Soviet aircraft-carrying cruisers. Russian aircraft carriers lost fleet of aircraft carriers

Soviet aircraft carriers, which were built exclusively in Nikolaev, were supposed to become formidable weapons, but they turned into museums, floating casinos or piles of scrap metal, writes Dmitry Gromov in the Archive section in No. 36 of the Correspondent magazine dated September 14, 2012.

In the early morning of June 14, 2000, a Soviet aircraft carrier left Nikolaev Bay for the last time - a ship with the symbolic name Varyag. Ironically, this giant went to the places where in 1904, during an unequal battle in the Yellow Sea with the Japanese, Russian sailors sank his namesake, the legendary cruiser.

The aircraft carrier of the collapsed superpower was sold to China for $20 million. For a ship of this class, the amount is ridiculous - on average, a similar ship on the world market costs $2-3 billion.

However, there was no other choice: Varyag was only 70% ready, and neither Ukraine nor Russia found the money to complete the work. Now it serves as a training ship in the Middle Kingdom.

The Varyag was to become one of seven aircraft-carrying cruisers that the Kremlin was going to oppose to the Western world. All these ships were built by the Black Sea Shipyard (ChSZ) in Nikolaev - the only enterprise in the Union that was capable of implementing such a project.

The Kremlin called these ships cruisers only so that they could leave the Black Sea through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, which, according to international convention, are a closed zone for aircraft carriers.

In addition, Soviet aircraft carriers, unlike their Western counterparts, also carried powerful anti-ship missile weapons in addition to aircraft, which made them similar to cruisers.
“Varyag is not just a mountain of iron. These are high technologies that are classified as unique,” ​​says Valery Babich, who from 1979 to 1990 was the head of the design bureau for aircraft-carrying ships at ChSZ.

Only four countries - the USA, France, Great Britain and the USSR - could build ships of this class. Moreover, while the first three states developed their naval air forces from the period between the First and Second World Wars, the USSR rushed after it only in the early 1970s.

During the Cold War, huge aircraft carriers (the largest of them, the American Enterprise, is 342 m long) became a maritime symbol of the global confrontation between socialism and capitalism. However, the history of this type of ship in the USSR turned out to be short: today only the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, which is part of the Russian Northern Fleet, continues to serve. The remaining six were either written off and sold, or were not completed and were also sold.

Carrier history

The idea of ​​building aircraft-carrying cruisers in the USSR was first voiced back in 1939 by the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Nikolai Kuznetsov. They planned to build four ships in the 1940-1950s, and they began to design them in Leningrad.

In 1941, when the war began, the idea was frozen. And after 1945, the Soviet command decided that the fleet needed cruisers and battleships.
With the coming to power of Nikita Khrushchev, the new leader of the USSR, under whom the Cold War with the United States became too ostentatiously hot and it almost came to nuclear weapons, the situation did not change. The Kremlin has relied on ballistic missiles and submarines. And in this the Union has achieved significant success. But, as it turned out, at that moment a different weapon was needed.

According to Babich, in Moscow, aircraft carriers were viewed as a means of the aggressive policy of the imperialists, which, due to their slowness, would be destroyed in the very first hours of the global conflict.

“We had a defensive doctrine. We did not prepare for local revolutionary wars in various parts globe, and time has shown that the entire second half of the twentieth century passed in continuous local conflicts”, the expert recalls.

In such mini-wars, the Pentagon gained an advantage thanks to aircraft carriers.
According to Norman Polmar, an American aviation and naval historian, the US Navy's ability to quickly deliver 60-70 aircraft anywhere in the world without having to seek permission to overfly other countries and without requiring land-based airfields (and therefore allies) , gave Washington excellent weapons.

“We have used it many times in support of American foreign policy,” the historian says.
Imperial Japan taught Americans to value aircraft carriers back in November 1941, when the Japanese fleet destroyed the US base at Pearl Harbor with one powerful airstrike.

In the wake of the enemy

Only in the first half of the 1970s did the Soviet Union decide to follow the American path. By that time, the United States had the most powerful aircraft carrier fleet in the world - 15 powerful attack aircraft carriers, of which three were nuclear. Together they carried more than 1 thousand aircraft in their bellies.
The concept of ships flying the Stars and Stripes was classic: they deployed special carrier-based fighters, anti-submarine reconnaissance and other winged vehicles. But in essence, these were almost ordinary planes that took off with acceleration.

Special steam catapults that captured the front chassis helped them shorten the takeoff run. When landing, they were additionally slowed down by halyards stretched across the deck, to which the planes clung with aerofinishing hooks.

The Soviet fleet initially took a different path: the role of carrier-based aircraft was assigned to the Yak-38 vertical take-off aircraft, which appeared in the USSR in the 1970s. They did not need a long runway, and accordingly, the carrier ship itself could be made relatively compact. The then Soviet Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev considered the Yak-38 to be the pride of the armed forces.

And in the 1970-1980s, four ships were built under Yaki - Kyiv, Minsk, Novorossiysk and Admiral Gorshkov. After their launch, it became clear that the Yak-38 could not be a worthy rival to American carrier-based aircraft. The Soviet vehicle was less maneuverable; its vertical takeoff and landing required too much fuel, which limited its range and reduced its combat load.

“The Americans greeted the appearance of ships like the Kyiv arrogantly, believing that this was not a ship, but an unknown thing,” says Arkady Morin, a Russian historian of shipbuilding and the fleet. According to him, during training flights, American Phantoms - McDonnell FH-1 Phantom carrier-based fighters - even simulating an attack on Soviet ships, tried not to fly close to the clumsy and difficult to control Yaks, fearing accidental collisions. And the fears of Uncle Sam’s pilots were not in vain: 15% of all Yak-38s built, says Morin, crashed during their service.

And yet, aircraft carriers under red flags, entering the Mediterranean Sea, kept their mark.

“We tried not to be whipping boys,” says Viktor Blytov, commander of combat units of several aircraft carriers. “Both day and night there were helicopter flights, setting up buoys, looking for the adversary’s submarines that were in launching positions [for a nuclear strike on USSR territory].” How he remembers Marine officer, each detected enemy submarine delighted the Soviet crews.

Such trips, according to eyewitnesses, have always been a game of nerves. IN Mediterranean waters ships from the Union were met by the powerful US Sixth Fleet and ships from NATO member countries. The potential enemy accompanied the “Russians.” At the same time, Soviet, American and French carrier-based aircraft flew up to each other’s ships. Pilots and sailors waved their hands and wrote greetings. The pilots did not forget to actively photograph enemy ships. It even happened that planes from different powers practiced attacks on enemy aircraft carriers - no one prevented this.

“Above the ships there is a continuous roar of the turbines of American fighters diving at us, mixed with our Yak-38s,” Babich recalls in his book The City of St. Nicholas and Its Aircraft Carriers. “It seemed like a real battle was unfolding in the air.” It was enough to press the Launch button of the Kinzhal anti-aircraft missile system, and there would be no trace left of the attacking aircraft. The fragile balance was maintained on nerves and endurance. A very dangerous situation."

And Blytov recalls a witty way of misinforming the enemy, which he and his colleagues came up with during the Mediterranean campaign. “Immediately after landing, the planes were lowered into the hangar, where a special team immediately marked them with new tail numbers, and they rose and took off again,” he says. “I later read in the American magazine The Providence Journal that our Kyiv is armed with 60 aircraft [actually there were 18].”

Powerful answer

Seeing the shortcomings of their ships, the command of the Soviet fleet began to think about an alternative to the “yacon carriers”. It could only be a classic fighter on a classic aircraft carrier. At the same time, the new ships decided to retain the powerful anti-ship missile systems that were strong point the first four aircraft carriers of the USSR Navy. Their missiles had a range of up to 500 km and could, according to Babich, even carry nuclear warheads.

The first-born among the new ships was the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. It was launched in 1985 and entered the fleet six years later.

Initially, the ship was conceived as an analogue of the American nuclear aircraft carrier Enterprise, but over time, funding for construction was reduced. Therefore, conventional (non-nuclear) engines were installed on the Admiral, and the displacement was halved, to 50-60 thousand tons.

Instead of the steam catapults that the overseas model used, Kuznetsov received a “springboard” - the bow end of the deck was raised up. This was enough for carrier-based fighters of the MiG-29k and Su-33 class, which were superior to their American counterparts, to take off independently from the ship.

Kuzya, as the sailors affectionately called Kuznetsov, even in a reduced form in comparison with the original project - its length was “only” 306 m - was amazing. It was the height of a 22-story building, and the giant’s crew numbered almost 2 thousand people. The corridors inside the ship stretch for 20 km. Due to the cyclopean size, some of the ordinary crew members may never have met each other during their military service.

There was so much space and people that the very first formation of the crew, recalls Viktor Yarygin, who commanded the cruiser at the beginning of its life, lasted for two hours: several sailors got lost in the bowels of Kuzi. Then, in January 1991, few could have imagined that very soon the fate of the ship would change dramatically.

Fleet defeat

On November 31, 1991, exactly at midnight, on the eve of the referendum on the independence of Ukraine, Admiral Kuznetsov weighed anchor in Sevastopol and left Ukrainian waters, heading to the Northern Fleet base area.

Without waiting for the Ukrainian SSR to become a separate state, the ship’s command decided to swear allegiance to Russia. “And when the President of Ukraine [Leonid Kravchuk] announced that everything that is on the territory of Ukraine is his [belongs to Ukraine], we were no longer his, but Russian,” says Yarygin. Today Kuznetsov is the only aircraft carrier of the Russian Federation.

At the time of the collapse of the USSR, two more unfinished ships stood on the stocks of the Nikolaev plant - the aircraft-carrying cruiser Varyag and the first Soviet nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ulyanovsk. Both went to Ukraine, but they were never able to join its Navy.

“Funding for Varyag and Ulyanovsk at the time of the collapse of the Union was zero,” recalls Babich. To complete the construction of the ships, it was necessary to do the impossible - to launch the entire industry that had stopped in those years. Official Kyiv decided to sell the imperfections to Moscow.

As Admiral Valentin Selivanov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Navy, said, in 1992, at the summit of the Ukrainian and Russian prime ministers, the fate of the ships was discussed. Then the head of the Ukrainian government, Leonid Kuchma, invited his Russian colleague Viktor Chernomyrdin to buy out the aircraft carriers.

