, special mooring devices, communications for supplying power to the ship, and even living quarters for service personnel were mounted on the pontoon. But, of course, the Black Sea shipbuilders could not supply their creation with a powerful boiler room, coupled with a power plant - it was assumed that the pontoon would only serve as a link between the ship and the corresponding land infrastructure. But they didn't manage to build it, as a result of which there was absolutely not enough steam and electricity for Kuznetsov. As a result, as on other aircraft carrier before him, the crew of the "Kuznetsov" is forced to constantly keep one of its engine-boiler rooms in working condition. Which, of course, had the most negative impact on the resource of mechanisms.
Now it will be extremely difficult to say what is the reason for the first breakdowns of the power plant "Kuznetsov" - someone thinks that the issue is in the initial "capriciousness" of the boiler and turbine plant, on the other hand, one should listen to those who argue that despite the operation, the fleet could well cope with this, if not for chronic underfunding and low qualifications of conscripts, whom they simply did not have time to train to work with such mechanisms, as well as difficulties encountered in obtaining spare parts and components for boilers. In any case, certain difficulties arose from the very first days of operation - warranty specialists worked on the ship, including due to the vibration of the third vehicle, which captured the network in the Mediterranean Sea. During the next exit to the sea, one of the main turbines of the ship broke down, which required a very thorough and expensive repair.
All of the above, no doubt, largely predetermined the use of the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov" in subsequent years. For three years, in the period 1992-1994, the ship spent 3-4 months at sea, the crew was trained, flight design and state tests of the Su-33 were carried out. Seemingly banal lines, but what was behind that? In fact, it was necessary to revise the entire training program for deck pilots, excluding training at the NITKA simulator complex, it was necessary to somehow teach people to "transfer" from an unusual airfield directly to the deck. And this was in conditions when the equipment responsible for takeoff and landing operations was junk on the ship. As V.P. Zablotsky writes in his monograph devoted to the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov":
« The most serious drawback was the mismatch of the light zones of the OSB "Luna-3" and the television monitoring and control system of the landing "Otvodok-Liberation" with the onboard equipment of the radio engineering system ("Resistor K-42")».
In the spring of 1993, the first four production Su-33s were at the disposal of the 279th aircraft, and 1994 became, in a way, a landmark for our carrier-based aviation. First, the state tests of the aircraft were completed, and the final chord was the successful interception by a pair of Su-33s and the destruction of the La-17 target aircraft against the background of the sea. Secondly, at the same time, the fleet received 24 Su-33s, which made it possible to staff our only carrier-based aviation regiment. Nevertheless, the aforementioned difficulties with personnel training led to the fact that by 1994 only a leader group was ready, consisting of 10 pilots who were allowed to fly from a ship and ... difficulties still remained.
The impossibility of using the NITKA simulator, for example, led to the fact that the pilots could not work out the night takeoff and landing, although earlier such flights were carried out from the TAKR in Crimea. As a result, I had to be content with flights only in the daytime and at dusk. A number of malfunctions in control systems did not allow our aviation to work out the group use of fighters and their joint actions with the anti-submarine group.
The credits exercise in 1994 demonstrated the potential capabilities of our carrier-based aircraft. The flights were carried out by six Su-33s, divided into three deuces. The first of them was piloted by test pilots of the Sukhoi Design Bureau V.G. Pugachev and S.N. Melnikov, who were supposed to portray enemy aircraft striking the TAKR from a distance of about 800 km. The second pair of aircraft (T.A. Apakidze and V.V. Dubovoy) and the third (I.S.Kozhin and K.B. Kochkarev) were supposed to provide air defense of the formation, which included the aircraft carrier outside the ship's air defense systems.
The most interesting thing about these exercises was that NATO aircraft took an active part in them. When entering the designated patrol area, a couple of T.A. Apakidze - V.V. Oak means of onboard equipment Su-33 found an unidentified target 280 km from the cruiser and were immediately reoriented to intercept it. The target turned out to be the Norwegian patrol "Orion", after its interception the Su-33s returned to the assigned task - aircraft piloted by V.G. Pugachev and S.N. Melnikov, were discovered and "destroyed" by air-to-air missiles.
