An aircraft carrier is a type of warship that includes a certain amount of combat aircraft, which also represents the main striking force. On board there is a runway of the required length for aircraft take-off, hangars, refueling facilities, maintenance and flight control. Despite its large dimensions, the aircraft carrier is a highly maneuverable ship and responds quite quickly to deployment signals. One of the representatives of such military equipment is the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. More on this below.
Such ships are used by many countries to perform duty services along the water borders of a particular state. They are also intended to assist in the event of enemy forces invading territory. They are used to destroy various enemy boats, as well as to destroy airborne equipment located above the water and in the coastal zone.
An aircraft carrier must have a powerful power plant and a large supply of fuel in order to remain at a distance from the shore for a long period.
Historical path
The first steps towards the construction of the above-mentioned cruiser were taken in 1982. It changed its name several times due to historical events. Finally, in 1990, after lengthy sea trials, his final name appeared on board - “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.” And a year later, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser was in Russian naval service. This is a reliable fact.
At the time of the start of construction, aircraft carriers were already in service. Each of them performed specific functions. However, the ship "Admiral Kuznetsov" had a significant difference. That is, it has elongated deck dimensions. This allowed aircraft to perform the traditional type of takeoff and landing.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, in the early 1990s, the Russian Navy became quite concerned that the Ukrainian authorities might lay claim to ownership of the cruiser. Therefore, at the end of 1991, he was secretly transported to the city of Severomorsk, which was the new home base of the aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov. Since that time, he has undergone many tests of various kinds. It is also replenished with a new combat unit - SU-33 serial fighters.
In 1995, in honor of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy, the aircraft carrier-cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov set out on a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea. After passing, he stopped off the coast of Tunisia. At the same time, an American ship was also present there. This allowed some training trials to be completed jointly. According to eyewitnesses, during the joint mooring of the two aircraft carriers, there were corresponding takeoffs and landings of aircraft from both the Russian and American Navy. Some Russian military personnel were even able to ride on US aircraft. The aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" did not disappoint and the command was satisfied with further exercises. But not without negative aspects. Throughout the entire sea voyage, there was a constant failure of the power plant, and there were problems with other ship systems. This indicated his incomplete combat readiness. And just a short period of time after arriving home, after a thorough repair, the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov set off on another journey again. Operation Kursk took place in 2000 not without his participation.
In 2004, the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov sailed into the North Atlantic together with nine ships of the Northern Fleet. The main purpose of the trip was to test the takeoff and landing of the new SU-25KUB fighter. This was followed by regular trips on duty (2005-2007). And in 2007, the cruiser set off on another voyage to the Mediterranean Sea, where everything went well.
Of course, in addition to successful voyages, there were also incidents on board the aircraft carrier. emergency situations, from which not a single ultra-modern warship in the world is immune:
- The first incident happened at the end of 2004. As a result of the next trip, a minor accident occurred on board the cruiser while landing on the deck of the SU-25UTG. But, fortunately, everything ended with only damage to the aircraft landing gear, and the ship did not suffer significant losses.
- Misfortune also befell the aircraft carrier in the early fall of 2005 in the North Atlantic. Here the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov suffered more significant losses. When two SU-33 fighters were landing, one lost control and fell into the water. The pilot ejected already at great depth. The second device was saved through the joint efforts of the crew. They tried to destroy the sunken car, which contained secret technological developments, using water bombs. However, this could not be done. Reason emergency It turned out that the arrester cable was broken.
- The next emergency occurred in January 2009. While staying in the Turkish port of Akzas-Karagach, there was a sudden fire in the bow of the deck. The crew managed to cope with this situation on their own, but the sailor died in the process. The aircraft carrier itself did not suffer significant damage.
Today, the ship "Admiral Kuznetsov" is one of the representatives of heavy naval artillery. Its main tasks are to defeat targets of a certain nature that pose a threat to the state. The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov looks worthy alongside similar combat units from various countries. How can you not be impressed by a huge twenty-story building that moves unhindered through the water element? There are 8 boilers on board the aircraft carrier and 4. With their help, it can accelerate to maximum speed at 29 knots. At this pace, it covers up to 3,800 miles, and at a speed of 18 knots - 8,500 miles. In order to be convinced of its power, you can at least look at the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, a photo of which is presented in this text.
Design Features
There is a lot of interesting things here. The Admiral Kuznetsov model has the following decks: smooth and additional take-off. These are important design elements. There is a take-off ramp at the rear of the ship, that is, the architecture of this ship is smooth-deck. This is an essential design feature. There is also a corner flight deck with an area of 14,700 m², and a developed superstructure on the starboard side. The existing springboard, which is located in the bow, has a descent angle of 14 degrees. Its implementation is integral with the hull of this aircraft carrier, which has 7 decks in height and two necessary platforms.
Chassis
As already mentioned, this aircraft-carrying cruiser has an improved power plant. It consists of 8 steam boilers and 4 turbines, each of which has a capacity of 50,000 liters. With. As a result, this system is capable of accelerating a huge machine to 29 knots and maintaining this speed for a long time. Also, the specified power plant has additional containers for fuel. With the help of such a system, this heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser is capable of staying on the water for a long time. The maximum range at a speed of 18 knots is approximately 8,500 miles.
Armament
In this regard, the appropriate equipment has been determined. The armament on the ship "Admiral Kuznetsov" is represented by aviation equipment and missile launchers. This is an important fact. The first type includes all kinds of Russian military aviation. This includes about 28 aircraft (SU-33, MiG-27K, YAK-141 series fighters) and 24 combat helicopters.
In addition, the aircraft carrier includes a number of short-, medium- and long-range missile launchers. These devices can at any time either deliver a targeted blow to the enemy or prevent a torpedo or missile from being hit. In all likelihood, they will be improved in the near future as a result of a complete modernization of the said ship.
Electronic equipment
This is also an important piece of equipment. Electronic equipment on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov allows you to constantly have a picture of the exact location of similar equipment nearby. It includes the Lumberjack system and the Mars-Passat multifunctional device. This also includes devices such as Fregat-2M, which allows you to detect targets in three-dimensional space, and Podkat, for detecting aircraft at low altitudes. This ship also has certain communication and flight control systems. All this allows you to accurately determine the enemy’s position and deliver effective strikes, as well as have constant communication with your allies.
Technical characteristics of this cruiser
The following is taken into account:
- The main manufacturer of the aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” is the Black Sea company for the construction of warships in the city of Nikolaev.
- Developer: Nevskoye PKB OJSC.
- The maximum speed of the ship is 29-30 knots. The usual chassis is 18.
- The maximum range in optimal driving is 18,000 miles.
- In offline mode it can work for about 45 days.
- It has a displacement of 58,500 tons.
Crew
Of course, to keep the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov afloat, a significant number of qualified crew is needed. It consists of 1960 people, of which 200 are officers. Due to the fact that the main combat power is represented by aviation equipment, there are 626 pilots on board. Of these, the command staff consists of 40 people. Also on the said ship there are 3857 necessary rooms. This includes 387 cabins, 50 showers and 6 dining rooms, 120 storage rooms.
Improvement
Although the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov has been proving its full combat readiness for many years and quite effectively fulfills its assigned tasks, like all equipment, it requires appropriate modern modernization. The designers and developers of the ship are not going to stop there and in the near future they plan to improve this combat vehicle, giving it additional power and installing additional modern weapons.
First of all, modernization will affect the power plant, since this is the most problematic place and often leads to minor breakdowns. It is planned to replace the existing boiler-turbine installation. In this regard, several options are being considered, that is, they are going to replace it with a gas or nuclear turbine unit. This will limit the number of breakdowns and also add additional load-bearing capacity to the ship.
Weapons will also undergo some changes. In the future, it is possible that the Granit missile launchers will be eliminated. As a result, the area of aircraft parking spaces will increase, and, accordingly, the number of aircraft units themselves will increase. Kinzhal missile launchers are also subject to replacement with improved medium-range anti-aircraft devices. This is important. For short-range installations, it is planned to replace the existing ones with the Pantsir-S1 complex. It will include 4-6 anti-aircraft artillery devices. With all this, it is planned to install on the specified aircraft-carrying cruiser modern system radio-electronic equipment. With its help, interactions with other warships will be monitored in the future.