“Chernomyrdin asked me if we needed a Varyag,” recalls Selivanov. - I say, of course, it is necessary. And he answers me: “Yes, whatever you ask, you need everything. No money left. You’ll get by!”

The Kyiv authorities also had no money, which could not pay for not only the completion, but even the cutting of the ships for scrap. The aircraft carriers were rusting, and their unique equipment was being stolen. “Varyag was barbarically gutted in a short time and turned into a pile of scrap metal weighing about 40 thousand tons,” says Babich.

As a result, in 1999, the State Property Fund of Ukraine sold the ship to China. A year later, Varyag left the Nikolaev shipyard and by 2002 was delivered by tug to the shores of the Middle Kingdom. Today, the former pride of the fleet serves as a training ship and prototype for the construction of Chinese aircraft carriers.

A similar fate befell most of the other aircraft-carrying creations of Nikolaev shipbuilders. Russia was unable to maintain four cruisers - Kyiv, Minsk, Novorossiysk and Admiral Gorshkov, which were transferred to it after the collapse of the Union. Therefore, Moscow sold the first two ships to China, and Novorossiysk - South Korea. Kyiv and Minsk were converted into hotel and entertainment centers and museums telling the history of Soviet aircraft carriers. Their brother Admiral Gorshkov served the Russian Federation until 2004, after which he was decommissioned and sold to India.

The saddest fate befell the last of the Mohicans - Ulyanovsk, 30% unfinished. The ship, with a displacement of 73.4 thousand tons, a record for the Soviet navy, was supposed to become the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the USSR with all the classic attributes. But it turned out that neither Russia nor Ukraine needed it.

They tried to sell it to foreign companies for at least $170 per 1 ton of metal - slightly more than the price of scrap. But there were no buyers. As a result, Ulyanovsk was cut into parts, which were stored for a long time at ChSZ. Gradually all these pieces were taken away.

“So the gigantic building of our atomic firstborn, towering on the slipway as the personification of the technological achievements of a great power and the Black Sea plant, turned into nothing,” concludes Babich.

A brief history of the creation of domestic aircraft carriers. In the first part of the article we started talking about tragic story creation of Soviet aircraft carriers. Read the second and final part.

Lightweight

In 1967, in Domodedovo, in addition to vertical take-off and landing aircraft, fighters with wings that varied in flight were demonstrated. It was for them that in 1968, the Nevsky Design Bureau resumed the development of light aircraft carriers (AVL) with a displacement of 45,000–50,000 tons. The aircraft carrier was supposed to carry 28 fighters with variable wing geometry (MiG-23 type), four long-range radar surveillance aircraft (AWACS), two reconnaissance aircraft - a jammer on a fighter base and four Ka-25PS search and rescue helicopters.

The anecdotal nature of the situation was that the aircraft carrier designers had access to information only on helicopters (they were previously based on Moskva-class helicopter carriers). Due to the secrecy of that time, they could not obtain any data on the aircraft being developed, and therefore they designed Soviet aircraft carriers based on the parameters of American (!) aircraft - the F-111B fighter and the E-1 Tracer AWACS aircraft - gleaned from the open press.

Aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov"

Despite this, the project was quite realistic: the designers abandoned the crazy idea of ​​​​combining all the functions in one ship, focusing on the aviation component. Additional weapons included two Osa self-defense anti-aircraft missile systems, four universal 100-mm guns, four 30-mm six-barreled anti-aircraft guns and four anti-torpedo rocket launchers.

A duel situation with American aircraft carriers was not even considered; the maximum task of the Soviet aircraft carrier was to at least neutralize the actions of the American aircraft carrier group. To accomplish this task, the aircraft carrier had to operate in close contact with land-based naval missile-carrying aircraft and attack submarines (for example, Project 949, which included the infamous Kursk).

Overall, I liked the project, and in the military shipbuilding plan for 1971–1980, the development of a preliminary design for an aircraft carrier, and, most importantly, aircraft weapons for it, appeared. At the same time, in the early 1970s, a comprehensive research work “Order” was carried out, which examined the issues of interaction between aircraft carriers, naval missile-carrying aircraft and attack submarines. The preliminary design of the aircraft carrier prepared by the Nevsky Design Bureau contained eight versions of the ship with a displacement from 40,000 to 100,000 tons.

In the summer of 1972, the chief designer of the preliminary project, Arkady Morin, presented the ship to Defense Minister Grechko simultaneously with the reports of the chief designers of nuclear submarine missile carriers (later project 941 “Shark/Typhoon” and project 949A “Antey/Oscar”). All three projects were actively supported by the Minister of Shipbuilding Industry Boris Butoma, who considered them the basis of the future Soviet fleet. In July 1973, the Nevsky Design Bureau was recommended for further design a version of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (Project 1160) with ejection take-off aircraft (Su-27K fighters and anti-submarine P-42) with a displacement of 80,000 tons.

Photo of a model of the Project 1160 nuclear aircraft carrier. It was with this model that they went to lobby the project to the Minister of Defense, but neither it nor logical arguments helped. The model has not been preserved.

The Nevskoye Design Bureau confirmed its readiness to lay down the lead ship immediately after the Minsk was launched - in 1975. In 1981, the first aircraft carrier of this project was supposed to be delivered to the fleet, and two more ships by 1986. The entire program (three aircraft carriers, their aircraft armament, basing support, personnel training, etc.) was estimated at 5.5 billion rubles. For the first time, the USSR had a chance to get a full-fledged aircraft carrier. Not even one, but three!

Unsinkable TAVKRs

But then the chief designer of the TAVKRs, Arkady Marinich, intervened, declaring to the CPSU Central Committee that he was ready to solve the same problems for less money by installing catapults on the TAVKRs and converting them to accommodate the MiG-23K and Su-25K. This project was supported by Dmitry Ustinov, then Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee for Defense Issues. As a result, instead of the Project 1160 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after Minsk, the modernized Project 1143M Novorossiysk TAVKR was laid down with the promised deployment of Yak-41 supersonic VTOL fighters on it.

However, upon more detailed study of the proposal, it turned out that Marynich did not fit into the established deadlines or the size of the Kyiv-class ships. The only thing he was able to achieve was to stop the development of Project 1160.

The Kiev's passage around Europe in 1976 demonstrated to many an obvious truth - ships of this type are helpless against full-fledged aircraft carriers. The Nevsky Design Bureau is being given a new introduction - to urgently revive the topic of nuclear aircraft carriers. True, since part of the funds had already been consumed by TAVKRs, the new aircraft carrier of Project 1153 had to be 10,000 tons smaller in displacement than Project 1160. Accordingly, the number of aircraft (such as MiG-23K, Su-25K and Su-27K) was reduced.

Head of the Nevsky Design Bureau V.F. is appointed chief designer of the project. Anikeev, who is tasked with commissioning two such ships by 1985 (instead of the fourth and fifth TAVKRs). It seems that nothing could prevent the USSR from appearing, albeit belatedly, real aircraft carriers. In Crimea, the construction of the ground-based testing and training complex “Nitka” began, and the Proletarsky Plant took on the difficult task of creating a ship catapult (which, we note, coped with it).

Project 1153 . A nuclear-powered large cruiser with aircraft armament of Project 1153. The basis of the aircraft carrier's aviation group was to be a deck-based modification of the latest Soviet fighter with variable wing geometry, the MiG-23K. It was also planned to base the Su-25K and Su-27K

And then the aircraft carrier project hit another streak of bad luck. In 1976, both of his main supporters, Grechko and Butoma, died. The new Minister of Defense Dmitry Ustinov soon closed the 1153 project and insisted on continuing the construction of the notorious TAVKRs. And in 1978, on the vacant slipway of the Black Sea plant in Nikolaev, the fourth (!) TAVKR of Project 11434 (the future “Baku / Admiral Gorshkov”) was laid down for the non-existent Yak-41 VTOL fighters.

YAK-44E . The Soviet response to the American carrier-based radar patrol and guidance aircraft E-2C Hawkeye. The Yak-44E became one of the best creations of the Yakovlev Design Bureau and was supposed to surpass its American counterpart in its characteristics. Initially, the Yak-44E had the capability of short takeoff and landing, which was provided by four additional lifting turbojet engines in the fuselage, but later they were abandoned. This had a positive effect on increasing the range and time of patrolling. Only a full-size mockup was built. Development stopped at the same time with the cessation of construction of the Ulyanovsk aircraft carrier, for which the Yak-44E was intended

The idiocy of the situation is also illustrated by the fact that ten years after commissioning, this same TAVKR still had to be converted into a carrier-based aircraft carrier in order to be sold to India under the name Vikramaditya - even for little money, aircraft-carrying cruisers are not needed anywhere in the world. One got the feeling that people didn’t care what to load the free shipyard with, as long as they didn’t start building a real aircraft carrier on it.

Third try

In 1978, immediately after the cessation of work on Project 1153, the Nevsky Design Bureau was once again entrusted with the development of “an aircraft carrier equipped with catapults, aerofinishers, helicopters and aircraft with both vertical and horizontal takeoff and landing.” The project received the number 11435, emphasizing that the ship represents a further evolution of the TAVKRs, the fifth ship in the series. This myth still haunts numerous monographs dedicated to the Soviet aircraft carrier fleet.

The designers of the “five” themselves claim that the creation of Project 11435 was not the result of the evolutionary development of ships of the “Kiev” type, but the third attempt to implement the design of the Project 1160 aircraft carrier, which began back in 1971. Or, as Arkady Morin sadly joked, the third departure from it.

Project 11435 . Model of the final version of the Project 11435 aircraft carrier. Note the forest of horizontal antennas. An aircraft carrier in combat mode is required to maintain contact with a huge number of surface and air objects. In the absence of flights, the antennas rise to the usual vertical position

Nevertheless, the Nevskoe Design Bureau has developed five versions of the new ship, including one with a nuclear power plant. As a result, the minimum version with a boiler-turbine power plant, a pair of steam catapults and a total displacement of 72,000 tons was approved. The refusal of the nuclear plant is explained by Ustinov’s fear of a negative reaction from neighboring countries on the Black Sea. And Turkey could easily block the passage of a nuclear aircraft carrier through its straits. What should an aircraft carrier do in the “paddling pool” of the Black Sea?