The same thing happened in the second pair of Su-33s, which were piloted by I.S. Kozhin and K.B. Kochkarev - during the exit to the patrol area, planes were found starting from Norwegian airfields. By the decision of the ship's control and guidance station, the pilots first intercepted the descendants of the ancient Vikings, and then continued the training mission, which was also completed.
Of course, if we compare the crediting exercises of deck aviation of the Northern Fleet that took place in 1994 with the training process of US aircraft carriers, then the incomparability of scale is immediately evident - well, what are only six aircraft ... However, you need to understand that our naval pilots took their first steps, and in the most difficult conditions. At the same time, these exercises have already demonstrated the unconditional usefulness of the carrier-based air group, which consisted of horizontal take-off and landing aircraft, even if the most limited in number.
In theory, large ships of the Northern Fleet were able to detect air targets 280 km away, but provided that the plane was flying high enough that the radio horizon did not interfere with its detection. And even having discovered such an aircraft, not a single ship of the fleet, including heavy nuclear missile cruisers, had weapons that could destroy it at such a range. The duration of the aircraft's stay in the air also attracted attention. Unlike the Yak-38 "mast defense aircraft", the newest Su-33s could be deployed for patrolling in remote areas. Both pairs of Su-33s, having received one mission, in the course of its implementation were reoriented to another, unscheduled (interception of NATO aircraft), successfully solved it, and then returned to the original task without landing and refueling.
In the winter of 1994-995. "Kuznetsov" underwent the first more or less serious repair of the main boilers, including the replacement of pipes, but judging by further events, it was not done very well - in 1995, during the exit to sea, the ship lost its speed. The reasons voiced earlier - operation in the Far North, the complexity of the boiler and turbine installation, general underfunding and the continuing collapse of the armed forces - led to the fact that the ship that entered service in 1991 already in 1995 actually needed a major overhaul of the power plant. Of course, this is an abnormal situation for a modern warship, but in the period 1991-1995. the situation in the fleet and in the country as a whole was infinitely far from the concept of "normal". And instead of repairing the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov" went to his first military service in the Mediterranean Sea.
The exit took place on December 23, 1995, while Kuznetsov became the basis of the multipurpose aircraft carrier group (AMG), which, in addition to the aircraft carrier, included the Volk multipurpose nuclear submarine (Project 971 Schuka-B), the Fearless destroyer (project 956), ICR "Pylky" (project 11352). They were supported by the SB-406 tugboat and the Olekma tanker of the Northern Fleet, sailing from AMG to the Bay of Biscay, and later by the Shakhtar tug and the Ivan Bubnov tanker. As far as the author understood, the tanker "Dnestr" accompanied AMG on a constant basis.
Without a doubt, and despite the presence of the latest aircraft carrier in the AMG, such a squadron was only a shadow of the naval power of the USSR, capable of keeping dozens of warships and submarines in the Mediterranean on a permanent basis. Alas, the times of the 5th OPESK are a thing of the past, and most likely forever. Nevertheless, to demonstrate the military presence, our AMG was quite suitable, and its composition made it possible to work out the actions of Kuznetsov's carrier-based aircraft "in conditions close to combat."
Unfortunately, by 1995 the 57th scud was not ready for combat work in full force. So, the 279th kiap received 24 Su-33s, so both of its squadrons were fully equipped with materiel, but only the first was "ready for the march and battle", the aircraft of which could be distinguished by the image of an eagle on the keels (the machines of the second squadron had a tiger in the same place).
As a result, Kuznetsov went to his first combat service with an air group of 13 fighters, that is, a dozen Su-33s of the first squadron, as well as one aircraft of the pilot batch (T10K-9, which was assigned the number 109), two training aircraft Su-25UTG , as well as 11 Ka-27, Ka-27PS and Ka-29 helicopters from the 830th kplvp. At the same time, there were 15 combat fighter pilots on board the Kuznetsov, who were allowed to fly the Su-33 from the deck of the ship, not counting T.A. Apakidze (commander of the air division) and his deputy, Colonel Vlasov (with them, respectively, 17), as well as 11 helicopter crews.