It is planned to equip the aircraft carrier with catapults as a launch system. Since no one is going to give up the runway and jumps in the future, then, accordingly, they will be located on the corner deck. To ensure launch using steam catapults, it is necessary to have a nuclear power plant. This is what the developers strive for. But if the ship has gas turbine unit, then steam catapults will be replaced by electromagnetic ones. This device is not an innovation in combat shipbuilding. Many foreign aircraft carriers already have a similar system in use. It was also tested by our developers even during the existence of the Soviet Union. Therefore, it is worthwhile to correctly fit it into the design of the Admiral Kuznetsov ship.
The number will include 26 MiG-29K fighters and helicopters (from 18 to 28 units). In general, the release of the updated cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is planned for 2020. By this time, the release of the new generation T-50 fighters is already expected, which will undoubtedly appear on board the ship.
It’s even scary to imagine the capabilities of the updated cruiser, including the existing ones!
Current condition of the ship
Today, this heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser protects the interests of Russia. In general, he copes well with the assigned tasks. It has advanced weapons and is capable of preventing almost any enemy invasion. And it was his campaign in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic that renewed the presence of the Russian navy in the World Ocean. Such types of warships as the indicated cruiser are in service with most countries. Therefore, Russian developers are making every effort to modernize it.
Conclusion
Having read the above, everyone can imagine what it is, what functions it performs, as well as what military equipment possesses the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. Overall, this ship is definitely an impressive combat unit in the army. Russian Federation.
The Navy is one of the most effective tools geopolitics. American Admiral Alfred Mahan, in his book “The Influence of Sea Power on History,” stated that the fleet influences politics by the very fact of its existence. It's hard to argue with that. For more than two centuries, the boundaries of the British Empire were defined by the pennants of its warships, and in the last century, hegemony in the world's oceans passed to the US Navy. The main striking force of the American fleet are aircraft carriers - huge floating airfields, with the help of which the United States firmly and confidently imposes its interests on the whole world.
What about Russia? Currently, the Russian Navy has in service one ship capable of providing take-off and landing of classical aircraft. aerodynamic design is the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser (TAKR or TAVKR) “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”.
Admiral Kuznetsov was designed and built back in the Soviet Union, it became the first true Soviet aircraft carrier and a further development of the Project 1143 Krechet heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers. The main difference between the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and most aircraft carriers is the presence of missile weapons (Granit anti-ship missiles).
For many years, disputes have not subsided as to whether such a ship is necessary for the Russian Navy, does Russia even need aircraft-carrying ships?
After launching in 1989, this heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser spent almost most of its time not on cruises, but at the quay walls of repair docks. Due to the low reliability of ship mechanisms, the only Russian aircraft carrier on voyages is always accompanied by a tug, which can come to the rescue if something happens. Military industry Russia was never able to provide this ship with a sufficient number of combat aircraft, and even fewer trained pilots capable of taking off and landing on the ship’s deck.
Military sailors call this ship “Kuzya”, and it is very difficult to say whether this nickname is affectionate or contemptuous.
History of the creation of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier
The first aircraft carriers appeared at the dawn of the 20th century, almost immediately after the emergence military aviation. At first they were seen as auxiliary ships, which should ensure effective actions of the main striking force naval forces of that time - battleships.
However, everything changed radically on December 7, 1941. On this day, Japanese aircraft sank most of the American battleships in the harbor of the Pearl Harbor base. Almost immediately after this, the United States laid down 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers. It was these ships that essentially allowed the Americans to win the war in the Pacific.
The most powerful battleship of the Japanese Navy, Yamato, was destroyed by American aircraft without causing any serious damage to the enemy.
After the end of World War II, it became clear that aircraft carriers are the new rulers of the World Ocean, and the leading maritime powers actively began building such ships. In 1961, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was launched in the United States.
In the USSR, relatively little attention was paid to aircraft-carrying ships. Stalin liked the huge ones better, powerful battleships, and few people dared to argue with him. An ardent supporter of the construction of aircraft carriers in the Soviet Union was Admiral Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov. Largely thanks to his efforts, the first projects of aircraft-carrying ships appeared in the pre-war years, but then they did not go beyond sketches and drawings. Projects for two aircraft carriers were developed at once: a large one (for 72 aircraft) and a small one (for 32 aircraft), but they were crossed out from the post-war fleet development plans. Admiral Gorshkov finally closed the Soviet aircraft carrier projects.
Soviet propaganda portrayed aircraft carriers as a weapon of aggressive war inherent in imperialism. The efficiency and combat power of these ships was underestimated, while the capabilities of Soviet missile cruisers, on the contrary, were extolled and overstated. Khrushchev was an ardent fan of missile weapons and submarine fleet, therefore, under him, the main resources of the Soviet Union were devoted to the creation of strategic submarines.
After Brezhnev came to power, the USSR resumed the development of aircraft-carrying ships. In the late 60s, Yakovlev's design bureau designed the Yak-38 vertical take-off and landing aircraft, which Yakovlev wanted to put into the fleet. The aircraft-carrying cruiser Kiev was built specifically for this vehicle in 1972, which, in addition to aircraft, was also armed with P-500 Basalt anti-ship missiles.
In total, four Project 1143 ships were launched: Kiev, Minsk, Novorossiysk and Baku. However, the Soviet Navy was in for a serious disappointment: the Yak-38 turned out to be a very unsuccessful machine, it could not take off with full fuel and weapons, and in the tropics the aircraft’s engines refused to start at all. Despite numerous modifications, it was not possible to turn this aircraft into a reliable and effective combat vehicle.
The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is, in fact, a continuation of Project 1143. They planned to produce three ships, the main difference of which was the ability to take off and land on the deck of aircraft with a traditional design. The Admiral Kuznetsov was laid down in 1981, the cruiser Varyag in 1985, and the Ulyanovsk in 1988.
The birth of the new ship was very difficult; the developers were hampered by conflicting requirements for the appearance of the aircraft carrier coming from the Ministry of Defense and the leadership of the Navy. The development of the project was carried out by the Leningrad Design Bureau; the designers offered customers five projects for a new ship, one of which included equipping it with a nuclear power plant. Only in 1982 the project was officially approved, and construction began at the Black Sea Shipyard (Nikolaev).
During construction, progressive technology was used, which consisted of forming the ship’s hull from ready-made large blocks. At the same time, in Crimea (city of Saki) was created ground complex“Thread”, on which pilots practiced their skills of taking off and landing on a ship’s deck. Initially, the aircraft-carrying cruiser was named "Riga", but already in November 1982 (after the death of the Secretary General) it was renamed "Leonid Brezhnev". In 1987, the ship received a new name - “Tbilisi”, and in 1990 - “Admiral Kuznetsov”.
Instead of the Basalt anti-ship missiles, the cruiser was armed with more modern Granit missiles, the length of the flight deck was significantly increased, and instead of a steam catapult, the ship received a springboard in the bow.
In 1989, sea trials of the ship began, at the same time the first successful landings and takeoffs of aircraft from the ship's deck were made. The aircraft-carrying cruiser showed good performance characteristics. On January 20, 1991, Admiral Kuznetsov was accepted into the Russian Northern Fleet.
Design of the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov"
The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is a continuation of the Project 1143 ships, but in a number of its characteristics it differs significantly from them. to his appearance the cruiser is more similar to classic aircraft carriers; it has a so-called through take-off deck and a springboard in the bow of the ship. Its tilt angle is 14.3°. Deck area - 14,800 m2. The cruiser is equipped with an aircraft finisher and an emergency barrier.
On the Admiral Kuznetsov, underwater structural protection (SSP) was used for the first time.
For lifting aircraft Two lifts are installed from the hangars on the Admiral Kuznetsov, capable of lifting a weight of up to 40 tons. The ship's superstructure (“island”) has 13 tiers, it is shifted to the right, which made it possible to increase the width of the runway. The deck has a special heat-resistant Omega coating that can withstand temperatures up to 450°C.
The hull is welded, it has seven decks and two platforms. The bottom is double along the entire length. The hangar for aircraft occupies 50% of the length and 70% of the width of the aircraft carrier. In addition to the aircraft, it houses tractors, fire trucks, as well as equipment for the repair and maintenance of aircraft and helicopters. In addition, the hangar is equipped with an aircraft transportation system, so that tractors are only needed for work on the upper deck. Airplanes are placed in a hangar with their wings folded, and helicopters with their main rotors removed.
The Granit anti-ship missile launchers are located at the base of the springboard; they are covered with armored covers on top. The Kinzhal air defense systems are located in sponsons at the bow and stern of the ship.
The Svetlana-2 aircraft finisher is a system of several cables stretched over the deck. They are connected to a hydraulic system that absorbs the energy of aircraft landing on the deck.
An aircraft-carrying cruiser has several navigation systems that help pilots land on the ship. A unique optical system“Luna”, allowing pilots to visually determine the correctness of the landing approach.
In addition to combat aircraft, the main armament of the heavy cruiser is the Granit anti-ship missile. Twelve missiles are placed in silo-type launchers located in the bow of the ship. To protect the ship from the air, the Kinzhal air defense system (24 launchers, 192 missiles) and the Kortik air defense missile system (8 launchers, 256 missiles) and six AK-630M rapid-fire launchers can be used. The aircraft carrier is also armed with two RBU-12000 “Boas” (60 depth charges).
However, the ship's main armament is combat aircraft who are on board. These are 50 aircraft: 26 carrier-based fighters and 24 helicopters.
The radio-electronic equipment of Admiral Kuznetsov is very diverse and includes 58 different items. Among them:
- BIUS "Lumberjack";
- Complex "Mars-Passat" with phased array;
- Fregat-MA three-dimensional radar;
- Radar for detecting low-flying targets “Podkat”;
- Communication complex "Buran-2";
- Electronic warfare complex "Sozvezdie-BR".
The power plant almost completely repeats the design used on other ships of Project 1143. It is a steam turbine, four-shaft, with a power of 20 thousand hp. With. The main power plant allows the ship to develop full speed at 29 knots and cover 8 thousand miles at 18 knots.
The installation consists of eight boilers, there is no auxiliary power plant.
The movement is carried out by the rotation of four bronze screws.
Operation of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier
Until 1994, various tests were carried out on the ship, and it received new aircraft. At the beginning of 1995, the ship's boilers were repaired. At the end of 1995, as part of the ship group “Admiral Kuznetsov”, he went on a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea. The ship visited Tunisia, Crete, Syria and Malta. At the end of the cruise, the cruiser took part in large-scale exercises. They practiced repelling air attacks, detecting enemy submarines, and carried out missile and artillery firing.
From 1996 to 1998 the ship was under repair. In 2000, Admiral Kuznetsov took part in exercises during which the Kursk submarine suffered a disaster. From 2001 to 2004, the ship was under repair.
In 2019, the aircraft carrier went to the Mediterranean Sea to lead the Russian Navy group there.
Evaluation of the aircraft carrier project "Admiral Kuznetsov"
The aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov can be called a full-fledged aircraft carrier with full confidence. However, the abandonment of steam catapults significantly complicated the use carrier-based aviation. The springboard seemed to the developers a good (and cheap) alternative to catapults, but it could not completely replace them. Su-33 aircraft are capable of solving only air defense missions, but they cannot effectively strike ground targets or enemy ships. Moreover, taking off using a ski-jump imposes restrictions on the take-off weight of aircraft, which means a reduction in their fuel reserves and the weight of weapons.
According to unofficial information, aircraft takeoffs are carried out only against the wind in windy weather. Pilots prefer not to use the ship's navigation systems, but to fly only in good visibility. Of the entire air squadron, only 6-7 aircraft are usually ready for flights.
The ship's energy system causes a lot of criticism. Almost every trip to sea is accompanied by a more or less serious emergency situation related to the operation of the power plant. It should be noted that on every long voyage the Admiral Kuznetsov is accompanied by a tug. Several cases of complete loss of speed by a ship, which almost ended in disaster, are described. Several serious fires occurred on the cruiser, which led to casualties.
Some experts believe that Admiral Kuznetsov is not of serious value as a combat unit. Moreover, its operation is dangerous and very expensive. Russian budget. They propose mothballing the ship.
If Russia plans to develop its Navy, then it cannot do without aircraft-carrying ships. "Admiral Kuznetsov", like other ships of Project 1143, can be called one of the stages of development in this direction. The Project 1143 aircraft carrier cruisers allowed the Russian fleet to accumulate the necessary experience, learn how to manage and properly use these huge and very complex ships.
Not long ago, information appeared that a large-scale modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov is planned, during which the ship’s outdated radio-electronic equipment, power plant and some weapons systems will be replaced.
Technical characteristics of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier
| Main Features | |
| Displacement, t: | |
| standard | 43000 |
| complete | 55000 |
| greatest | 61390 |
| Main dimensions, m: | |
| longest length (along the design waterline) | 306,45 (270) |
| maximum width (according to the vertical line) | 71,96 (33,41) |
| average draft (Dst/Dnorm/Dfull) | 8,05/8,97/9,76 |
| maximum draft | 10,4 |
| Main power plant | boiler-turbine, 8 KVG-4 boilers in 4 autonomous groups |
| Power, hp (kW): | |
| total 4 GTZA TV-4 | 200000 |
| turbogenerators TD-1500 | 6x1500 |
| Diesel generators DGR-1500 | 4x1500 |
| Number of shafts, pcs | 4 |
| Number of screws, pcs | 4 |
| Screws | Four-bladed |
| Travel speed, knots: | (including Ka-27PS)18 (2) |
| Percussion | PKRP "Granit-NK" |
| P-700 missiles, pcs. | 12 |
| Vertical launch units SM-233, pcs. | 12 |
| Anti-aircraft missile | SAM "Dagger" |
| Vertical launch units SM-9, pcs. | 24x8 |
| SAM 9M330-2, pcs. | 192 |
| Anti-aircraft missile and artillery | ZRAK "Dirk" |
| Number of installations, pcs | 8 |
| SAM 9M311-1, pcs. | 256 |
| 30 mm shells, pcs. | 48000 |
| Artillery | ZAK AK-630M |
| Number of installations, pcs | 6 |
| Anti-submarine/anti-torpedo | RBU-12000 "Boa constrictor-1" |
| Electronic weapons | |
| BIUS | "Lumberjack" |
| General detection radar | PLC "Mars-Passat", 4 PAR |
| NLC detection radar | 2хМР-360 "Podkat" |
| NC detection radar | 3xMP-212 “Vaigach” |
| GAS | GAS MGK-355 "Polynom-T", GAS MGK-365 "Zvezda-M1", anti-sabotage GAS MG-717 "Amulet", GAS "Altyn", ZPS MG-35 "Shtil", GAS MG-355TA |
| Electronic warfare equipment | "Constellation-RB" |
| Complexes of fired interference | 2x2 PK-2 launchers (ZiF-121), 4x10 PK-10 “Brave” launchers |
| Fire control radar | 2x “Coral-BN”, 4 control radars for the Kinzhal 3R95 air defense missile system, 4 control podules for the 3R86 “Kortik” air defense missile system |
| Navigation complex | "Beysur" |
| Radio navigation aids | "Resistor K-4", "Lawn" |
| Communications | Buran-2 complex, Kristall-BK space communications complex |
Video about the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
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Start design work to create a cruiser of project 1143.5 - 1978. The work was carried out by the Leningrad Design Bureau. The first option is an improved preliminary design of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser 1143. The design is being carried out in accordance with the research work called “Order”, which is a military-economic justification for an aircraft-carrying cruiser with nuclear installation project 1160.
The design was carried out based on the following projects:
- preliminary project 1160 - an aircraft carrier with a displacement of 80,000 tons;
- Project 1153 - a large cruiser with aircraft weapons (50 aircraft), with a displacement of 7000 tons. There are no ships laid down or built;
— design aircraft carrier recommended by the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry, displacement 80,000 tons, aircraft and helicopters up to 70 units;
- Project 1143M - an aircraft carrier armed with supersonic aircraft of the Yak-41 type. This is the third aircraft carrier ship of Project 1143 - 1143.3. It was laid down in 1975, accepted in 1982, withdrawn from service in 1993;
- Project 1143A - Project 1143M aircraft carrier with increased displacement. The fourth aircraft-carrying cruiser built. Laid down in 1978, accepted in 1982. Since 2004, the ship has been modernized for the Indian Navy. Accepted into the Indian Navy in 2012;
- Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser is the next fifth modification of Project 1143 and the fifth aircraft-carrying cruiser built.
In October 1978, by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Ministry of Defense was instructed to develop tactical and technical specifications for the ship project 1143.5, and the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry to issue a preliminary design and technical design by 1980. The estimated start of serial construction of Project 1143.5 ships is 1981, completion is 1990. Laying and construction of ships - slipway "O" of the Nikolaev shipyard.
The preliminary design was prepared by 1979, in the same year it was approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S. Gorshkov. A few months later, in 1980, the head of the military department D. Ustinov signed a directive from the General Staff, which stated the need to change project 1143.5. Now the completion date of the technical project was pushed back to 1982, construction to 1986-91. In April 1980, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S. Gorshkov approved the tactical and technical specifications with the amendments made to the project.
In the summer of 1980, all parties involved - the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry, the Ministry of Aviation Industry, the Air Force and the Navy - recognized the development of the 1143.5 ship project as fully completed.
However, changes to the project continue. The use of aircraft weapons on the Project 1143.5 ship was studied in accordance with the resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers. At the end of 1980, the Central Research Institute of Military Shipbuilding adjusted the tactical and technical specifications for the ship project 1143.5. At the same time, a decision was made to build a second ship of Project 1143.4 (1143A) instead of the ship of Project 1143.5. However, in the future the project is being finalized again - technical project 1143.42.
In the early spring of 1981, the Nikolaev Shipyard received a contract from the Main Directorate of the Navy for the production of order 105. In the fall of 1981, changes were made to the ship's design - the displacement was increased by 10 thousand tons. Next, the following changes are made to the project:
— installation of anti-ship missiles “Granit” on board the ship;
— increase in aviation weapons to 50 units;
— springboard takeoff of aircraft without the use of a catapult.
The final technical design of 1143.5 was ready by March 1982. Adopted by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 392-10 of May 7, 1982.
On September 1, 1982, the Project 1143.5 ship was laid down on the modernized slipway “O” of the Nikolaev shipyard and given the name “Riga” with serial number 105. Two months later, the ship was renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”. In December 1982, installation of the 1st block of the hull structure began. By the way, this was the first ship consisting of 24 hull blocks. The blocks are hull wide, 32 meters long, 13 meters high, weighing up to 1.7 thousand tons. The ship's superstructures were also installed as a block.
All propulsion and power systems were ordered for 1983-84. Their assembly and installation was carried out on an already partially assembled hull, which led to the opening of decks and some bulkheads and greatly slowed down the entire construction process. The first photographs of the new ship, taken from a satellite, appeared in the French press in 1984; the TAKR readiness for that year was 20%.
The ship was launched from the slipway at the end of 1985, the weight of the ship did not exceed 32 thousand tons, the readiness of the ship was estimated at 35.8%. In 1986, P. Sokolov was appointed chief designer of project 1143.5. In mid-1987, the ship was renamed again - now it became known as the TAKR "Tbilisi", the ship's readiness is estimated at 57%. There is a delay in the construction of the ship (by approximately 15 percent) due to a disruption in the supply of various equipment. At the end of 1988, the readiness of the TAKR is estimated at 70%.
The estimated cost of the ship in 1989 was about 720 million rubles, of which almost 200 million rubles are delayed in the supply of equipment and systems. In the same year, a new chief designer L. Belov was appointed, the ship's readiness was estimated at 80%. About 50 percent of the radio-electronic equipment and systems are installed on the ship, most equipment arrived on the ship in 1989.
The ship's first departure to sea took place on October 20, 1989.. It was officially approved by all project participants. From ready-made solutions the air group on the ship was ready for use. The ship's exit was completed on November 25, 1989. Tests of the air group begin on November 1, 1989 - the Su-27K was the first to land on the deck. Immediately after landing, he took off from the deck of the TAKR MiG-29K.
The ship's equipping with weapons and electronic equipment was completed by 1990; the ship's complete readiness is estimated at 87%. Running factory tests were carried out in the spring and summer of 1990. In October 1990, the ship changed its name for the last time, which it still bears today - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". During the 1st stage of the tests, the ship successfully covered more than 16 thousand miles, and aircraft took off from the deck of the ship more than 450 times.
State tests of the first TAKR project 1143.5 were completed on December 25, 1990, after which it was accepted into the Navy. Further tests of the ship took place until 1992 on the Black Sea, after which it went into service with the Northern Fleet.
Design development of the ship:
- improvement of project 1143 - five options were proposed, the main components being studied: catapult, emergency barrier, arresting devices, control unit. Displacement up to 65,000 tons. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers;
- Project 1143.2 - the next option for improving the ship. The main components being worked on are: two catapults, an enlarged hangar, and a flight deck. Displacement up to 60,000 tons. Main armament: air group consisting of 42 aircraft (some of which may be helicopters);
- a draft version of project 1143.5 - the proposed version was studied to the extent possible for docking. Displacement up to 65,000 tons. Armament - an air group of 52 vehicles (30 aircraft and 22 helicopters) and 12 Granit missile launchers;
- project 1143.5 (Ustinova-Amelko) - changes to the ship’s design to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Defense. The components being worked on are: springboard, KTU or nuclear power plant of projects 1143.4/1144. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers and an air group of 46 Yak-41 type aircraft;
- project 1143.5 (TsNIIVK) - an adjusted project of the Central Research Institute of Military Shipbuilding. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Components under development: a reserve catapult has been added, the hull structure has been reduced, and the amount of aviation fuel has been reduced. Main armament: air group consisting of 46 aircraft (short and vertical take-off aircraft of the Yak-41 type).
- project 1143.42 - an adjusted project in favor of the second ship of project 1143.4. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Components being worked on: deck enlargement, catapult. Main armament: air group consisting of 40 aircraft (including AWACS aircraft), Basalt anti-ship missiles;
- project 1143.42 (adjustment of the Ministry of Defense) - an adjusted project by decision of the military department. Displacement - up to 65,000 tons. Knots being worked on: springboard. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers, an air group of 50 aircraft.
Design and design of TAKR project 1143.5
Structurally, the ship consists of 24 blocks, weighing about 1.7 thousand tons each. Welded hull with 7 decks and 2 platforms. During the construction of the ship, two Finnish-made Cane cranes were used, each with a lifting capacity of 900 tons. The ship's hull is covered with a special radio-absorbing coating. If we conditionally divide the ship into floors, then their number will be 27 floors.
In total, there were 3,857 rooms for various purposes inside the ship., of which we note: 4-class cabins - 387 rooms, cockpits - 134 rooms, dining rooms - 6 rooms, showers - 50 rooms. More than 4 thousand kilometers were used in the construction of the ship cable routes, 12 thousand kilometers of pipes for various purposes.
The ship received a through deck with an area of more than 14,000 m 2 with a diving board at an angle of 14.3 degrees at the bow of the ship. Profiled fairings are installed on the springboard and the edges of the deck corners. Aircraft are transported to the take-off deck by 40-ton lifts (starboard) at the bow and stern of the ship. The deck width is 67 meters. A section of the landing strip 205 meters long and 26 meters wide is located at an angle of 7 degrees. The deck surface is covered with a special anti-slip and heat-resistant "Omega" coating, and the vertical take-off/landing areas are covered with heat-resistant "AK-9FM" plates.
On the left and right sides of the launch pads there are two runways (runway length 90 meters), which converge at the upper end of the ski jump. The third runway is 180 meters long (the left side is closer to the stern). To ensure protection of support personnel and aircraft from taking off aircraft, cooled deflectors are used on the deck. To land the aircraft on the deck, Svetlana-2 arresting devices and the Nadezhda emergency barrier are used.
The aircraft is landed using a short-range navigation radio system and the Luna-3 optical landing system. A closed hangar with a length of 153 meters, a width of 26 meters and a height of 7.2 meters accommodates 70% of the full-time air group. It also stores tractors and fire engines. special complex means for LAC maintenance. The hangar has a chain semi-automatic system for transporting standard aircraft; aircraft are transported on deck using tractors. The hangar is divided into 4 compartments by folding fireproof curtains with electromechanical control to ensure fire safety.
Structural protection of the surface part of the ship is shielded type, internal protective barriers are composite structures of the steel/fiberglass/steel type. High-strength steel (yield strength 60 kgf/mm 2) was chosen as the main material. Aviation fuel, propellant and ammunition tanks are protected using local box armor. For the first time, underwater structural protection is used in the construction of domestic ships. The depth of the PKZ is about 5 meters. Of the 3 longitudinal partitions, the second was armored multi-layer type. Unsinkability was ensured by flooding 5 adjacent compartments, no more than 60 meters long.
The power plant is a boiler-turbine type, consisting of 8 new steam boilers, 4 main turbo-gear units TV-12-4, providing a total power of 200,000 hp. Propulsors – 4 screws with a fixed pitch. Energy – 9 turbogenerators with a total capacity of 13,500 kW, 6 diesel generators with a total capacity of 9,000 kW.
Armament and equipment of TAKR project 1143.5
12 below-deck launchers of the Granit attack anti-ship missile system are located at the very base of the springboard. The launchers are covered with armored covers flush with the deck. Jamming systems: 4 PK-10 launchers and 8 PK-2M launchers with 400 rounds of ammunition (Tertsia control system).
Anti-aircraft weapons of the ship - 4 modules anti-aircraft missile system"Dagger" with ammunition of 192 missiles, 8 modules of the air defense system "Kortik" with ammunition of 256 missiles, 48,000 shells. The modules are installed on the side, providing all-round fire at air targets.
The ship's artillery armament is three AK-630M batteries with 48,000 rounds of ammunition.
The ship's anti-torpedo armament is two 10-barrel RBU-12000 mounts, installed on the stern side. Ammunition 60 RGB.
Air group - according to project 50 aircraft. As of 2010, it consisted of 18 Su-33, 4 Su-25T, 15 Ka-27 and 2 Ka-31.
Radio-technical weapons and equipment of the ship - 58 systems and complexes, the main ones:
— BIUS “Lumberjack”;
— SOI “Tee”;
— long-range target designation complex “Coral-BN”;
— multifunctional radar "Mars-Passat" with a phased antenna array;
- three-dimensional radar "Fregat-MA";
— two-dimensional radar “Podkat” for detecting low-flying air targets;
— navigation complex “Beysur”;
— communication equipment “Buran-2”;
— active jamming stations MP-207, MP-407, TK-D46RP;
— flight control radar “Resistor”;
- complex electronic warfare"Cantata-1143.5";
— hydroacoustics complex “Polynom-T”;
— hydroacoustics stations “Zvezda-M1”, “Amulet”, “Altyn”;
— navigation radar stations “Nayada-M”, “Vaigach-U”;
— sound-underwater communication station “Shtil”;
— space communication system “Crystal-BK”;
— combat control system for the aircraft “Tur-434”;
— television landing system “Otvedok-Raskresposhechenie”;
— guidance station “Lawn”;
— automatic control system “Control”.
The antenna devices of most systems and complexes are located on the ship's superstructure. Radio transmission and reception equipment - more than 50 units. These are 80 paths for receiving and transmitting information and data, most of which can operate simultaneously.
Auxiliary equipment includes more than 170 items and consists of 450 individual units.
The ship's rescue equipment is a command boat of Project 1404, two boats of Project 1402-B, two 6-oar yawls (Project YAL-P6), 240 PSN-10M (life rafts in containers).
Main characteristics of the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov":
- length - 304.5 meters;
— width of the roof line/deck – 38/72 meters;
— draft – 10.5 meters;
— the height of the springboard above the water is 28 meters;
— displacement standard/full/max. – up to 46,000/59,000/67,000 tons;
— economy/max speed – 18/32 knots;
— economy/maximum range – 8000/3800 miles;
— navigation autonomy – 1.5 months;
- ship personnel crew/flight crew - 1533/626 people.
This year the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov":
- January 8 - as part of a ship aircraft carrier group of the Russian Navy, entered the Syrian port of Tartus on an official friendly visit;
- February 16 - as part of a shipborne aircraft carrier group of the Russian Navy, completed a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to the home base of Severomorsk;
— 2012-17 – modernization of the ship should begin, work will be carried out production association"Sevmash".
The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" is a ship of Project 1143.5, the only one in the composition Navy Russia in its class, launched in 1987. In 1990, it was named in honor of Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union N.G. Kuznetsov.
Start. Background
| 1945 | Strategy agreed upon by the leadership of the USSR further development The country's navy. The plans of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense did not include the construction of aircraft carriers. This position was categorically opposed by N.G. Kuznetsov (Commander-in-Chief of the Navy), who understood the importance and necessity of having aircraft carriers in service - weapons of the future, as he believed. Thanks to the efforts of the admiral, these ships were included in the design plans |
| 1953 | Kuznetsov was able to achieve understanding and through his efforts a plan for the development of a light aircraft carrier (code name “Project 85”) was approved. The main purpose of an aircraft carrier is to provide cover from attacks by enemy aircraft on ships at sea. The project involved the construction of 8 light aircraft carriers. The first two were supposed to be put into service by the end of 1960 |
| 1955 | The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy N.G. Kuznetsov was dismissed. His place was taken by S.G. Gorshkov, who did not see the need for the development of aircraft-carrying ships. After all, the country’s leadership called aircraft carriers “weapons of Western imperialism” |
| 60s of XX century | “Project 1123” is a trial use of anti-submarine cruisers for the aircraft carrier fleet. One cruiser could accommodate up to 14 KA-25 helicopters on its deck. After conducting full tests of the project, it became clear that helicopters cannot fully provide protection for ships in the event of an air attack |
| Second half of the 60s of the XX century | A plan was agreed upon and approved, which was based on the design of new ships with the ability to be placed on board aircraft with the possibility of vertical take-off. As a result, ships developed according to Project 1143 (Kyiv) appeared, equipped with Yak-38 aircraft. But, unfortunately, the Yak-38 aircraft was not equipped with technical and flight characteristics that would allow it to fully patrol the area around the ships and, if necessary, provide cover from enemy air attacks. As a result, three warships of the “Kyiv” type, together with the TAKR (heavy aircraft carrier cruiser) of Project 114342 “Baku”, which, in fact, were an improved version of them, remained in the armed forces of the USSR as cruisers rather than aircraft carriers |
| 1977 | The development of aircraft carrier ships of Project 11435 began. One of the ships eventually received the name TAKR “Admiral Kuznetsov” |
History and combat campaigns of the TAKR
| January 20, 1991 | The aircraft cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" is assigned to serve in the Northern Fleet. On this day, the USSR naval flag was raised on board the ship |
| May 1991 | The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was assigned to the 30th Division surface ships Black Sea Fleet |
| December 1991 | The cruiser "Kuznetsov" departed for its registration point in the village of Vidyaevo, Murmansk region. The route originated from the Black Sea, circumnavigating Europe |
| 1993 | Marked by the addition of SU-33 fighters to the aviation group of the ship |
| December 1994 - February 1995 | Carrying out repair work main boilers of the TAKR "Kuznetsov" |
| October 19, 1995 | While preparing for flights on board the Admiral Kuznetsov, the Mi-8 helicopter crashed. During the raid, the aircraft was overturned due to strong winds. No damage to the ship was recorded |
| December 23, 1995 | At the head of a detachment of twelve ships TAKR (Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser), "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" went to military service to the Mediterranean Sea. On board the cruiser was an air group consisting of 15 Su-33 aircraft, one Su-25UTG and 11 Ka-27 helicopters. During the voyage, the declared performance characteristics of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov were checked. The Strait of Gibraltar was crossed after 10 days of travel |
| January 7, 1996 | The cruiser TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" anchored off the coast of Tunisia. During this stay - which lasted until January 17 - an exchange of visits was made with the US fleet, during which landings were made as Russian helicopters on an American aircraft carrier, and American helicopters on the deck of the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov. In addition, Russian pilots were transported on US two-seat carrier-based aircraft. Among other foreign guests, on January 7, 1996, the commander of the US 6th Fleet, Admiral Donald Pilling, visited the cruiser. |
| August 2000 | The aircraft carrier Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov took an active part in major military exercises, subsequently participating in the operation to rescue the crew of the sunken submarine K-141 Kursk. As a result of this tragedy, the second military service trip to the Mediterranean Sea, which was supposed to take place at the end of 2000, was canceled |
| From 2001 to 2004 | The cruiser was undergoing scheduled mid-term repairs. During which the performance characteristics of “Admiral Kuznetsov” were improved |
| September 27, 2004 | As part of a group of 9 ships of the Northern Fleet, including a heavy nuclear missile cruiser“Peter the Great”, missile cruiser “Marshal Ustinov”, destroyer “Admiral Ushakov”, BOD “Severomorsk” and “Admiral Levchenko”, nuclear submarine K-335 “Gepard” and support vessels, the aircraft carrier cruiser entered the North Atlantic. One of the main objectives of the exercises was to practice the interaction of ships when repelling attacks from a mock enemy and to train ship pilots when conducting flights from the deck. During this voyage, flight design tests of the Su-27KUB multi-role carrier-based aircraft were also carried out. |
| October 18, 2004 | During the trip, an accident occurred with the Su-25UTG training aircraft. During landing, the trajectory was calculated incorrectly and there was a strong impact between the landing gear and the landing deck. As a result, one of the plane's landing gear broke, the plane was able to catch the landing hook on the aero arrestor cable and stopped the run |
| September 5, 2005 | During a cruise in the North Atlantic, the cruiser-aircraft carrier Nikolai Kuznetsov suffered two emergency landings of Su-33 fighters due to a broken arrestor cable. The first fighter fell into the ocean and sank at a depth of 1,100 meters (the pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Korneev, managed to eject), the second plane stayed on the deck. It was planned to destroy the sunken plane with depth charges due to the presence of secret equipment (for example, a “friend or foe” identification system), but it turned out that due to the great depth this was impossible to do. The Navy command expects that the sunken Su-33 will collapse on its own |
| From December 17, 2013 to May 17, 2014 | The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" made a new trip to military service in the Mediterranean Sea with a call at the material and technical base of the Russian Navy in the port of Tartus (Syria). Deputy Commander of the Northern Fleet, Rear Admiral Viktor Sokolov, raised his flag on the cruiser. While in the Mediterranean Sea, the Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov operated together with the flagship Pyotr Velikiy. During this campaign, the pilots of the 279th naval aviation regiment acquired significant practical experience conducting flights from the deck of an aircraft-carrying cruiser on the high seas, completing more than 350 sorties with a total stay in the air of about 300 hours |
| November 15, 2016 | The TAKR air group "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" began combat missions against ISIS in the Syrian Republic |
| January 6, 2017 | It has been officially decided to reduce the number of Russian armed forces on the territory of the Syrian Republic. This also meant the return home of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. |
| February 8, 2017 | The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov stopped at its home port of Severomorsk, having completed a long-distance combat voyage. This military campaign lasted about 4 months, covering about 18 thousand nautical miles. Having completed the combat cruise, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great" and the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" fired a real naval salute of 15 artillery shots |
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, during combat service, the aviation group assigned to the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov made about 1,200 sorties, of which more than 400 were to carry out a combat mission.
There were some difficulties with the delivery of combat supplies to the ship while on the high seas.
sorties were carried out by an aviation group assigned to the cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" during combat service
The reason is that the Berezina integrated supply ship was responsible for providing ammunition, but it was decommissioned and there were no analogues in the Russian Navy. The floating crane SPK-46150 was assigned to carry out the supply task - and the task was completed.
Design and construction
Design
The command of the Ministry of Defense approved a plan to begin the construction of aircraft carriers that could accept aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing and traditional ones.
In 1977 The task of carrying out the design work was given to the Nevsky Design Bureau.
1980 Work on preparing sketches of the future ship has been completed. To present the work to management, 10 projects were completed, including those with a nuclear engine.
Having gone through all the stages, the ship project received the code “project 11435”.
Project 11435 differed in many ways from the ships of earlier projects, but the main differences include:
- Main missile system, according to the new project, was located inside the ship;
- The tower body was built on the right side with a strong projection beyond the contours of the ship.
These design solutions made it possible to expand the deck area, thereby allowing aircraft to take off using the traditional take-off method.
May 1982. Project 11435 was agreed upon and approved in its final form.
September 1982. Construction of the first aircraft carrier began at the Black Sea Shipyard No. 444 in the Ukrainian city of Nikolaev.
Construction and testing
September 1, 1982. On one of the slipways of the Black Sea Shipyard, the laying of the future aircraft carrier “Admiral Kuznetsov” took place, which at that time received the name “Riga”.
"Admiral Kuznetsov" was the fifth among the ships under construction.
It was during the construction of this ship that the new technology, the essence of which was that the ship's hulls were made of large sheet blocks weighing from 1200 to 1380 tons.
November 26, 1982. On this day, the ship was renamed, receiving the name "Leonid Brezhnev", as a tribute and respect after the death of the General Secretary.
December 4, 1985. On this day, the ship “Nikolai Kuznetsov” was launched into the water in a solemn atmosphere.
September 8, 1989. The crew on the aircraft carrier began to be on duty around the clock, although not at full strength.
October 21, 1989. The aircraft carrier "Tbilisi" (the name at that time), 85% ready, went out to the open sea in order to determine readiness for flight design tests: test flights of ships assigned to the aircraft carrier were carried out, as well as testing of all cruiser systems.
November 1, 1989. On this day, the first landing of the aircraft on the deck of the cruiser took place. The SU-27K aircraft was piloted by pilot V. G. Pugachev. Also on November 1, the first takeoff of the Mig-29K aircraft took place, the pilot was T.O. Aubakirov. In connection with the completion of testing and control of the operation of all ship systems in various conditions, it returned to the plant for completion.
August 1, 1990. The cruiser began state tests, which lasted about 5 months. As a result of state tests, the ship sailed more than 16 thousand nautical miles, the total number of aircraft takeoffs is about 450 times.
December 25, 1990. The aircraft carrier was declared ready for combat duty as part of the naval forces and received the name “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov” and was transferred from the Ministry of Industry to the Ministry of Defense.
Drawing of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
Design features
Frame
For greater strength, the ship's hull is made of solid sheets of welded steel. The ship has 7 decks and 2 platforms. There is a second bottom along the entire perimeter of the body.
The room where aircraft are stored is equipped with collapsible fireproof partitions. These partitions divide it into 4 compartments.
The room (the so-called hangar) is equipped with a complex that allows, through a chain transmission, to transport aircraft. Thanks to this design solution, it became possible to abandon the use of large traction tractors inside the ship.
When forming terms of reference“Project 11435” was tasked with increasing the area on the aircraft carrier to be used for takeoffs and landings both traditionally and with vertical takeoff.
As a result, the area was increased to 14.8 thousand m 2, which is approximately 2.6 times more than that of heavy aircraft-carrying cruisers of earlier projects. The size of the space for storing aircraft was increased (153.2 × 26.4 × 7.1 m versus 130.4 × 22.7 × 6.7 m on the Minsk aircraft carrier).
To support the traditional take-off of carrier-based aircraft, a springboard with an elevation angle of approximately 14.3 degrees is installed.
Housing protection
The solution to protect the ship's hull from enemy attacks is unique for its time. Compartments for storage and use and rooms with ammunition are protected in the form of box armor.
The ship's protection from torpedoes from enemy ships consists of three longitudinal bulkheads, the middle one is equipped with several layers. The total protection width is 4.52 m.
Take-off and landing areas
To assist pilots when landing aircraft, the following have been developed and installed:
- aerofinisher complex;
- unique optical landing system "Luna".
Traditional take-off sites
The surface of the flight deck was treated with a special compound, which prevents aircraft from sliding during takeoff and landing, and this coating is also heat-resistant, allowing it to withstand heating up to 500 degrees. This coating was named “Onega”.
Sites for VTOL (vertical take-off and landing aircraft)
Separately on the flight deck there are 3 areas for vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The area of each site is about 100 m2 (10x10). The surface is covered with special AK-9FM tiles, which can withstand heating up to 745 degrees.
To ensure the protection of operating personnel and technical staff To protect against strong exhaust from aircraft engines, deflectable flaps called deflectors are mounted on the deck. In addition, the launch positions are equipped with hydraulic stops (delays) that hold the aircraft in place before takeoff and are retracted at the operator’s command.
To ensure landing, the ship is equipped with Svetlana-2 aerofinishers: four metal cables stretched across the landing deck at intervals of 12 meters.
"Hope"
emergency lift system installed on an aircraft cruiser
The cables are connected to hydraulic brake machines, which ensure a complete stop of the aircraft after 90 meters of run with an overload of no more than 4.5 g. The cable of the fourth aerofinisher (the fourth from the stern) is also connected to the Nadezhda emergency barrier lifting system.
In the stowed position, the cables are recessed into special recesses in the deck, and are raised into working position using hydraulics immediately before the aircraft lands.
Powertrain and ride quality
The power plant of the Admiral Kuznetsov, with minor changes, was completely copied from earlier projects. Major changes include the complete replacement of boilers of earlier modifications with new ones with improved characteristics.
After modernization, the 4-shaft steam turbine power plant can develop a power of 200 thousand hp. (previous projects have up to 180 thousand hp).
The turbines are powered by eight KVG-4 boilers with a steam capacity of up to 115 tons of steam per hour (versus 95 t/h for older boilers). Parameters of superheated steam in the collector: pressure 66 kg/cm2 and temperature 470°C. Propulsors - 4 bronze propellers with 5 low-noise blades.
Crew
According to the plan, ships developed according to project 11435 should be equipped with :
- Total crew - 1980 people
Including:
- officers - 520;
- midshipmen - 322;
- sailors - 1138;
- Air group - 626 people.
As a result, it turns out that there are supposed to be 2606 people on the ship. And if the cruiser is the flagship on a voyage, then the ship will have an additional 55 people (commanders and staff).
The crew's sleeping and resting areas are quite acceptable and comfortable for long sea trips.
Armament
Main strike complex
Anti-ship missile system (ASMC) "Granit" with 12 cruise missiles in silos. Heavy missiles are capable of delivering a 750-kg warhead over a distance of up to 550 km.
P-700 "Granit" (3M45) - anti-ship missile system on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier Anti-aircraft weapons
- 4x2 anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems (ZRAK) "Kortik". Ammunition 256 missiles and 48,000 30-mm shells, destruction range: missiles 1500-8000 m; guns 500-4000 m;
- 24 modules of the Kinzhal air defense system, the ammunition capacity of each module is 8 missiles in the drum, so in total the ammunition load is 192 missiles. Damage range 1500-12000 m;
- 6 turret six-barreled 30-mm AK-630M mounts (48,000 rounds).
Anti-torpedo weapons
- 2 RBU-12000 bomb launchers of the Boa constrictor complex (60 rocket depth charges).
Aviation weapons
In accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Defense, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was created, the characteristics of which ensured the deployment of carrier-based aircraft consisting of:
- 26 Yak-141, MiG-29K and Su-27K (Su-33) aircraft;
- 18 Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters or Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters;
- 4 radar patrol helicopters Ka-27RLD (Ka-31);
- 2 search and rescue helicopters Ka-27PS.
In fact, due to a lack of funds, the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, whose characteristics allow for the deployment of a larger number of aircraft, carries a reduced air group:
- 14 Su-33 fighters;
- 2 Su-25UTG training aircraft;
- 2 MiG-29K fighters;
- 2 combat training MiG-29KUB;
- 15 Ka-27 and Ka-27PS helicopters;
- 2 Ka-31 radar patrol helicopters.
Communications, detection, auxiliary equipment
- navigation complex "Beysur";
- 1 radar complex"Mars-Passat";
- 1 radar station MR-750 "Fregat-MA";
- 2 radar stations MP-360 "Tackle";
- 3 radar stations "Vaigach";
- combat information and control system (CIUS) “Lumberjack”;
- communication complex "Buran-2";
- hydroacoustic complex "Polynom-T";
- hydroacoustic station "Zvezda-M1";
- electronic warfare complex "Sozvezdie-BR".
The aft section of the flight deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov during a combat campaign in 1995-1996 Technical characteristics of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
Displacement, t:
Main dimensions, m:
Power, hp (kW):
Travel speed, knots:
Cruising range, miles:
Project crew, people:
Armament
| Aviation, LA | 50…52 |
| Su-33 and MiG-29K fighters or Su-25UTG attack aircraft | 26…28 |
| Helicopters RLD Ka-34 | 4 |
| Helicopters Ka-27 and Ka-29 (including Ka-27PS) | 18 (2) |
| Percussion | PKRP "Granit-NK" |
| P-700 missiles, pcs. | 12 |
| Vertical launch units SM-233, pcs. | 12 |
| Anti-aircraft missile | SAM "Dagger" |
| Vertical launch units SM-9, pcs. | 24x8 |
| SAM 9M330-2, pcs. | 192 |
| Anti-aircraft missile and artillery | ZRAK "Dirk" |
| Number of installations, pcs | 8 |
| SAM 9M311-1, pcs. | 256 |
| 30 mm shells, pcs. | 48000 |
| Artillery | ZAK AK-630M |
| Number of installations, pcs | 6 |
| Anti-submarine/anti-torpedo | RBU-12000 "Boa constrictor-1" |
Electronic weapons
| BIUS | "Lumberjack" |
| General detection radar | PLC "Mars-Passat", 4 PAR |
| NLC detection radar | 2хМР-360 "Podkat" |
| NC detection radar | 3xMP-212 “Vaigach” |
| GAS | GAS MGK-355 "Polynom-T", GAS MGK-365 "Zvezda-M1", anti-sabotage GAS MG-717 "Amulet", GAS "Altyn", ZPS MG-35 "Shtil", GAS MG-355TA |
| Electronic warfare equipment | "Constellation-RB" |
| Complexes of fired interference | 2x2 PK-2 launchers (ZiF-121), 4x10 PK-10 “Brave” launchers |
| Fire control radar | 2x “Coral-BN”, 4 control radars for the Kinzhal 3R95 air defense missile system, 4 control podules for the 3R86 “Kortik” air defense missile system |
| Navigation complex | "Beysur" |
| Radio navigation aids | "Resistor K-4", "Lawn" |
| Communications | Buran-2 complex, Kristall-BK space communications complex |
Commanders
From the moment of launching to the present day, the heavy aircraft carrier cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" has been under the command of the following officers:
| Photo | Full name and military rank | Years of command of the ship |
 |
Captain 1st Rank Viktor Stepanovich Yarygin | 1987-1992 |
 |
Captain 1st rank (rear admiral) Ivan Fedorovich Sanko | 1992-1995 |
 |
Rear Admiral Alexander Vladimirovich Chelpanov | 1995-2000 |
 |
Captain 1st Rank Alexander Vasilievich Turilin | 2000-2003 |
 |
Captain 1st Rank Alexander Petrovich Shevchenko | 2003-2008 |
 |
Captain 1st Rank Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Rodionov | 2008-2011 |
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Captain 1st Rank Sergei Grigorievich Artamonov | Since 2011 |
The Russian fleet includes the only aircraft carrier - Admiral Kuznetsov. He is unique in his class, but not alone in anything else. Assessments of the quality and usefulness of most Russian military equipment are most often ambiguous. “Kuznetsov” did not escape this either. Someone claims that he is “laughing at NATO ships”, pointing out his powerful weapons. Some consider the cruiser “a disgrace to the Russian fleet,” citing long terms being under repair.
To date, the ship has managed to fight and was awarded the Order of Ushakov, so they were clearly in a hurry to declare its “shame.”
Brief history of creation
Aircraft carriers first appeared during the First World War. They had no influence on its course, but almost all maritime powers became interested in them. And by the beginning of World War II, most of the warring states had aircraft carriers.
The experience of using aircraft carriers has shown that the star of battleships has set, and from now on it is “floating airfields” that are the strongest warships. If at the beginning of the 20th century every maritime state tried to own at least one battleship, then by the middle of the century aircraft carriers became the object of desire.
In the Soviet Union, things were different. Before the Great Patriotic War They didn’t even have time to lay down a single aircraft carrier. After her, the outstanding naval commander, Admiral of the Fleet N.G., actively advocated the construction of aircraft carriers. Kuznetsov.
However, his personal conflict with Marshal Zhukov, which led to the admiral’s disgrace, and the peculiar position of the party leadership, which proclaimed aircraft carriers “weapons of aggressors,” buried this idea.
The only aircraft carriers Soviet fleet became the anti-submarine helicopter carriers of Project 1123. Their successors, the ships of Project 1143, were initially also considered anti-submarine, but later they were reclassified as “aircraft-carrying cruisers.” The development of these ships was the “Admiral Kuznetsov”.
The Project 1143.5 ship was a development of the Kyiv aircraft-carrying cruisers. If Project 1143 had more of an auxiliary aircraft armament, the new cruiser had to carry not only anti-submarine aviation, but also “real” fighters and attack aircraft.
For this purpose, for the first time in the USSR, carrier-based horizontal takeoff aircraft with a short takeoff run were designed.
The cruiser was laid down in Nikolaev in early September 1982. A ship called “Riga” was laid down, but already in November it was renamed in honor of the deceased Leonid Brezhnev. With the name of the Secretary General, the aircraft carrier survived until 1987, and for the first tests (not yet fully completed) it came out under the name “Tbilisi”.
The first aircraft landed on the deck of the cruiser in November 1989, with the Su-27K (aka Su-33) piloted by the famous test pilot Viktor Pugachev. After successful testing of the aircraft, the ship returned to Nikolaev. And at the end of 1990, the series of renamings finally ended. The cruiser was named after Fleet Admiral N.G. Kuznetsov, unfortunately, did not live to see the first full-fledged aircraft carrier appear in the Navy.
Description of the ship
A design feature of the Kuznetsov was the absence of steam catapults on the take-off deck - they were replaced with a springboard. This solution saved weight and usable space and had a positive effect on survivability. But this does not make it possible to use the entire flight deck for launch, and aircraft with insufficient powerful engines They simply cannot take off from a springboard.
This led to the emergence of a serious weakness of the aircraft carrier - the air group did not have specialized reconnaissance aircraft with a long range. Later, the problem was solved by installing “electronic reconnaissance containers” on carrier-based fighters. However, they still depend on control from the ship, and containers with various equipment are placed not on one fighter, but on a group of three.
Power plant the ship had eight boilers and four steam turbines. There is nothing unusual in such a system, but at one time it served as a reason for criticism of the ship. The smoke observed by journalists from the chimney of the only Russian aircraft carrier was regarded as a sign of the poor condition of the Admiral Kuznetsov.
The only thing is that the cruiser’s boilers run on fuel oil. And when the ship is stationary, the engines operate in a mode in which carbon deposits are deposited in the pipe.
Of course, fuel oil boilers do not provide an unlimited cruising range, like nuclear reactors, but simpler and much cheaper to maintain. And the fuel-filled compartments are part of the anti-torpedo protection system.
When the aircraft carrier was developed, it was designed to be resistant to nearby explosions. nuclear weapons(with a power of up to thirty kilotons). It was expected that the flight deck would, in any case, become unusable due to radioactive contamination, and enemy ships would have to be hit with Granit missiles.
Anti-torpedo protection consists of many bulkheads and compartments with fuel oil, alternating with empty ones. It is designed to protect against explosions equivalent to 400 kg of TNT.
In order for the aircraft carrier to attack enemy ships, without taking planes into the air and without resorting to the services of escort vessels, it was armed with long-range heavy P-700 Granit missiles.
The missiles were never used for their intended purpose. It seemed likely that the Granites would be modified to attack ground targets, but judging by the fact that the launchers have already been dismantled, it will not be carried out.
The cruiser's air defense is provided by Kortik missile and gun systems and six-barreled AK-630 automatic guns of 30 mm caliber. To protect against enemy torpedoes and submarines, the Boa Constrictor rocket launcher is used.
Initially, the air group of “Admiral Kuznetsov” was supposed to consist of deck modifications of the light MiG-29 and the Su-25 attack aircraft.
In fact, throughout the 90s, only “dryers” were used, with the Su-25 only in a training version.
MiG-29K fighters began to be delivered only in 2015, and they are expected to replace the majority of Su-33s. The remaining “dryers” are supposed to be used as attack aircraft, increasing their bomb load. Most of the aircraft carrier's helicopters are anti-submarine Ka-27PL, with a recent addition being the attack Ka-52K.
Interesting facts and technical characteristics
Unique class ship - an “aircraft-carrying cruiser” gave it the legal opportunity, being in fact a full-fledged aircraft carrier, to operate freely in the Black Sea (the Montreux Convention prohibits aircraft carriers from passing through the Bosporus).
If during modernization the strike missile weapon is lost by Kuznetsov, he may lose the opportunity. But this is hardly critical, since the Black Sea region does not really need aircraft carriers.
Slightly different in design, in the 90s it went to Ukraine and was not completed. It was then sold to China, ostensibly to be converted into a floating hotel. As a result, since 2012, under the name “Liaoning”, he has been serving in the PLA Navy.
The table shows the data of the cruiser “Admiral Kuznetsov”, American aircraft carrier“Nimitz”, as a typical representative of the “supercarriers” of the USA, the French “Charles de Gaulle” of recent construction, and the newest British ship“Queen Elizabeth.”
| TAKR “Admiral Kuznetsov” | USS Nimitz (CVN-69) | Charles de Gaulle (R91) | HMS Queen Elizabeth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length, m | 305 | 332,9 | 261,5 | 284 |
| Flight deck width, m | 70 | 76,8 | 64,36 | 73 |
| Total displacement, t | 55000 | 106300 | 42000 | 65000 |
| Travel speed, knots | 29 | 30 | 27 | 25 |
| Cruising range | 8000 miles at 18 knots | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10,000 miles at 15 knots |
| Armament | 12 x anti-ship missile system “Granit”, 24 x launcher air defense system “Dagger”, 8 air defense system “Dirk”, 6 x AK-630, 2 x RBU “Udav” | 2 x Sea Sparrow SAM launchers, 2 x RAM SAM launchers, 2 x Phalanx guns, 2 x 25mm guns, 10 x 12.7mm machine guns | 4 x Aster PU SAM, 2 x Mistral PU SAM, 8 x 20mm guns | No data |
| Air group | 28 airplanes, 14 helicopters | 90 planes and helicopters | up to 40 planes and helicopters | up to 40 planes and helicopters |
| Crew, people | 1960 | over 5000 | 1950 | up to 1600 |
Indeed, Kuznetsov is inferior to American heavy aircraft carriers in terms of air group power and range. But does this deserve devastating criticism - after all, modern European aircraft carriers are close in quality (and size) to the Kuznetsov. It is possible that placing a powerful missile weapons on an aircraft-carrying ship is impractical. But the initial design of the last British aircraft carrier does not even provide for defensive weapons, and whether they will be installed subsequently is still unknown. It's hard to consider this an advantage.
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