The requirements for the new ship were revised with kaleidoscopic speed - the composition of the air group, additional equipment, the number of anti-aircraft weapons and displacement changed. In 1980, Ustinov demanded that the displacement of the designed aircraft carrier be reduced by 10,000 tons, that the catapults be removed and that it be reoriented to short take-off and landing aircraft, for the launch of which a springboard should be used, and that the development of the Su-25K and Su-27K catapult take-off aircraft be stopped.

If you think this is the limit of insanity, then you are mistaken. The General Staff, represented by the Deputy Chief of the Navy, Admiral Amelko, lobbied in every possible way for the laying of two “budget” helicopter carriers (Project 10200 “Khalzan”) instead of the “five” on the basis of serial gas turbine cargo ships of the “Captain Smirnov” type.

Like in the circus

The idea of ​​taking off aircraft from a ski-jump is not new - the British were the first to use it for take-off with a short run of their Harrier VTOL aircraft. Traditional vertical takeoff burned too much fuel, and takeoff from a springboard made it possible to significantly increase both the mass of suspended weapons and the range of the aircraft. Only the Soviet Yak-38 is similar to the Harrier only in appearance - the English aircraft is much more advanced. First of all, thanks to the unique compact single lift-propulsion engine with deflectable thrust vector Rolls-Royce Pegasus.

Due to the impossibility of creating an analogue of such an engine by the domestic industry, the aircraft designed by Yakovlev had three (!) engines - one lifting and sustaining and two lifting ones, which served as ordinary ballast in flight. With this design, the aircraft had almost no payload reserve. But without weapons, a military aircraft is useless. In order to accommodate at least something on the Yaks, the designers were forced to lighten as much as possible, and therefore weaken the structure of the aircraft fuselage. As a result, unlike the English Harrier, the Yak-38 was not designed for the loads arising during takeoff from a ski-jump - it could simply fall apart.

The question is, what was Ustinov thinking about when removing the catapult from the aircraft carrier and replacing it with a ski-jump and aircraft with short take-off and landing, if such aircraft could not take off from this ski-jump? We can only guess about this.

The fact is that, having failed to create a worthy competitor to the Harrier, Yakovlev promised by the early 1980s to develop the Yak-41 - a supersonic fighter-interceptor with vertical take-off and landing and a single engine, superior in all flight characteristics to its English competitor . The aircraft could fly at speeds of up to Mach 2 and have a range of up to 2,100 km. You don’t have to be an expert to understand the utopian nature of this project.

Indeed, already in 1980, three engines appeared on the Yak-41; by 1991, only two flight models were built, which did not meet any of the main declared parameters. Nobody needed such an aircraft, and in 1992, funding for the project was stopped. Nevertheless, the Yak-41 played its role in the development of domestic aircraft carriers - the “five” began to be built without a catapult.

Jumping gallop

But if the Yak-41 is not ready, what will fly from the “five”, after all, it is an aircraft carrier? And in the summer of 1982, in Crimea, at the Nitka complex, experimental work began on taking off Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft from a springboard, which ultimately ended in success. According to the specifications specified by the Navy, Project 11435 was once again adjusted - the catapults were finally replaced with a ski-jump, but the main machine was still the Yak-41, although it became possible to base the Su-27K and MiG-29K ski-jump aircraft.

It is interesting that almost simultaneously with us and the United States, they were conducting experiments on taking off from a springboard their carrier-based aircraft F-14 and F-18. Despite the complete success of the tests, the Americans did not abandon catapults. For a simple and understandable reason: a catapult on an aircraft carrier guarantees the aircraft's takeoff in any conditions and reduces dependence on takeoff weight.

By the way, there is a large number of speculations surrounding the domestic catapult, justifying, to put it mildly, the stupid decisions of the leadership of the Soviet Navy. For example, that the country was simply not able to create a steam catapult. This is actually not true. Already at Nitka they began the construction of two catapults (remember, produced by the Proletarsky Plant). The first was intended for testing aero arresting devices, the second, directed towards the sea, was for training pilots of ship-borne aircraft.

So, according to Ustinov’s directive, they closed it down. The first catapult was saved by cunning, calling it in the documents “an accelerating device for testing aero arresters.” By 1986, it was operational, and its power output was 10% higher than that of the American Nimitz catapult. Like this.

Leonid Brezhnev

Volumes have been written about the lead ship of series 11435, laid down in September 1982 at the Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolaev. Let us remember that initially it was called “Riga”, in February of the following year it was re-mortgaged with a new name “Leonid Brezhnev”, and in 1987 the “five” was given a third name - “Tbilisi”. The leapfrog did not end there - on October 4, 1990, the ship was renamed “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.” But let's return to our aircraft carriers.

First atomic

In 1984, the main opponent of aircraft carriers, Ustinov, died. Almost immediately after this, the Nevsky Design Bureau was again entrusted with the design of a real nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with an increased displacement and the number of aircraft provided for in the military shipbuilding plan of 1986–1995. Despite the significant difference from the Kiev-class ships, the aircraft carrier still continues to be called the seventh TAVKR - project 11437. When this ship was laid down on the slipway of the Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolaev on November 25, 1988, it received the name “Ulyanovsk”.

The increase in displacement compared to ships of the Tbilisi type made it possible to increase the size of the flight deck and provide two catapults on it in addition to the springboard. This made it possible to reduce the time characteristics of group take-off of aircraft to the level of American Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. At the same time, anti-aircraft firepower and the structural protection of the ship were strengthened.

With the construction of Ulyanovsk, the Nevskoye Design Bureau and the Black Sea Shipyard would fall into the elite club of large aircraft carrier builders, where the American company Newport News Shipbuilding Co. had been alone since 1961. However, in 1991, when the ship's hull was three-quarters complete, the Navy suspended payments to the Ukrainian Black Sea plant, and a year later the hull of the failed first Russian nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with ejection aircraft was cut into scrap metal. And Russia’s place in the elite club of nuclear aircraft carriers was taken by France, which in 1995 launched its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle.

Vacant position

In 2008, the United States commissioned the last, tenth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Russia, despite the boastful assurances of the Russian military, has nothing to oppose to this armada - in an open conflict, the life of our fleet will most likely be counted in minutes. One can argue: they say, the rest of the world gets along without its own aircraft carriers - and nothing. But other countries did not spend such fantastic funds on the construction of their fleet as the USSR.

With the money spent on creating useless floating piles of metal, entire fleet maintenance cities and giant shipyards, dozens of cities could have been built for you and me. Or at least start building Project 1160 Eagle aircraft carriers back in 1975. Then by 1991 we would already have three of them and this would be a high-quality answer to Nimitz.

By 2013, the United States plans to launch its next-generation aircraft carrier, the CVN-78, equipped with electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft more smoothly and reliably, and capable of carrying nearly 100 of the latest aircraft, including the JSF F-35C and unmanned aerial vehicles.

CVN-78 . The first American aircraft carrier of the new CVX series inherited the hull from the existing Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. CVN-78 will be equipped with a new nuclear power plant and electrical power system, which will allow the ship to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults

The ship is made using stealth technology and is capable of carrying all types of advanced aircraft, including unmanned ones

"Admiral Kuznetsov" should not be perceived as a full-fledged combat unit, but rather as a floating testing ground for aircraft carrier technologies

What do we have? The Nevsky Design Bureau has once again been instructed to begin preparations for the development of a domestic nuclear aircraft carrier. They say that docks are already being prepared for it in Severomorsk. And in Krasnodar region, in Yeisk, they built an analogue of the Nitka complex that remained in Ukraine. Russia is once again knocking on the door of the aircraft carrier club.

In preparing the articles, materials from the Nevsky Design Bureau History Museum were used.

1927 By decree of the Revolutionary Military Council, the reconstruction of the training ship "Komsomolets" (formerly "Ocean") into an experimental aircraft carrier began. The previous boilers of various types were replaced by Yarrow boilers, made for the Izmail-class cruisers (three of these cruisers were sold for scrap in 1922). The mast, chimney, deckhouses and bridges were combined into an “island” on the port side. To increase stability, bulges 4 meters wide were used (at the same time they served as anti-torpedo protection).
After restructuring, the aircraft carrier's displacement was 12 thousand tons and its speed was 15 knots. The air group was planned to consist of 42 aircraft (26 fighters, 16 attack aircraft). Artillery: 16-102 mm universal guns in twin mounts, 10-40 mm anti-aircraft guns in two five-barrel mounts.
Commissioning took place in 1934.

The disadvantages of the R-5T included single-seat capability and the absence of any defensive weapons, so in 1937 the development of a new carrier-based torpedo bomber began.

In 1938, general naval maneuvers took place in the Baltic in which the aircraft carrier "Krasnoe Znamya" (the new name of "Komsomolets") took part; as part of the exercises, reconnaissance aircraft were carried out in the interests of the "Reds", escorting the squadron by fighters from the air, as well as a training bomb and torpedo launching on the withdrawn from the fleet to the battleship "Frunze".

In the same year, when discussing the “Big Fleet” program, it was planned to immediately build as many as 8 light and 4 large aircraft carriers within the program, and the design of these ships began. The light cruiser of Project 68 "Chapaev" and the heavy cruiser of Project 69 were chosen as the basis.

Project 71a, light AB.

Technical data of the Project 71a aircraft carrier: standard displacement 11,300 tons, total displacement 13,000 tons, mechanical power 126,500 hp. s., speed 33 knots; armament: 8 100 mm universal artillery guns, 16 37 mm artillery guns, 20 12.7 mm machine guns; air group: ten multi-role aircraft and 30 fighters, two pneumatic catapults.

In 1940, the aircraft carrier "Red Banner" underwent modernization and received new aircraft - I-153K fighters.
The air group was significantly reduced and now amounted to only 18 aircraft. Instead of two small lifts, one large one was installed, and the aircraft carrier received a pneumatic catapult for testing, which also facilitated the takeoff of I-153K fighters.

In 1939, the first aircraft carrier was laid down in Leningrad new program according to project 71a, named "Red Star".

In 1940, the construction program of the Large Fleet was seriously reduced, leaving only 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers and 4 (in 1941, only 2 light aircraft carriers).

The second aircraft carrier of Project 71a was laid down in 1940 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. He received the name "Chkalov".
The Baltic aircraft carrier was destined for the Northern Fleet, the Komsomol - for the Pacific Fleet.

Since the Navy by that time had already been allocated to a separate People's Commissariat, in 1940 a competition was announced for the creation of a specialized carrier-based fighter; in 1941, the carrier-based torpedo bomber Su-4 was already put into service, but in the end it was able to operate only from coastal airfields.