Naturally, the naval pilots were distinguished by the highest qualifications, suffice it to say that out of 15 fighter pilots, 14 were sniper pilots or 1st class pilots. The engineering and technical staff were able to match them - almost all of them had experience in servicing flight equipment in combat services. In addition to the pilots of the 57th scud, test pilots were also present on the aircraft carrier, whose task was to conduct a number of tests of the Su-33 in the Mediterranean Sea.
The hike lasted 110 days - starting on December 23, 1995, it ended on March 22, 1996. 14,000 miles traveled across the waters of two oceans and five seas, 30 flight shifts were carried out (that is, days during which aviation flights were carried out), during this time Su-33s made 400 (according to other sources - 524) sorties, helicopters - 700 (according to other sources - 996), including 250 for searching and tracking submarines.
The first combat service "Kuznetsov" had the following consequences. First, it turned out that the ship is fully capable of performing the role of a "floating airfield" for aircraft based on it. So, for example, in the period from 19 to 23 January 1996 (that is, not for 5 days in a row) 5 flight shifts were carried out and the Su-33 took off 67 times. It seems to be not enough, especially against the background of the capabilities of the American "Nimitz", designed to perform more than a hundred flights a day. But remember that the Kuznetsov Air Division had only 13 aircraft at its disposal, and the average number of sorties was 13.4 per day - that is, each aircraft took off once for five days in a row.
In fact, during these five days, from 8 to 20 flights per day were made, that is, some of the aircraft carried out 2 flights during one day. Or, for example, the flights on January 26-27 - on the first day the Su-33 made 21 sorties, on the second - 12 more, and it is not a fact that all 13 available aircraft took off. All this is quite comparable with the indicators of American carrier-based aviation, but one must understand that no one set the task of providing for the Kuznetsov air group maximum number departures. For the first time, an aircraft carrier with a Su-33 on board entered combat service, and a lot of things should have been checked and worked out in practice - accordingly, we can say that the actual number of flights per day on the plane was not the maximum, but, so to speak, “ comfortable working ".
The interaction of heterogeneous forces - surface and submarine ships with carrier-based aircraft - was worked out. The TAKR air group successfully intercepted numerous reconnaissance and patrol aircraft of NATO countries, tracked the US AUG, helicopters detected and escorted foreign submarines, "working" in conjunction with the nuclear submarine "Volk". When "Kuznetsov" returned home in the second half of March, he took part in a large exercise of the Northern Fleet, in which, in addition to him, up to 40 warships and submarines, as well as up to 50 aircraft and helicopters of naval aviation were involved.
During these exercises, the destroyer "Fearless" was nominated as a long-range radar patrol ship 200 km from the order, in which the aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov" followed. Having received information from him, the Su-33, operating at a distance of 500 km from the aircraft carrier, intercepted and "destroyed" the four Tu-22M3, which could not reach the missile launch line on the aircraft returning from combat service. It should also be noted that the TAKR's "air umbrella" was built in two echelons - the long-range one was focused on intercepting enemy aircraft, and the near one - on the destruction of anti-ship missiles.
In other words, of course, it is possible and necessary to say that the absence of long-range radar weapons significantly reduces the capabilities of the Kuznetsov air group, but in no case should we forget that even in as it stands"Kuznetsov" significantly strengthened our fleet, providing it with such opportunities that the fleet never had before. The experience of the first combat service of "Kuznetsov" testified that the presence of the aircraft carrier increases the combat stability of a ship formation operating in a distant sea or ocean zone by 1.5-2 times.
