Tag Archives: Admiral Kuznetsov

Admiral Kuznetsov to see combat for the first time in her life

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Although she has had a less than stellar mechanical availability, the heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser (TAVKR) Kuznetsov, laid down in 1982, will be headed to war for the first time in her confusing life.

Commissioned at the tail end of the Cold War in 1990 (though not operational until at least 1995), Kuznetsov has always been the shiny “fleet-in-being” for the Russian Navy. Renamed no less than four times, the 61,000-ton very ship has a very potent weapons load to balance the fact that her airwing has always been lackluster, especially for a ship her size.

Semi-active for the past 26 years, she has only made five short summer deployments to the Mediterranean from her Northern base–typically escorted by an ocean going tug for those not so capable moments.

However, word has come that in October she will depart the great North once more for the Med, a departure from her typical summer-only cruises which could lead her to winter over in the Black Sea which is sure to be a hit with the Ukraine and Turkey.

In another radical move, she will engage in combat operations off Syria to support the Assad regime, which will be rough as she is much too large to dock at the Soviet Russian base at Tartus.

Her airwing will include about 15 short-legged Su-33 and MiG-29K/KUB fighters and “more than 10” Ka-52K Katran and  Ka-27/31 Helix ASW/AEW helicopters.

The Ka-52K Katran will see its first seaborne combat in Syria this fall.

The Ka-52K Katran will likely see its first seaborne combat in Syria this fall, a first for Russian aircraft carriers.

The use of the Ka-52, a particularity wicked-looking version of the “Hokum” gunship which only started delivery to the Russians in 2012 (and the navalised “K” variant last year), mirrors the use of AH-64 Apaches by the Brits from ships off Libya a few years back.

Also, it may be an audition to possible weapons deals in the area, as Egypt is buying a crapload of Ka-52s for their French-made Mistral LPDs.

Russian Battlefleet 25miles offshore and No planes to watch it

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In the UK, times are hard man, The Russian carrier battlegroup (centered around the largest conventional powered CV afloat the Admiral Kuznetsov ) came to within 25-miles of the Scottish Coastline while transiting Great Britain on routine excerisies. The thing is the UK retired its Nimrod Maritime patrol aircraft and had to dispatch one of its precios few Type 42 destroyers to wave its flag at the Russians.

Admiral Kuznetsov, not something you want popping up on your doorstep

The 58,000-ton Admiral Flota Sovetskovo Soyuza Kuznetsov ( Адмирал флота Советского Союза Кузнецов “Fleet Admiral of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”) is 1005-feet long and carries:

Armament: • 8 × AK-630 AA guns (6×30 mm, 6,000 round/min/mount, 24,000 rounds)
• 8 × CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS (each 2 × 30 mm Gatling AA plus 32 3K87 Kortik SAM)
• 12 × P-700 Granit SSM
• 18 × 8-cell 3K95 Kinzhal SAM VLS (192 missiles; 1 missile per 3 seconds)
• RBU-12000 UDAV-1 ASW rocket launchers (60 rockets)
Aircraft carried: 41-52[1]

  • Fixed Wing;
  • Rotary Wing;
    • 4 × Kamov Ka-27LD32 helicopters
    • 11 × Kamov Ka-27PLO helicopters
    • 2 × Kamov Ka-27S helicopters

Silos for the P700 Granit shipkillers of the Admiral Kuznetsov

From the below in the Scotsman,

UK without surveillance aircraft as Russians call

THE appearance of a Russian navy battlegroup off the coast of Scotland last night raised fresh concerns over the UK government’s decision not to have any surveillance aircraft.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources told The Scotsman that a Type 42 destroyer, HMS York, had to be despatched from Portsmouth to shadow the group of Russian ships, 25 miles off the coast of Moray.

The battlegroup, headed by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, was understood to be sheltering from extreme weather conditions just outside UK territorial waters, but inside its exclusive economic zone.

In the past, a Nimrod aircraft would have flown from RAF Kinloss in Moray to observe the group. However, because the replacement Nimrods were cancelled and Kinloss was closed in the strategic defence and security review last year, the UK has had no surveillance available.

One of the greatest concerns about the loss of surveillance aircraft was the protection of the northern passages.

It is understood this Russian battlegroup was heading for manoeuvres in the Mediterranean, stopping at Beirut, Genoa and Cyprus en route.

Last night, SNP Moray MP and defence spokesman Angus Robertson said: “It is entirely normal for Russian and other navies to lay up to avoid extreme weather conditions.

“However, it does seem tremendously symbolic that within months of military cuts in Scotland, the Royal Navy needs to deploy a conventional vessel from the south coast of England because there are no maritime patrol aircraft based in Scotland.”

The MoD does not comment on military manoeuvres.

However, the department has said that Nimrod was cancelled because of safety concerns and cost.