The launch of the lead aircraft carrier of Project 71a "Red Star" took place in the spring of 1941, and the war found it in completion. In July 1941, its completion was suspended. "Chkalov" was launched only in 1944 and was mothballed.

The aircraft carrier "Red Banner" left for Kronstadt shortly after June 22, 1941; its air group participated in the defense of Leningrad, operating mainly from coastal airfields. The ship itself was camouflaged and was repeatedly damaged. Was decommissioned in 1945.

The unfinished "Red Star" was converted into an air defense battery in 1943. It was equipped big amount anti-aircraft guns of different calibers.

In 1943, the Casablanca-class escort aircraft carrier Corregidor, which received the name Molotovsk in the Soviet Navy, was temporarily transferred to the Soviet Union (until the end of hostilities). The air group consisted of American-made aircraft.

The aircraft carrier took part in escorting several convoys, supported the advance of Soviet troops in Norway, providing air cover for the battleship Arkhangelsk, which was shelling German positions. Several raids were also carried out by the aircraft carrier's onboard "Avengers".

In 1945 Soviet troops The damaged, unfinished German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin was captured and its design was carefully studied. The issue of its completion was seriously discussed, but completion was complicated by the fact that a significant part of the equipment ended up in the western zone of occupation and the Allies categorically refused to hand it over. However, in 1947, on the personal instructions of Stalin, the completion of the Graf Zeppelin began, which inherited the name “Red Banner” from the first Soviet aircraft carrier.

The ship's design underwent significant changes: casemate guns were abandoned, the area of ​​the "island" was significantly reduced and the length of the flight deck was increased, and the German aircraft transportation system and German catapults were abandoned. The deck was equipped with sponsons for mounting anti-aircraft guns. Of course, updated radio equipment was installed.

The completion of the aircraft carrier took 6 years; the ship entered service in 1953, a month after the death of I.V. Stalin. In 1955, the ship was relocated from the Baltic to the North.

"Red Banner" (formerly "Graf Zeppelin") after entering service in 1953.

After the war, measures were also taken to complete the construction of Project 71 aircraft carriers "Red Star" and "Chkalov". During construction, attempts were made to take into account the experience of the war, but the small displacement of the ships prevented serious improvements - they limited themselves to strengthening the anti-aircraft weapons by adding additional anti-aircraft guns, both ships received radars and new catapults, more powerful than the pre-war ones and designed for heavier aircraft. "Red Star" entered service in 1948, and "Chkalov" in 1950.

By the way, about airplanes. The war practically interrupted the development of carrier-based aircraft in the USSR. During the war, several Martlet fighters and Avenger torpedo bombers were delivered under Lend-Lease, which were carefully studied in Soviet design bureaus. Since there was no time to develop new carrier-based aircraft from scratch, it was decided to adapt the latest La-11 fighter. The Sukhoi Design Bureau, which was less busy than others during the war, continued the sluggish development of the Su-6 carrier-based torpedo bomber, which was accelerated after the war. By the time the Red Star entered service, both aircraft had passed tests and were ready to fly.

However, by that time it had already become clear that the future belonged to jet cars. In 1947, the country's leading aviation design bureaus were tasked with developing and submitting a carrier-based jet fighter to a government commission.

As for work on new aircraft carriers, work in the USSR did not stop during the war. Several projects were drawn up by different teams, including Project 72, similar to the British Illustrious, and the huge Kostromitinov aircraft carrier of 50 thousand tons. However, the projects developed during the war were not developed

Project 72 was developed in 1944-45 and most sources provide at least two versions of this project. One, pictured here, with a displacement and size roughly equivalent to the British Illustrious, and a second much larger, with a force of approximately 62 aircraft and a displacement of over 30,000 tons. The variant shown in the picture has 8 twin 130mm universal guns, 8 twin 85mm anti-aircraft guns and 10 twin 37mm machine guns.

Kostromitinov's project is one of the most interesting Soviet aircraft carrier projects, and one of the least known. This project is the work of Lieutenant Kostromitinov, who was studying the project of the German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. The design bears some resemblance to the German aircraft carrier, but is much larger, with a total length of 300 meters and a displacement of over 50,000 tons. The armament according to the project consisted of 8 twin casemate installations, 4 three-gun and 6 two-gun 100mm installations, as well as 8 quad 37mm machine guns. The aircraft carrier was supposed to carry 66 fighters and 40 bombers. In terms of the size and composition of the air group, this project was close to its most powerful contemporaries - the American Midway-class aircraft carriers.

The new fleet development program adopted in 1947 provided for:

Construction of a large series of destroyers based on the modified project 30

Construction of a large series submarines new generation

Construction of a large series of light cruisers of Project 68bis

After heated debates, they decided to completely abandon the construction of any artillery ships larger than a light cruiser, based on the experience of WWII.

The design of new aircraft carriers, initially designed to carry jet aircraft, began.

Along the way, the question arose of what to do with the building of the unfinished heavy cruiser Project 69 "Kronstadt". As a result, it was decided to complete it as an aircraft carrier. Work on completion began in 1949, adjusting the project drawn up back in 1946. The ship entered service under the same name in 1955. By this time, the USSR already had 4 aircraft carriers in service: 2 light and 2 attack.

Project 69AB was developed immediately after the war, in 1945-46. The air group was planned to consist of 76 aircraft, and the armament was to be 8 twin 130 mm guns and 16 twin 37 mm machine guns.

In 1951 and 1952, the laying of two huge Project 82 aircraft carriers, Stalingrad and Moscow, took place. These ships were, in fact, a further development of Kostromitinov’s project and, with a total displacement of more than 50 thousand tons, were supposed to carry almost a hundred aircraft. After Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet shipbuilding program was revised by new leadership. For some time, the question of continuing the construction of new aircraft carriers remained open, but just by the mid-50s, the creation of new promising atomic weapons suitable for use was launched in the USSR tactical aviation. The Navy's argument for continuing to build aircraft carriers was based on the fact that aircraft carriers could be converted into carriers of nuclear weapons and used for strategic purposes. At that time, American admirals used similar arguments in their dispute with the Air Force, defending the future of their aircraft carrier fleet. In 1954, "Stalingrad" was launched and entered service in 1957. His sistership "Moscow" entered service in 1958.

Project 82 aircraft carrier.

By the time the Red Star entered service in 1948, several samples of the carrier-based jet fighter had been submitted for testing. An attempt to use as a temporary measure the I-250 hybrid fighter, equipped, in addition to a piston engine, jet engine, failed due to the unsatisfactory characteristics of this machine. In 1948, even before the final entry into service of the Red Star, several experimental takeoffs and landings of a “semi-jet” fighter were made from this aircraft carrier. Based on the test results, the aircraft was not accepted into service with the fleet.

In the conclusions of the Act, approved on November 3, 1948 by the Minister of the Navy, Admiral A.G. Golovko, it was noted that the I-250 as a long-range escort fighter could only be classified as a limitedly maneuverable aircraft due to the insufficient maximum operational load of 6.5 . At full flight weight at indicated speeds of 280-329 km/h, the aircraft is unstable in the longitudinal channel. Abnormal behavior during the takeoff run was also noted. There were also complaints about the operating features of the machine, which was generally considered complex.

At the end of the next year, 1949, comparative tests of carrier-based jet fighters created by the Yakovlev, Lavochkin and Mikoyan design bureaus took place. The Yak-23K quickly fell out of the race, the main battle took place between the MiG-15K and the La-17 (a carrier-based aircraft based on the low-volume La-15 fighter). As a result, the Ministry of the Navy insisted on adopting the La-17 fighter into service with the fleet, in which the requirements for a deck-based vehicle were most fully embodied. As for the carrier-based attack aircraft, already in the next year, 1950, the Tupolev Design Bureau began proactively developing a new carrier-based torpedo bomber. The official design order for the machine was issued in 1952, and already in 1954 the first flight took place. In 1956, the vehicle, designated Tu-91, was put into service. In the Navy, the turboprop bomber was nicknamed "Bull", and in the West it was called Tu-91 Boot. In 1957, the first Tu-91 squadron armed with tactical aircraft entered service with the aircraft carrier Stalingrad. nuclear bombs. In the second half of the 50s, an anti-submarine version, an AWACS aircraft version and a jammer version were also created on its basis. Simultaneously with the creation of the Tu-91, work began in the USSR to create a carrier-based supersonic fighter-interceptor.

Tu-91
The commissioning of the Chkalov aircraft carrier in the Far East coincided with the beginning of the Korean War. During the war, the aircraft carrier repeatedly went on patrol in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Yellow Sea as part of a detachment also consisting of several Project 26 and 68 cruisers and destroyers. In 1952, instead of the La-11, Chkalov received the La-17 jets. The actions of the Soviet detachment to some extent hampered the combat work of the UN navies in the conflict area, because the Soviet aircraft carrier prevented Allied ships from freely maneuvering off the Korean coast, forced them to deploy large enough forces to track it and, in addition, it was necessary to take into account the fact that reconnaissance officers from the Chkalov could direct Korean and Chinese Tu-14s to attack the ships allies. During the war, several incidents related to Chkalov occurred, in particular a battle between a La-17 and an F9F Panther, which ended in the downing of one American fighter.

The development of a carrier-based supersonic fighter-interceptor began almost immediately after the La-17 was put into service. This time, the MiG design bureau took revenge, paralleling the development of the MiG-19P and the development of its deck version, the MiG-19K "Tiger". This vehicle was planned to be adopted not only by naval squadrons, but also by land-based naval air regiments. The first flight from a ground airfield took place in early 1955, and in July of this year the Tiger took off for the first time from the aircraft carrier Kronstadt, before the latter left for the Far East. The following year, 1956, the new carrier-based fighter was adopted by the Navy and began to enter ship and coastal squadrons. Already at the design stage, it became clear that the new aircraft could not be operated from Project 71 aircraft carriers at all, and launch from the Red Banner (formerly Graf Zeppelin) would be possible only after the installation of new hydraulic catapults. And in general, by the mid-50s it became clear that the light aircraft carriers laid down in the 30s no longer met modern requirements. It became clear that they would soon be forced to leave the aircraft carrier force. A logical question arose - what ships will replace them?

