Russia is carefully considering how the loss of its only aircraft carrier could impact its offensive position.
The Admiral Kuznetsov’s embarrassing reputation may finally be catching up to it. The Soviet-era decrepit warship that functions as Russia’s sole aircraft carrier has been dry-docked for the better part of a decade. While the failing vessel has been written off by most for its design flaws, mishaps, and other associations, Moscow has yet to pull the plug on its only carrier. However, according to Defense Express, the Kremlin may finally be eyeing the scrapyard for Kuznetsov. The chairman of Russia’s state shipbuilding corporation mirrored this rhetoric, noting that “there is no point in repairing it anymore.”
Amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Russia is carefully considering how the loss of its only aircraft carrier could impact its offensive position. Not that Kuznetsov is actively partaking in the war, but public perception of Moscow’s military might would certainly decrease if the illusion of its possession of an aircraft carrier disappears.
The Admiral Kuznetsov
Officially, Kunzetsov has been out of service since 2017, but the carrier’s history is riddled with unfortunate issues ranging from design and maintenance to reliability and purpose. The flagship of the Russian Navy was developed during the Cold War by the Black Sea Shipyard. Initially, Kunzetsov was christened as Tbilisi. Later, her designation shifted to Leonid Brezhnev before receiving her final name of Admiral Kuznetsov. The Soviet-era warship is often described in Russia as a “heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser.” Today, Kuznetsov’s primary fixed-wing aircraft is intended to be the Sukhoi Su-33. Additionally, the Russian carrier has the capacity to carry a dozen Sukhoi Su-27s, 16 Yakovlev Yak-41-M airframes, and a variety of helicopters. However, it has been years since any Russian fighter has actually taken off or landed on the Kuznetsov.
Perhaps the greatest design flaw associated with Russia’s sole aircraft carrier is its fuel source. The extremely black, tarry mazut substance powers Kuznetsov. While this petrochemical previously represented the standard fuel type for military and commercial vessels in the 1970s, its many drawbacks limited its use in newer ships. In addition to making Kuznetsov easily detectable from miles away, mazut also poses many negative impacts on the environment and human health. To make matters worse, the mazut-powered Kuznetsov can sail for just 45 days before needing to be serviced. Its nuclear-powered counterparts can operate indefinitely for up to 25 years.
Kunzetsov’s service history has been abysmal at best. In 2016, the carrier deployed to combat in Syria for the first time. When two airframes were lost due to faulty arresting wiring, the Russian warship was forced to relocate to shore. In 2018, a crane crashed onto the Kuznetsov’s deck, causing extreme damage. One year later, at least one sailor was killed and a dozen more were injured when a fire broke out on the ship. As detailed by Newsweek, “The estimated cost of repairs has ballooned from 20 billion rubles ($256.4 million) in 2017 to 60 billion rubles ($769.2 million) the following year, and the timeline has been revised from 2022 to 2024, with no plans for its return yet.”
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
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