Russian Aircraft Carrier Recommissioned
Russian Carrier 'Admiral Kuznetsov' returns to service after modernization at Murmansk branch of JSC Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center.
History of the ship
The carrier (project name was Sovetsky Soyuz) was laid down at Chernomorsky Shipyard in Nikolayev on Sept 1, 1982 having original name of Riga and launched on Dec 4, 1985 under the name of Leonid Brezhnev. On Aug 11, 1987 she was renamed Tbilisi and on Oct 4, 1990 the carrier changed its name to Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov. The ship joined Northern Fleet on Jan 20, 1991.
Performance
Speed: 29 knots
Endurance: 45 days
Crew: 1,960 men
Steam turbines power: 4 x 50,000 hp
Turbo generators power: 9 x 1,500 kW
Diesel generators power: 6 x 1,500 kW
Dimensions
Length: 302.3 meters
Length at waterline: 270 meters
Beam: 72.3 meters
Beam at waterline: 35.4 meters
Draft: 9.14 meters
Standard displacement: 43,000 tons
Full displacement: 55,000 tons
Maximum displacement: 58,600 tons
Armament
The carrier is armed with missile launchers (12 antiship missiles Granit and 60 ASW rockets Udav-1), SAM system Klinok (192 missiles, 24 launchers) and CIW system Kashtan (256 missiles). The ship carries up to 24 multipurpose helicopters Ka-27, up to 16 supersonic VTOL multirole airplanes Yak-41M and up to 12 deck-based fighters Su-27K.