MiG-19K "Tiger"

In 1951, Admiral Kuznetsov returned to the post of Minister of the Navy. On his initiative, the development of a new naval construction program began, providing for the continuation of the construction of the largest aircraft carriers in the amount of at least 9 units. The design of a new heavy aircraft carrier with a displacement of 60 thousand tons was immediately begun. However, these plans did not receive high support, especially after a change in the political leadership, which believed that Project 82 aircraft carriers, for all their merits, cost the country too much. As a result, by order of Kuznetsov, the project of an attack aircraft carrier was archived and in 1954 the design of its half-sized version began, designated Project 85. Initially, the minister insisted on the construction of at least 6-5 of these aircraft carriers, but in 1955, according to According to Khrushchev's instructions, the series was limited to 2 ships - to replace the obsolete light aircraft carriers of Project 71. The project of new aircraft carriers included several important innovations - for the first time in Soviet practice, an angular flight deck and steam catapults were provided. An air group of 50 aircraft was to consist primarily of fighter-interceptors, radar detection and anti-submarine aircraft.

In 1956, the keel of the lead ship, named Leningrad, took place. In 1957, Kyiv was founded. They were launched in 1958 and 1959, respectively, and entered service in 1960 and 1961.

Project 85.

In 1962, the aircraft carriers "Krasnaya Zvezda" and "Chkalov" were put into reserve, which in the 1960s were rebuilt into anti-submarine aircraft carriers capable of carrying Ka-25 helicopters and Tu-91PL aircraft.

In 1961, after the city of Stalingrad was renamed “at the request of the workers” to Volgograd, the Project 82 aircraft carrier “Stalingrad” also changed its name, which also became “Volgograd”. At the end of the same year, the aircraft carrier underwent the first medium repair in its career in Severodvinsk, combined with modernization - they were going to install a corner deck and steam catapults on the aircraft carrier. For this reason, Volgograd was unable to take part in the Cuban Missile Crisis next year. By the end of 1962, the "Red Banner" was already performing the functions of a training aircraft carrier and, thus, in fact, the newest "Leningrad" remained the only combat-ready aircraft carrier of the Northern Fleet.

At the head of an aircraft carrier formation, which also included the newest missile cruiser Grozny, the aircraft carrier was sent to the shores of Cuba to prevent its blockade. Under the cover of the Soviet AUG, several transports were escorted to Cuban territorial waters; in addition, almost all Soviet diesel submarines participating in the campaign managed to break through to Cuba. However, one aircraft carrier was clearly not enough to fully lift the blockade. Soviet fighters tried to interfere with the work of American coastal and deck-based anti-submarine aircraft by performing dangerous maneuvers in close proximity to them. One of these episodes ended in a mid-air collision and the death of pilots on both sides.

As a result, the Cuban missile crisis was resolved, to everyone's relief, by a compromise - the USSR removed its missiles from Cuba, the United States removed its missiles from Turkey. The United States pledged not to displace the Cuban pro-Soviet regime, and the USSR pledged to limit its military contingent on the island to one division.

The Cuban missile crisis had a profound impact on the entire subsequent aircraft carrier program of the USSR in the 60s. In addition to understanding the need to fight enemy nuclear submarines armed with ballistic missiles, there has come an understanding of the need to ensure reliable air defense of formations and ships for effective operations in the ocean. It was planned to provide reliable air defense both with the help of ships armed with long-range air defense systems and with the help of specialized air defense aircraft carriers. Both were initially included in the military shipbuilding program for 1959-1965, but the results of the Caribbean crisis gave the construction of these ships top priority. The new concept for the development of the fleet provided for the creation of powerful search and strike groups, which were to be based on anti-submarine cruisers of Project 1123, rocket ships Project 1126 air defense and air defense aircraft carriers (according to the terminology of those years - “floating fighter aircraft bases”). Strike functions according to the new concept were assigned to Project 58 missile cruisers, Project 1134 missile cruisers, naval missile-carrying aircraft and submarines.

Back in 1958, the design of a large anti-submarine cruiser began, armed with a powerful sonar and designed to host a large number of anti-submarine helicopters. In 1959, the design of the Project 1126 air defense missile cruiser and a “floating base for fighter aircraft” began. Initially, the development of PBIA was carried out by TsNII-45. After consideration by the State Committee for Shipbuilding, the development of the preliminary design was entrusted to TsKB-17 (future Nevskoye PKB), chief designer A.B. Morin. In the TsKB-17 project, the size and displacement were increased, the composition of the power plant was changed, and the air wing and defensive weapons were increased. The initial project provided for a diesel power plant consisting of 6 promising diesel engines from the Kolomna Plant with a capacity of 20,000 hp each. every. The exhaust was provided under water. In the TsKB-17 project, the exotic power plant was replaced with a traditional boiler-turbine one. The total displacement of the ship in the final design increased to 30 thousand tons. The air group consisted of 36 aircraft - 30 fighters, 4 AWACS aircraft and 2 search and rescue helicopters. For self-defense, 8 double 57mm were provided artillery installations and 2 air defense systems short range M-1. It was decided to abandon any measures to structurally protect the ship.

Thus, in this project The Soviet Navy received a fairly compact aircraft carrier, carrying the same number of fighters as the American Forrestal-class attack aircraft carrier, but with half the size. The maximum efficiency of using carrier-based fighter aircraft (at the level of American rivals) was ensured by an angular deck, steam catapults and the presence of AWACS aircraft.

PBIA, project TsKB-17, accepted for construction

The lead PBIA of Project 1128 "Minsk" was laid down in Leningrad in 1961. Launched in 1963, the new aircraft carrier entered service in 1965 and was relocated to Pacific Ocean, due to the aggravation of the situation around Vietnam.

The second ship was named "Baku" and was laid down in 1963 at the Baltic Shipyard immediately after the sister ship was launched. Launching took place in 1965, and entry into service in 1967. This aircraft carrier became part of the Northern Fleet.

Construction of the Riga began in 1965, launching in 1967, and entry into service in 1969. The ship became part of the Pacific Fleet.

The last of the Project 1128 PBIA ships was named "Tbilisi", laid down in 1967, launched in 1969 and entered service in 1971, joining the Northern Fleet

According to the Navy construction program adopted in the early 1960s, it was planned to build 4 search and strike groups, which were intended to be completed within 10 years. In addition to the PBIA, each group should also include large anti-submarine cruisers and air defense cruisers, 1 for each group. Project 1126 air defense cruisers began to be designed at TsKB-17 in 1959. Initially, it was planned to arm them with 2 launchers of the M-11 "Storm" medium-range air defense system and 2 launchers of the M-3 long-range air defense system. The latter was supposed to use the B-800 missile with a range of up to 55 km. However, by that time the fleet had already received negative experience in operating the M-2 complex, also with liquid-propellant rockets, which were poorly suited for operation in ship conditions, primarily due to fire safety. Caused complaints and big sizes(length 10 meters) B-800 missiles.
A solution was found in the development of the M-31 complex with the B-757 rocket, which had a solid-fuel sustainer stage and a length of 6.5 meters. Pay for improvement performance characteristics the range was reduced to 50 km, which was considered quite acceptable. It was also decided to abandon the installation of the M-11 medium-range air defense systems, replacing them with more compact M-1 air defense systems.

The construction of Project 1126 missile cruisers was entrusted to the Black Sea Plant in Nikolaev. In 1962, the lead ship Admiral Makarov was laid down, which entered service in 1967 (but development of the M-31 Shkval air defense system continued until 1969). The Admiral Nakhimov was laid down in 1965 and entered service in 1968. The laying of two more ships of this type was canceled due to the decision to rebuild two Project 68bis cruisers into air defense cruisers with similar weapons. In 1964, rebuilding of the cruiser Admiral Ushakov began in Leningrad, and in 1965, in Severodvinsk, the rebuilding of the cruiser Alexander Nevsky began. "Ushakov" entered service in a new capacity in 1969, and "Alexander Nevsky" in 1970.

Project 1126

Characteristics:

Standard displacement 10 thousand tons, speed 32 knots, boiler-turbine power plant.

Armament: 2x2 M-31 SAM launchers, 2x2 M-11 SAM launchers, 4x2 57mm AU, 2 RBU-6000, 1 Ka-25RTs helicopter

The ship had advanced electronic weapons, including an automated control center for fighter aircraft.

Another combat episode involving Soviet aircraft carriers in the 50s was the participation of the aircraft carrier Kronstadt in the operation against Albania in 1956 and in the Suez crisis. In the spring of 1956, the aircraft carrier, which had entered service last year, entered the Mediterranean Sea, so that later it could move through the Suez Canal to Indian Ocean and further to Vladivostok.
However, the events of 1956 delayed the aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea. In the summer of 1956, Albanian leader Enver Hoxha, who disagreed with the policies of liberalization and de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union, broke off relations with the USSR. The formal reason for the military operation against Albania was the seizure of the Soviet naval base in the port of Vlora (Valona) and the ships of the Soviet Navy located there. After several strikes by naval aircraft from an aircraft carrier, a Soviet landing force was landed in Vlore Marine Corps. By the end of the year, Hoxha was removed and the USSR retained a strategically important base in the Mediterranean.

In the fall of 1956, in connection with the nationalization of Egypt Suez Canal The situation in the Middle East has deteriorated sharply. The presence of the Soviet aircraft carrier Kronstadt in the immediate vicinity of Port Said and Alexandria did not allow the Anglo-French fleet to land troops and Operation Musketeer ended in complete failure. Because England and France used their veto power, blocking at the UN a draft American resolution demanding the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Sinai Peninsula; the United States did not provide any support to its allies in this crisis.

Project 68bis cruiser, rebuilt into an air defense missile cruiser.

The design of Project 1123 anti-submarine cruisers began in 1958. Initially, it was planned to build ships with a displacement of no more than 10 thousand tons and with an air group of 12-14 helicopters. But in 1962, the obsolete light aircraft carriers of Project 71 were put into reserve. The ships not only could not use modern and promising aircraft, but were also badly worn out and needed major repairs. Naturally, the idea arose to rebuild them into anti-submarine aircraft carriers, carrying about 20 anti-submarine helicopters and 8-10 Tu-91PLO aircraft. The implementation of Project 1123 was postponed to a later date, and the reconstruction of the Red Star and Chkalov began in 1963 and 1964, respectively. Both aircraft carriers returned to service under their original names in 1967 and 1968. However, despite the air group being powerful enough for ASW purposes, the lack of a powerful hydroacoustic station and anti-submarine missile system was then considered a disadvantage. As a result, the design of Project 1123 anti-submarine cruisers was continued. In the final version, the standard displacement of the ship increased to 15 thousand tons, and the air group increased to 20 helicopters. The cruiser was also equipped with the Metel anti-submarine missile system, 2 M-11 Shtorm air defense missile launchers, 2 Osa-M self-defense air defense systems, torpedo tubes for launching anti-submarine torpedoes, a large Titan sonar station and a towed sonar " Vega".
However, the project of a specialized anti-submarine helicopter carrier remained unrealized due to changes in views on the future construction of the fleet, in which the task of providing ASW was once again assigned to multi-purpose aircraft carriers.

Project 1123

The 50s of the 20th century became a time of rapid progress in young jet aviation. Combat aircraft, which seemed to be the crown of engineering at the beginning of the decade, could already be considered hopelessly outdated by the end of the 50s. If even in the Korean War, the planes of the opposing sides hit each other, as they did during the Second World War - with the help of cannons and machine guns, then by the end of the 50s, a crisis in the traditional armament of fighter aircraft became clear.
The way out of this situation was the development of guided air-to-air missiles, the first samples of which were put into service in the late 50s. In 1957, production began of a modified MiG-19PM fighter-interceptor carrying 4 K-5M air-to-air missiles. The missile had a lot of shortcomings and was only suitable for destroying bombers, but there was no alternative to it. Since in the mid-50s the US Navy received a new jet carrier-based strategic bomber, the A-3 Skywarrior, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the Soviet fleet was entrusted with the fight against these aircraft. To this end, one of the MiG-19K squadrons on each of the existing aircraft carriers was to be re-equipped with the MiG-19KM - a missile interceptor variant. In 1958, Stalingrad, Moscow and Kronstadt each received one such squadron. However, by this time work was already in full swing on the MiG-19KM receiver as the main Soviet carrier-based interceptor. However, the main promising Soviet interceptor E-7 (the future MiG-21) had takeoff and landing characteristics that were very unsuitable for deployment on an aircraft carrier. The management of the MiG design bureau did not consider it possible to create a deck version of this machine, and the MiG team did not have time to develop a specialized carrier-based fighter due to the heavy workload of the design bureau with promising developments. Instead of developing a new fighter, they proposed creating a modified version of the MiG-19K. However, the Navy, which wanted to receive a new generation interceptor at the same time as the Air Force, in 1957 achieved the issuance of a decree transferring work on a carrier-based fighter-interceptor to the Sukhoi Design Bureau.

In 1958, after the first flight of the Su-11 interceptor, development of its deck modification began. Since this aircraft also had a fairly high landing speed, it was necessary to significantly change the shape of the wing - instead of the usual “delta”, a wing of increased area of ​​the “double delta” type was used, with folding tips. In 1960, the first flight of the Su-11K interceptor took place, and in 1961, tests began on the Kiev aircraft carrier. In 1962 (a year later than its land progenitor), the Su-11K was adopted by the Navy aviation. The new supersonic carrier-based interceptor could carry 2 K-8M missiles with a semi-active seeker, or with a thermal seeker. At first, no cannon armament was provided. It is interesting that the design of the K-8M missiles and the avionics of the Su-11K aircraft provided for the possibility of using missiles against sea targets. Since 1962, the Su-11K began to be replaced in the air groups by the MiG-19KM, and then the MiG-19K (after the appearance in 1965 of the Su-11KM version with a more powerful engine and built-in cannon).

Speaking about the development of Soviet carrier-based aviation, it is necessary to mention such an important component of air groups as AWACS aircraft. Only with the presence of “flying radars” capable of expanding the radio horizon and directing the actions of fighters, did the air defense of ship formations become truly effective. The American Navy began using the first radar patrol aircraft during World War II, and during the Korean War, the benefits of “flying radars” for the air defense of an aircraft carrier formation were finally proven. But in the Soviet Navy, attempts to create such an aircraft were unsuccessful for a long time, both due to the lack of radars with the necessary characteristics, and due to the lack of suitable aircraft for them. The appearance of the carrier-based turboprop bomber Tu-91 in the late 50s spurred work on the AWACS aircraft. In 1960, the first Soviet AWACS aircraft, the Tu-91RLD, was put into service. It was equipped with a ventral radar, which had a fairly long range, but was unable to detect targets against the background of the underlying surface. Since the presence of an effective AWACS aircraft in the air group was a necessary condition for the implementation of the PBIA project, in the late 50s the development of a carrier-based AWACS aircraft similar to the E-1 Tracer began. The creation of this aircraft was entrusted to the Tupolev Design Bureau. The resulting twin-engine turboprop Tu-93, very similar to the American prototype, made its first flight in 1964 and entered service in 1967. The new radar, like on the Tracer, was located in a fixed fairing on stands above the fuselage. This aircraft undoubtedly increased the combat capabilities of Soviet aircraft carriers, but the Americans again took the lead in this area, creating the first carrier-based AWACS aircraft, the E-2 Hawkeye, with a rotating antenna, capable of detecting targets against the background of the sea surface. In 1969, the Tu-93PLO aircraft was put into service, replacing the anti-submarine version of the Tu-91.
Also, a purely transport version of the Tu-93 was created.

Immediately after the destruction of the USSR, an emergency sale of our aircraft-carrying ships began. "Leningrad", "Kyiv", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk" were sold for metal. "Kyiv" was sold in combat condition at a price half the price of scrap metal, and "Minsk", which had not even served half its life, was in such a hurry to sell it off that they did not even remove the secret equipment from it.

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Kyiv, sold to China

Built after Novorossiysk, Admiral Gorshkov (before October 4, 1990, Baku), having served only 4 years and 2 months, has been standing next to the wall at various ship repair yards since 1992 and was sold to India in 2004. On the condition that we modernize it into a real aircraft carrier, similar to the only one remaining in our service, the Admiral Kuznetsov.

Russian aircraft carrier is the only one remaining in service Admiral Kuznetsov

The ship was planned to be handed over to the customer at the end of 2008. However, the repair of the cruiser was delayed due to a lack of personnel, and the transfer of the ship to the Indians was postponed until the end of 2012. But the sea trials of the Admiral Gorshkov ended unsuccessfully - seven boilers from eight. The ship's delivery date was postponed for another year. Finally, quite recently, on November 16, 2013, the aircraft carrier was finally transferred to the Indian Navy.

Heavy aircraft carrier Baku in the Mediterranean Sea, June 1988, now serving in the Indian Navy

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Baku". In 1990, he was renamed “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov.” In 2004 it was sold to India, but was transferred to it after modernization only on November 16, 2013.

Construction of the second full-fledged aircraft carrier, Varyag, after Admiral Kuznetsov, laid down in 1988, was stopped in 1992 when it was about 70% complete. During the division of the Black Sea Fleet between Russia and Ukraine, the aircraft carrier departed to Nezalezhnaya. It rusted for a long time and was pulled apart, standing against the wall. As a result, the ship, the construction of which Ukraine was unable to finance, was sold to China for $20 million in 1999 and in March 2001 was towed to the place where the famous cruiser “Varyag” was lost almost 100 years ago. On August 10, 2011, after completion and modernization at the shipyard in the coastal city of Dalian in eastern China, the ship left the shipyard for the first sea trials, and on September 25, 2012, was transferred to the Chinese Navy.

TAKR Varyag passes the Bosphorus Strait on November 1, 2001, became part of the Chinese fleet in 2012 under the name “Liaoning”

The heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Varyag" stood for many years at the wall of the Black Sea Shipyard (ChSZ) in Nikolaev. In 1999, it was sold to China, where on November 25, 2012, after completion and modernization, it became part of the fleet under the name Liaoning.

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Kyiv". In 1993, it was disarmed and sold to China, where it was used as an exhibit in a theme park in Tianjin.

Now our former ships will serve other countries.

Our first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Ulyanovsk, was also built at the Black Sea Shipyard, which was for the first time equipped with catapults for taking off aircraft. With the construction of this ship, the USSR had already reached the world level of construction of aircraft-carrying ships, but the 90s set in, and, with 20 percent readiness, the construction of the ship was stopped. In 1992, the ship was urgently cut for scrap metal, since the Black Sea Plant was negotiating with a Norwegian company about the construction of a series of tankers, for which it was necessary to free the slipway. When the ship was cut up and the slipway was freed, both scrap buyers and tanker customers disappeared without a trace...

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser with a nuclear power plant "Ulyanovsk" at the ChSZ shipyard in Nikolaev. 1990

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser with a nuclear power plant "Ulyanovsk"

We will also build new, even larger ships with helicopters and airplanes on board, we will sail the world’s oceans, protecting our Motherland. But when we learn to value what was built by our fathers and grandfathers.

In 1985, the country was headed by Mikhail Gorbachev, we had new “friends”, and the country created by our fathers disappeared. The emperor's famous phrase Alexandra III: “Russia has only two friends - its army and its navy.” So, during the course of perestroika initiated by Gorbachev, one of these friends was sold out and the other was stolen. For his treacherous activities, Mikhail Sergeevich received Nobel Prize and went to live with those same new “friends”. But in ancient times they treated such people differently. In Crimea, near Sudak, there are the remains of a Genoese fortress, which was once besieged by enemies. I don’t remember who it was, but it doesn’t matter. For a long time they could not take the stronghold or force it to surrender. But there were traitors, the Guasco brothers, who opened the gates at night. The fortress was taken, destroyed and plundered, and the brothers who betrayed their people were hung on hooks by their chins on the fortress wall, by the invaders themselves. In those days, even enemies did not like traitors! Now times are different, and they give a Nobel for betrayal.

Russian aircraft carriers lost fleet of aircraft carriers , these are the gloomy thoughts and memories brought to me by the message about the replenishment of the Indian fleet quite recently (November 16, 2013) with our “Admiral Gorshkov”, which in my memory will forever remain the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Baku”.

In the Soviet Union, aircraft carriers received the abbreviation TAKR (Heavy Aircraft Carrier Rocket Cruiser). At the time of the collapse of the USSR, the fleet had 7 TAKR aircraft carriers in service and in varying degrees of readiness. In the top photo, in the harbor of the Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolaev, the Tbilisi aircraft carrier and the unfinished Riga aircraft carrier. Let's start the review with the cruisers that were in service in various fleets of the USSR Navy.

The lead cruiser of Project 1143 was TAKR "Kyiv"(as part of the USSR Navy 1977-1993):

TAKR "Kyiv"

Project 1143 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Kyiv" - heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Northern Fleet of the USSR Navy (USSR Navy).
Built from 1970 to 1975 at a shipyard in Nikolaev (Black Sea Shipyard, director Gankevich). First ship built USSR in this class ( Project 1143 "Krechet").

Displacement (surface/submerged): 42,000 tons.
Dimensions: length - 273 m, width - 31 m, draft - 8.2 m
Speed: 32 knots (59.3 km/h)
Powerplant: 134,225 kW (182,500 hp)
Air group: 12 aircraft (vertical take-off and landing), 12 helicopters

TAKR "Kyiv" and TAKR "Minsk" on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea, March 1979.

In 1977-1982 "Kyiv" repeatedly carried military service V Atlantic and on Mediterranean Sea. By the end of 1977, in the 1st naval assault air regiment, from which the air group was staffed TAKR "Kyiv", 34 naval pilots have already flown. During the hike from December 15, 1978 to March 28, 1979 on airplanes Yak-38 355 flights were carried out from the ship. In 1982-1984. TAKR underwent a medium repair at ChSZ. While on a hike in May 1985 on a visit to Algeria, its crew learned about the ship being awarded for success in combat training Order of the Red Banner. Long hikes "Kieva" continued until the end of 1991.

TAKR "Kyiv"

In 1993, due to a lack of funds for operation and repair, significant depletion of the service life of weapons, mechanisms and equipment, it was withdrawn from combat personnel fleet, then disarmed and sold to the government China. In early 1994 it was towed to Qinhuangdao, where it was converted into a museum. In September 2003 "Kyiv" towed to Tianjin. Today the cruiser has been turned into a floating ship.

Two years later in 1972 it was founded TAKR "MINSK"(as part of the USSR Navy 1978-1993):

TAKR "Minsk"

Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser project 1143 "Minsk" heavy aircraft carrier cruiser Black Sea Fleet of the USSR Navy, and later - the Russian Navy. "Minsk" was launched on Nikolaev September 30, 1975. Entered service in 1978. In November 1978 would have been included in the Pacific Fleet.

Displacement (surface/underwater): 42,000 t
Dimensions: length - 273 m, width - 31 m
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)
Cruising range: over water - 8590 miles
Powerplant: PTU 4x50500 hp.
Armament: 4x2 launchers for the anti-aircraft missile system "Basalt" (16 missiles), 2x2 launchers for the air defense missile system "Storm" (96 missiles), 2x2 launchers for the air defense missile system "Osa-M", 2x2-76 mm AK-726 and 8x6-30 mm AK-630M guns, 2x12 RBU-6000, 2x5 533 mm TA, 2x2PU RPK "Vikh"
Air group: 26 aircraft, 26 helicopters
Crew: 1435 people

TAKR "Minsk"

In February-July 1979, the ship made the transition from Sevastopol around Africa in Vladivostok with visits to Luanda, Manila And Port Louis. In the summer of 1980, a military campaign in Vietnam, port "Kam Ran" During military service campaigns in December 1982 "Minsk" paid a visit Bombay, in July 1986 - Wonsan.

TAKR "Minsk"

Preparations began in early 1991 "Minsk" to the transition to Nikolaev for carrying out on ChSZ urgent average repairs that were not carried out. In 1993, a decision was made to disarmament "Minsk", his exclusion from the composition Russian Navy with transfer to OFI for dismantling and sale. In August 1994, after the ceremonial lowering of the Naval flag, it was disbanded.

TAKR "Minsk" in Shenzhen

At the end of 1995 "Minsk" was towed to South Korea for cutting its body into metal. Afterwards the aircraft carrier was resold to a Chinese company Shenzhen Minsk Aircraft Carrier Industry Co Ltd. In 2006, when the company went bankrupt, "Minsk" became part of the Minsk World military park in Shenzhen.

The third ship is TAKR "Novorossiysk", aircraft carrier of the Black Sea and Pacific fleets of the USSR Navy in 1978-1991:

TARK "Novorossiysk"

The project was developed in January 1975 (head A. N. Marinich), approved in July 1975. Compared to previous projects, it was planned to increase the air group and abandon torpedoes. For the first time in USSR the aircraft carrier was designed to accommodate troops on board, receive heavy transport helicopters and host fighters Yak-38P.

TARK "Novorossiysk"

Built from 1975 to 1978 at a shipyard in Nikolaev(Black Sea Shipyard, director Gankevich). Changes made to the project during construction delayed the commissioning date until 1982. Since 1978, it was launched and completed floating.
On August 15, 1982, the Naval flag was solemnly raised on the ship USSR, and on November 24 he was included in the Red Banner Pacific Fleet.

TAKR "Novorossiysk"

Specifications:
Power plant consisted of 8 steam boilers KVN-98/64 and 4 GTZA TV-12-3, divided into two echelons. To generate electricity, 6 turbogenerators and 4 diesel generators with a total capacity of 15 MW were used.

There were two squadrons on board: anti-submarine helicopters Ka-27 and airplanes Yak-38P, their total number increased to 36 (more than aircraft carriers "Kyiv" And "Minsk"). The aircraft were located in a hangar under the flight deck; they managed to place 24 aircraft there. They were lifted onto the flight deck using two lifts: the aircraft lift is located in the midsection area, and the helicopter lift is located behind the superstructure.

The armament consists of 4 P-500 Basalt installations (16 missiles), 2 installations of the M-11 "Storm" air defense system (96 missiles), 2 AK-726 artillery installations and 8 30-mm AK-630 installations, 1 installation of the RPK- anti-submarine complex 1 (16 82R missile torpedoes), 2 RBU-6000 rocket launchers (120 RSL-60 depth charges)). There were no torpedo tubes.

TAKR "Novorossiysk" in the Pacific Ocean

Although the ship was assigned to Pacific Fleet, at first he performed tasks as part of Black Sea Fleet.
On May 9, 1983, he took part in the parade on the roadstead Sevastopol.
May 14-June 7, as part of the group, made the transition to Severomorsk. There in the composition Northern Fleet took part in the exercises.
From October 17, 1983 to February 27, 1984, as part of a group, he made the transition around Europe, Africa and Asia to Vladivostok. Along the way, he made visits to Luanda (Angola), Victoria (Socotra Island), Maputo (Mozambique), Madras (India).
In 1984, he took part in the Blue Arrow and Long Autumn exercises.
In March-April 1985, he participated in the exercises of the Pacific Fleet in the Hawaiian Islands.
In 1986, partial repairs were carried out in Dalzavod, Zolotoy Rog Bay. Vladivostok, then in the floating dock.
May 12-16, 1988 paid a visit to the city. Wonsan(DPRK).
In 1988-1990 undergone a mid-life repair "Dalzavod".
The last trip took place in May 1991.
In total, during its service, 1,900 aircraft flights and 2,300 helicopter flights were carried out from the deck of the ship.
Due to funding cuts, in 1991 it was laid up in Postovaya Bay near Sovetskaya harbor.
In January 1993, there was a fire on the ship. She was docked for repairs, but on June 30, 1993, a decision was made to exclude her from the fleet.
In 1994 sold to a South Korean company "Young Distribution Company" behind $4.314 million. In January 1996, towed to the port Busan(South Korea).

The fourth and last cruiser of project 1143.4 TAKR "Baku"(as part of the USSR Navy 1987-1991, as part of the Russian Navy 1991 -2004)

TAKR "Baku"

Cruiser "Baku" was called that until October 4, 1990, then renamed "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov",

Installation of the superstructure of the TAKR "Baku" on a slipway using two 900-ton cranes, October 1981

Pawned on Black Sea Shipyard V Nikolaev December 26, 1978. Passed mooring tests in Nikolaev in June-November 1986, in December 1986 transferred to Sevastopol, then - running and state tests (January-December 1987). December 30, 1987 included in the composition KSF.

Launching of the "Baku" aircraft carrier, March 31, 1982, at the Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolaev

Displacement (surface/underwater): standard 44,720 t full 48,500 t maximum 53,000 t
Dimensions: length - overall 273.08 m, width - 31.0 m at the waterline, 52.9 m, maximum, height - 60.30 m, draft - standard 9.8 m, maximum 11.5 m
Travel speed: maximum 30.5 knots economical 18.6 knots
Powerplant: Steam turbines: 4x50000 hp Turbogenerators: 9x1500 kW Diesel generators: 6x1500 kW
Armament: Artillery 2x1 100mm AK-100 gun, 8x6 30mm auto. AK-630M, 2 salute guns. Torpedo and mine weapons, 2 KT-153 launchers of the Udav system Missile weapons 6 × 2 Bazalt anti-ship missile launchers, 4 × 6 Kinzhal air defense missile systems (192 missiles)
Crew: 1610 (of which 383 officers) + 430 hours.
Air group: 36 aircraft and helicopters according to the project: 14 × VTOL aircraft Yak-41M, 6 × VTOL Yak-38M, 10× Ka-27PL, 2 × Ka-27PS, 4× Ka-27RLD

Launch of the Yak-38 aircraft using the VKR method from the deck of the Baku aircraft carrier

TAKR "Baku"

In 1991, there was a plane crash. February 3, 1992 put for repairs at SRZ-35 in Rost Murmansk, after which he never went to sea again. On February 7, 1994, a steam pipeline accident killed 6 people. In July 1999, the aircraft-carrying cruiser was towed to Severodvinsk to undergo modernization ordered by the Indian Navy.

TAKR "Baku", in the Mediterranean Sea, 1988

In 1994, negotiations began on the sale of the ship India. The documents were signed in October 2000, but the contract amount remained subject to negotiation until 2002. The agreement signed on January 29, 2004 provided for the allocation $974 million for restoration and modernization "Admiral Gorshkov" And $530 million for the supply of 16 fighters MiG-29K and naval anti-submarine helicopters Ka-31 And Ka-27. Ship named "Vikramaditya" should have been delivered to the customer at the end of 2008. Having paid out approximately $458 million since January 2007 India suspended further payments under the contract. In November 2007, the Russian side raised the issue of underestimating the volume of work. In December 2008, after the visit of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev to India, the Indian government's security committee approved the start of negotiations on a new price for modernizing the cruiser.

These were Soviet aircraft carriers project 1143. The next two aircraft carriers were built according to project 1143.5 And 1143.6 , this is a deep modernization of the previous project.