Secondly ... alas, but the first combat service demonstrated the extreme weakness of the ship's power plant. At the very beginning of the campaign, when the aircraft carrier was just leaving the Kola Bay, a seven-point storm began, during which two of eight boilers went out of order, and at the time of returning to the base, only two boilers were working on the ship. Accordingly, in April 1996, Kuznetsov was put on repair, from which it only came out by the summer of 1998. I must say that if it were not for chronic underfunding renovation works, the ship would not have to spend two whole years at the quay wall. And the quality of repairs was probably lame, and besides, the "wild 90s", underfunding and a decline in the qualifications of the personnel had a strong impact. In the period 1998-1999 Kuznetsov continued to serve in the fleet, but in 1999 one boiler and one (out of four) GTZA were completely out of order.
Despite this, in 2000, "Kuznetsov" was supposed to go to the second military service, but it was canceled in connection with the tragic death of the submarine "Kursk". As a result, instead of the BS, the ship got on a three-year medium repair. Then, during 2004-2007, the ship again plunged into the everyday life of military service, while in 2004 it went to the North Atlantic as part of a ship group, and from December 5, 2007 to February 3, 2008, it made another BS - a voyage to the Mediterranean Sea. Then - 7 months of repair at the "Zvezdochka" and service until May 2014, when the ship that had just returned from a cruise to the shores of Syria got up for a short three-month repair. Service again, and from January to June 15, 2016 - restoration of technical readiness before a new long-distance campaign and - participation in hostilities in Syria.
In general, we can say the following - for the period from January 29, 1991, when the naval flag first flew over Kuznetsov, and until October 2017, when work began on the overhaul of the aircraft carrier, 26 years and 8 months had passed. During this time, the ship was under repair for about 6 years and 5 months, that is, only 24% of the total being in the fleet. It should be borne in mind that under normal conditions and with the availability of timely funding, a two-year repair in 1996-98 and a three-year one in 2001-2004 could have been carried out much faster, or a much larger volume could have been produced in the same period. repair work.
In other words, the ingrained opinion that "Kuznetsov" does not crawl out of repairs has no basis... The problem is different - a huge ship, which has been in the fleet for 27 years, has not yet received a single major overhaul ...
"Admiral Kuznetsov" is a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser (in fact, a full-fledged aircraft carrier), which is part of the Russian fleet. Founded in 1982 under the name "Riga", during construction it was renamed "Leonid Brezhnev", and when it was launched in 1987 it received the name "Tbilisi". At the final stage of testing in 1990, the "Admiral Kuznetsov" was named. The ship's displacement is 58.6 thousand tons. The crew is 1,960 people.
The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" at sea. 
Construction and operation
The design of the new aircraft-carrying cruiser of the Soviet fleet was carried out at the Nevsky Design Bureau under the direction of designer Sergeev. It differed from four similar ships already built by that time (project "Kiev") by the presence of a take-off springboard and an enlarged deck, and was supposed to become the first in a new class of aircraft-carrying cruisers.
The bookmark of the ship took place on September 1, 1982. It was built at the shipyards of the Black Sea shipbuilding plant in the city of Nikolaev, the Leningrad Proletarsky plant was engaged in the production of equipment for it.
The launching of the ship was carried out on December 4, 1985, after which the further installation of equipment and the installation of weapons were carried out afloat. By 1989, when the ship was 71% ready, its sea trials began, including aircraft landing and takeoff. In December 1991, the cruiser, having rounded Europe, made the transition from the Black Sea to the Vidyaevo base ( Murmansk region) and joined the Northern Fleet of Russia.
Retrofitting of the ship and its tests continued. He received the first permanent carrier group (Su-33 fighters) in 1993. In December 1995, "Admiral Kuznetsov" made the first independent 90-day cruise to the Mediterranean Sea with 13 Su-33s and 11 helicopters on board.
Until 1998 it was under repair. In 2004 and 2007, as part of a group of ships, he made cruises to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. In 2008 it underwent a new renovation and modernization. In 2014, the cruiser's air group received new MiG-29K aircraft. In October 2016 he was sent to the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Syria.
Aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" before repair. 
Aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" after repair. 
Design features
The hull of the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" consists of seven decks and includes a large number of bulkheads capable of withstanding the impact of 400 kg of ammunition (in TNT equivalent), which increases the survivability of the ship. It differs from most conventional aircraft carriers in the use of take-off ramps, the power plant and the presence of the Granit anti-aircraft missile systems.
