Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov (“