Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, continues to be mired in mechanical issues and construction defects, an emblematic representation of Moscow’s challenged naval power. Despite substantial investments in its maintenance and updates, the warship’s history is marred by fires, crashes, and operational inefficiencies, rendering it non-operational. Amidst a prolonged invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions, Russia’s naval capabilities are increasingly strained, with the Kuznetsov as a stark example of its broader maritime woes.
The Kuznetsov, described by the Russian Navy as a “heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser,” carries a fleet of Sukhoi Su-27s and Yakovlev Yak 41-M fixed-wing airframes along with a variety of helicopter platforms. However, its reliance on Mazut fuel—a petrochemical that emits thick, tarry gray smoke—severely limits its operational time to just 45 days, in stark contrast to the indefinite operating capability, up to 25 years without refueling, of modern nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. This limitation highlights the outdated technology underpinning Russia’s naval strategy.
Despite the Kuznetsov’s formidable missile arsenal, which includes 24 rotating launch tubes for Gauntlet surface-to-air missiles, P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles, and UDAV-1 sub-killing rockets, its operational setbacks are numerous. Notably, the reliance on a ski jump ramp for aircraft launch, inconsistent funding, and a limited aircraft capacity underscore its inadequacies.
The carrier’s laundry list of unfortunate events includes the loss of two airframes due to faulty arresting wiring on deck during its first deployment and a fatal fire caused by a welding incident in the ship’s engine room. A crane crash and an additional fire during repair works further contribute to the Kuznetsov’s status as a troubled vessel. These issues have left the carrier sidelined for years, with the floating crane incident killing a worker and another fire in 2022 taking two lives and injuring several others.
Russia’s aspiration to become a naval superpower is hindered by these systemic issues. Unlike the United States, which has mastered carrier operations, Russia’s geographical limitations and reliance on Mazut fuel make its carrier ambitions increasingly challenging. The country’s strategic focus remains predominantly on land warfare, as evidenced by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising questions about the utility of investing in aircraft carriers.
The Kuznetsov’s design, aiming to challenge U.S. naval power with its “missile farm” approach, has not been realized in practice. Its operational troubles have kept it from fulfilling its potential as the leader of a multi-ship contingent capable of powerful missile volleys. Given the growing vulnerabilities of aircraft carriers to modern anti-ship technologies, such as hypersonic missiles and unmanned systems, the importance of carriers in future naval warfare is being questioned.
Relevant articles:
– Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier Is Now ‘Non-Operational’ , The National Interest Online, 05/26/2024
– Admiral Kuznetsov: Russia Built the Worst Aircraft Carrier Ever, The National Interest Online, 05/27/2024
– Russia’s Last Aircraft Carrier Is Now Just a Giant Target for a Missile Attack, The National Interest Online, 05/27/2024
– Russian Aircraft Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov Was Built to Fire a “Missile Farm”, The National Interest Online, 05/27/2024
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