The rejection of catapults and the use of takeoff from a springboard made it possible to save on weight and energy maintenance of the ship, while reducing the likelihood of the impossibility of using aircraft due to the failure of the equipment of the catapults. On the other hand, such a solution complicates the take-off and landing of aircraft - they are possible only from one side of the deck and in one direction.
The Admiral Kuznetsov's fuel oil power plant is distinguished by increased smoke generation during operation, but the use of fuel oil as fuel significantly reduces the cost of maintaining the ship and its repair. In addition, the fuel oil stored in the cruiser's double hull is part of the anti-torpedo protection.
On the bow of the ship there are Granit anti-ship missile launchers capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 700 km. With their help, "Admiral Kuznetsov" can destroy enemy ships and fire at coastal targets without raising the aircraft of the wing. When firing "Granites" aircraft take-off from the deck is impossible.
MiG-29K takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov". 
MiG-29K takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov". 
Armament TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov"
The ship's main weapon is its air group. It includes 14 Su-33 and 10 MiG-29K fighters. In addition, there are 15 Ka-27 multipurpose helicopters and 2 Ka-31 reconnaissance helicopters (a radar patrol helicopter) on board.
12 complexes of anti-ship missiles "Granit" make up the strike weapons of the cruiser. To counter enemy aircraft, it is equipped with 24 launchers of the Dagger anti-aircraft missile system and 8 Kortik air defense missile systems.
The Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" will be transferred to the Mediterranean Sea, to the shores of Syria in the fall. According to a military source, the ship's air group will strike at the positions of ISIS militants (Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) and other gangs in Syria from October 2016 to January 2017. Interestingly, rumors about the sending of "Admiral Kuznetsov" on their first combat mission appeared earlier, but were denied after the partial withdrawal of Russian military aircraft from the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Now plans, apparently, have changed again.
"Complex" ship requires running-in before deep modernization
"Admiral Kuznetsov", which became part of the Navy in 1991, initially turned out to be a rather problematic ship. Largely due to the fact that the ship was intended to be multifunctional - it performs the functions of both a missile cruiser ("Kuznetsov" carries 12 heavy anti-ship missiles P-700 "Granit") and an aircraft carrier. Compared to the same American Nimitz class aircraft carriers, Russian counterpart has a noticeably smaller displacement (59 thousand tons versus 101 thousand tons), and a smaller air wing - 50 machines (helicopters and airplanes) versus 66 (however, if necessary, it can be 90 units).
In addition, the abandonment of the steam catapult in favor of a springboard on the Admiral Kuznetsov led to the fact that the aircraft carrier did not receive early warning and control aircraft (AWACS), which is why it “controls” a much smaller area than American aircraft carriers. Well, the main problem of the only Russian aircraft carrier is its power plant. Unlike the Nimitz, equipped with a nuclear reactor, the Kuznetsov used a boiler-turbine installation, which, moreover, proved to be extremely unreliable. Endless breakdowns and long repairs have long become a habit when it comes to this ship. The problem of an unreliable power plant is also that the ship is unable to maintain "full speed" for a long time, which is necessary for takeoff of military aircraft with a full suspension of weapons and fuel. As a result, planes take off either with a limited fuel supply or with reduced ammunition.
In addition, the aircraft carrier's air wing never approached the "standard" one in terms of numbers - as a rule, there are no more than 7-8 heavy carrier-based Su-33 fighters on the ship. And these fighters themselves, at the moment, are capable of solving only the tasks of gaining air supremacy, and for ground targets they can only use free-fall bombs and unguided aircraft missiles, since their avionics (avionics) correspond to the basic model of the Su-27 fighter. and the actual modernization of the sides has not yet been carried out.