The first ship of the updated project 1143.5 was (as part of the USSR Navy in 1991, as part of the Russian Navy since 1991)

TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"

The fifth heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser USSR — "Tbilisi" was laid on a slipway in Nikolaev, September 1, 1982. It differed from its predecessors in the ability for the first time to provide takeoffs and landings of traditional aircraft, modified versions of land Su-27, MiG-29 And Su-25. To achieve this, it had a significantly enlarged flight deck and a springboard for aircraft take-off. Construction for the first time in USSR was carried out using a progressive method of forming a body from large blocks weighing up to 1400 tons.

TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"

Displacement (surface/underwater): 60,000 t
Dimensions: length - 302.3 m, width - 71 m, draft - 10.4 m
Speed: 29 knots
Cruising range: over water - 45 days
Powerplant: Steam turbines: 4×50,000 hp. Turbogenerators: 9×1500 kW Diesel generators: 6×1500 kW
Armament: Missile armament 12 Granit anti-ship missiles 60 Udav-1 missiles Anti-aircraft weapons Air defense complex "Blade" (192 missiles, 24 launchers
Electronic weapons: BIUS "Lesorub", Communication complex "Buran-2", SJSC "Polynom-T", GAS "Zvezda-M1", electronic warfare complex "Sozvezdie-BR"
Aviation group: 50 airplanes and helicopters, according to the project: 26 × MiG-29K or Su-27K, 4 × Ka-27RLD, 18 × Ka-27 or Ka-29, 2 × Ka-27PS Actual: 14 × Su-33, 2 × Su-25UTG, 10 × MiG-29K, 4 × MiG-29KUB
Crew: 1960 people

Renaming

Even before the end of the assembly, after death Leonid Brezhnev, on November 22, 1982, the cruiser was renamed in his honor to "Leonid Brezhnev". It was launched on December 4, 1985, after which its completion continued afloat.

Launching of the Leonid Brezhnev aircraft carrier at the Black Sea Shipyard, Nikolaev, 1985.

On August 11, 1987, renamed "Tbilisi". On June 8, 1989, its mooring tests began, and on September 8, 1989, the crew began settling in. On October 21, 1989, the unfinished and understaffed ship was put out to sea, where it conducted a series of flight tests of aircraft intended to be based on board. As part of these tests, the first takeoffs and landings of aircraft were carried out on it. On November 1, 1989, the first landings were made MiG-29K, Su-27K And Su-25UTG. The first takeoff was made from it MiG-29K on the same day and Su-25UTG And Su-27K the next day, November 2, 1989. After completing the test cycle, on November 23, 1989 he returned to the plant for completion. In 1990, she went to sea many times to conduct factory and state tests.

On October 4, 1990, it was renamed once again and became known as "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov".

TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"

On December 25, 1990, 8 years, 3 months and 24 days after the laying, the acceptance certificate for the cruiser was signed. On January 20, 1991, he was officially enrolled in the Northern Fleet, On January 20, the naval flag was raised on it. After the breakup USSR due to fears of claims being made against him from the Ukrainian side, on December 1, 1991, he was urgently and secretly withdrawn from Sevastopol and began the transition to Northern Fleet. On December 21 the ship arrived in Vidyaevo. In 1992-1994, various tests of the ship, its weapons and air group continued, the cruiser spends three to four months a year at sea and participates in exercises. In 1993, the first production units began to arrive for his air group. Su-33. In the winter of 1994-1995, the main boilers were repaired.

The sixth Soviet aircraft carrier of project 1143.6 TAKR "Riga", laid down in 1985, launched in 1988.

TAKR "Riga" at the Black Sea Shipyard, Nikolaev

Project 1143.6 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser was developed in Nevsky Design Bureau under the direction of V. F. Anikieva. On August 21, 1985, he was added to the list of ships Navy and on December 6, 1985 laid down on Black Sea Shipyard V Nikolaev(serial number 106), launched November 25, 1988.

Workers of the Black Sea shipyard in Nikolaev walk past the unfinished aircraft-carrying cruiser "Varyag"

In 1993, under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia TARK "Varyag" went to Ukraine. In 1992, with 67% technical readiness, construction was suspended, the ship was mothballed and subsequently sold China.
In April 1998 sold to the company Chong Lot Travel Agency Ltd behind $20 million.

TAKR "Varyag" passes the Bosphorus, 2001.

Today TAKR "Varyag" bears the name "Liaolin" and is in service Chinese Navy

Displacement (surface/underwater): 59,500 t.
Dimensions: length - 304.5 m, width - 38 m, (flight deck 75 m), draft - 10.5 m
Speed: 29 knots (54 km/h)
Cruising range: over water - 8000 miles
Powerplant: PTU, 4x50,000 hp.
Armament: Artillery (according to the project) 6x6 30-mm AK-630M guns Missile weapons 12 4K-80 launchers of the Granit anti-aircraft missile system, 4x6 launchers of the Kinzhal air defense missile system (192 missiles), 8 dirk launchers, 2x10 RBU-1200
Crew: 1980 people. (520 officers)

The pinnacle of the evolution of Soviet aircraft carriers was the seventh ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk" with a nuclear power plant (YSU) project 1143.7, it was founded in 1988.

Laying down the ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk" at the Black Sea Shipyard, Nikolaev, 1988.

Development of a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser project 1143.7 "Ulyanovsk", which was supposed to become the flagship Navy, started in Nevsky Design Bureau in 1984 under the leadership L. V. Belova(later replaced by Yu. M. Varfolomeev). Development experience was taken into account when designing project 1160. "Ulyanovsk" was planned as the first of four ships of the same type.

ATAVRK" "Ulyanovsk"

June 11, 1986 Main Directorate of ShipbuildingNavy issued Black Sea plant an order for the construction of a Project 11437 ship, the construction contract for which was concluded on December 30, 1987. October 4, 1988 new ATAVKR entitled "Ulyanovsk" was enlisted in the Navy USSR. Its official laying took place on November 25, 1988 on the slipway Black Sea Shipyard, immediately after launching TAVKR "Riga" (then "Varyag"). At the time of laying, the cost of construction was determined to be 800 million rubles, and the total cost, including weapons and design costs, amounted to a colossal sum of two billion Soviet rubles at that time. The slipway period was determined to be 2.6 years, About 600 factories were involved in the creation of the ship . In December 1995, the lead nuclear aircraft carrier "Ulyanovsk" was supposed to go into operation.

Construction of the ship proceeded at an intensive pace: by mid-1991, structures with a total mass of about 27,000 tons were installed, and readiness was brought to 18.3%.

Construction of ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk" at the Black Sea Shipyard, Nikolaev, 1988.

November 1, 1991 ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk" was expelled from the team Navy, funding for the project has ceased. For some time, the plant carried out installation and assembly at its own expense, but at the beginning of 1992, after the collapse USSR Both Russia and Ukraine finally abandoned further construction of the aircraft carrier. In accordance with Decree No. 69-R dated February 4, 1992, signed by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine K. Masik, cutting of hull structures began on February 5, 1992 ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk". The costs of this work amounted to 80 percent of the labor intensity of what was done.

Construction of ATAVKR "Ulyanovsk" at the Black Sea Shipyard, Nikolaev, 1988.

Displacement (surface/underwater): 75,000 t
Dimensions: length - 320 m, width - 40 m (flight deck 72 m), draft - 12 m
Speed: 30 knots
Engines: 4 nuclear reactors KN-34 PPU OK-900, power 280,000 hp.
Navigation autonomy: 120 days
Armament: 16 launchers of the anti-ship missile missile system "Granit", 4x6 launchers of the SM-9 air defense missile system, 8 launchers of the "Kortik" launcher, 8x6 30-mm guns AK-630M,
Air group: 70 aircraft and helicopters, 2 catapults
Crew: 3,800 people

In 1988, simultaneously with the laying of the first of four aircraft carriers of the class "Ulyanovsk" V Murmansk, on the base Shipyard No. 82 Construction of the dry dock began. It was intended to serve large-capacity ships and aircraft carriers of the "Ulyanovsk", but was never completed.

Shipyard No. 82, Murmansk, site of unfinished dry dock construction

I consider it necessary to explain why for the ship to fully function as an aircraft carrier it needs Yasu
An aircraft carrier is the only type of surface ship that vitally needs a nuclear propulsion system (YaSU). In addition to such an undoubtedly useful attribute as unlimited range (of course, within reasonable limits), Yasu has another important property - enormous steam productivity. Only Yasu capable of providing aircraft carrier catapults required quantity energy, which most directly affects the number of sorties per day, and, consequently, the effectiveness of the aircraft carrier’s combat service. Atomic "Enterprise" provided for 150…160 combat sorties per day, while his “colleague” like "Kitty Hawk" with a conventional power plant, no more 100 in a day. And that's not all - catapults "Enterprise" consumed no more than 20% of the steam produced by I SU, whereas during intensive flights of carrier-based aircraft "Kitty Hawk" was forced to sharply reduce speed - there was not enough steam for either the sailors or the pilots.

By the way, there is a legend that Yasu saves the ship's displacement, allowing it to accept a larger supply of aviation fuel and ammunition. It is not true, Yasu take up the same amount of space as conventional power units. Yasu thousands of tons of diesel fuel are not required, but in addition to the nuclear reactor and a steam-producing plant, you need several circuits with their own biological protection and a whole plant for desalination of sea water. Agree, it’s stupid to increase fuel autonomy with limited supplies on board fresh water. Secondly, bidistillate is vital for the operation of reactors. Therefore atomic "Enterprise" had no advantages over non-nuclear "Kitty Hawk" on aviation fuel reserves.

Summarizing all of the above, the presence on a Soviet aircraft-carrying cruiser Yasu gave the ship a completely different fighting qualities. For the first time in the history of the Russian Navy on the corner deck "Ulyanovsk" two 90-meter steam steamboats appeared catapult "Mayak"

Assembly of Mayak catapults for ATAVRK "Ulyanovsk"

Such is the fate of the aircraft carrier fleet USSR. Time of reign Yeltsin was marked by catastrophic consequences in all spheres of the functioning of the state in the economic and social spheres, a catastrophe occurred, the population of the country during Yeltsinism decreased by 20 million people, hundreds of thousands of technologies were lost, 100 thousand enterprises were destroyed (during the Great Patriotic War the Nazis destroyed 31 thousand enterprises throughout the USSR). The Navy, including the aircraft carrier fleet, did not escape the tragic fate.