The situation is somewhat corrected by the MiG-29K light fighter, which was originally developed for the requirements of the Indian military, and later ordered for the Russian fleet. This vehicle is equipped with modern avionics, which allows the use of a wide range of air-to-surface weapons. According to military sources, the "Admiral Kuznetsov" will go to Syria with an air wing of 15 aircraft (apparently, 8 Su-33 and 7 MiG-29K) and about 10 helicopters (assault Ka-52K, multi-purpose Ka-27 and AWACS helicopters Ka-31 ). In this configuration, the ship is "filled" with aviation by about 50-60% of the standard tactical and technical characteristics, which will make it possible to conduct at least a training-combat operation in Syria. The small number of boards is largely due to the lack of a sufficient number of carrier-based aircraft pilots.
Taking into account the fact that in the spring of 2017 "Admiral Kuznetsov" will go for a long overhaul with modernization, the operation in Syria will be a good testing ground in order to identify the ship's weakest points. The experience gained will make it possible to optimally carry out the modernization of the ship and the wing. Combat experience for pilots is also very important. The same can explain the appearance on Kuznetsov of the Ka-52K attack helicopters, which were originally built for the ill-fated Mistrals, and are not suitable for a full-fledged aircraft carrier - there is simply a task to test the equipment as much as possible in combat conditions.
Taking into account the fact that the number of combat aircraft at the Khmeimim airbase is now noticeably lower than at the beginning of the operation, the MiG-29K strikes may turn out to be some positive contribution to the overall balance of forces, however, no turning point should be expected. As for the Su-33, they will provide air cover for attack vehicles. Their own strike potential is not well suited to the Syrian conflict.
In the state that it is now, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" is a very ineffective force. Considering that there are no even theoretical prospects for getting a new aircraft carrier earlier than by the mid-2030s (construction is unlikely to start until 2025, but will last about 10 years), it is very important to bring at least the only one into a combat-ready state. " Kuznetsov ". Even if only with the goal of retaining personnel capable of servicing such a ship and fighting on it. With the right approach, it is possible to make a ship out of Admiral Kuznetsov capable of short-term combat missions at the level of the Russian Air Force contingent at the Khmeimim airbase anywhere in the world. To do this, you need to take several basic steps during the upgrade:
1) Replace the ship's propulsion system. The ideal would be to use a nuclear reactor. This will allow the ship to maintain "full speed" without any problems, which will allow the aircraft to take off with a full combat load, and will also significantly increase reliability.
2) Carry out a deep modernization of the existing Su-33 fighters, with the installation of modern avionics, corresponding to such machines as the Su-30SM or Su-35S. In this configuration, 14 Su-33s and 12 MiG-29Ks will be able to perform both strike missions and gain air superiority.
3) To somewhat "unload" the ship by removing the P-700 "Granit" anti-ship missile launchers from it, which, according to some information, after one of the accidents on the ship are completely inoperative. Better that the aircraft carrier is an aircraft carrier.
4) Install modern electronic equipment on the ship.
5) During the repair and modernization, train a sufficient number of carrier-based aviation pilots, as well as "put in order" the supply ships. Otherwise, it will be impossible to deploy the standard 50 aircraft on the ship.
Such a modernization program will last at least 4 years, but the output will be practically a new combat complex. Taking into account the very, very vague prospects for the construction of new aircraft carriers (among other things, there are big questions about the feasibility of such a project at the moment, given the state of the shipbuilding industry and the geographical location of Russia), it is possible to make a ship from the "raw" "Admiral Kuznetsov" to solve combat missions even before the age of 40.
Alexander Gelovani
The story of the campaign "Admiral Kuznetsov" to the shores of Syria in the media and social networks has become a thriller.
People who are very far from the navy and the military topic in general, with enthusiasm worthy of better application, argued about whether an aircraft-carrying cruiser should smoke and what kind of smoke, how many planes and helicopters fit on board and in its holds, whether it needs refueling, and so on. Let's leave alone the frolicking on social networks. It is much more interesting to answer the question - what is Admiral Kuznetsov doing off the coast of Syria? Why is he there? I am afraid that the simple answer - in order to fight, is not enough.
To begin with, let's figure out what "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" is, this is how the full name of an aircraft-carrying cruiser sounds.
The decision to build its own aircraft carrier was made by the Soviet leadership on March 3, 1981. Over the years of its existence, the first and only Soviet aircraft-carrying cruiser changed its name several times. During the design period, the name of the cruiser sounded like "Soviet Union". The aircraft-carrying cruiser was designed in Leningrad by the "Nevsky Design Bureau" under the leadership of Yu.D. Sergeeva. When it was laid, it was named after the capital of the then Soviet Latvia "Riga".
© REUTERS / Norwegian Royal Airforce
Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
The construction of the cruiser was completed at the Black Sea shipyard in the City of Nikolaev in December 1987. Then the cruiser was called "Leonid Brezhnev".
Later, during tests, the cruiser bore the name of the capital of Georgia - "Tbilisi".
And finally, upon commissioning, the cruiser was named after Fleet Admiral Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov, who headed the USSR Navy during the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period. In 1993, the first serial bombers began to arrive for his air group, the same ones that hit targets in Syria yesterday.
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Of course, the decision to have its own aircraft carrier was made by the Soviet leadership for a reason. In general, the battle between the USSR and the United States was often portrayed as a battle between the Behemoth and the Leviathan, the land force against the sea. The USSR was perceived as the main continental power, and the USA as the main maritime power. That was enough deep meaning because the United States began its first steps as a world power with "gunboat diplomacy." This is the name given to the actions of the Americans during the suppression of the boxer uprising in China, as well as the wars with Spain over Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The USSR, as the legal successor Russian Empire, on the contrary, it was perceived exclusively as a continental, that is, a land force. Thus, the decision of the Kremlin leadership to build the first Soviet aircraft carrier may well be regarded as an attempt to play on the enemy's field.
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" and the TFR "Admiral Grigorovich" are for the first time involved in an operation in Syria
To play does not mean to win, because it is clear that one aircraft-carrying cruiser could not compete in any way with the aircraft carriers of the United States, of which the United States had fifteen by that time. And the backbone of the Soviet Navy during the Cold War was not surface ships at all, but nuclear submarines with nuclear weapons on board. However, the political significance of this decision is clear. In addition, the USSR was supposed to have a tool for its "gunboat diplomacy", if necessary, of course.
"Admiral Kuznetsov" was commissioned a few months before the end of the Soviet Union and there was no opportunity to use it for its intended purpose. And today a Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser has appeared in the eastern Mediterranean.
Many military experts were very skeptical about this throw of the Russian aircraft carrier group - after all, what's the point when the Russian Federation has a ground air base on the territory of the same Syria, where you can place as many aircraft as you like. And yet there is a sense, only it is not military, but military-political.
First, let's go back to the nature of the war in Syria. On the one hand, of course, it is religious war of our time within the framework of Islamic civilization. In addition, this war is the end of the Sykes-Picot colonial system, which divided the Middle East into mandated territories of Great Britain and France in the distant twenties. However, the war in Syria can rightfully be called a war for the "Soviet inheritance". Moreover, this is the first war for this very legacy, in which the Russian Federation decided to intervene as the legal successor of the Soviet Union.
Indeed, almost all the countries that were in the Soviet zone of influence, including the countries of Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, were reformatted, to put it mildly, without the direct participation of Moscow. Syria turned out to be the first country that the Kremlin decided to defend to the end with almost all the means at its disposal, including the military. Given this circumstance, it becomes clear such a military-political step as the appearance of a Russian aircraft-carrying cruiser in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean. In fact, this is another confirmation of the fact that for the Kremlin, Syria is the very red line for which it will not leave.
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" and the TFR "Admiral Grigorovich" are for the first time involved in an operation in Syria
A squadron in the eastern Mediterranean, consisting of two of the strongest surface ships of the Russian fleet - the heavy missile cruiser Peter the Great and the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, with escort ships (large anti-submarine ships Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov and three submarine boats), this is not just a military action, it is an application for the status of a country that can build its own construct in international politics.
So the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is off the coast of Syria today, which is not so illogical as some military experts think. The cannons of Louis XIV bore the inscription "The Last Argument of the Kings". In Syria, and therefore in today's world politics, these arguments have been spoken for a long time, and they are being spoken quite loudly.
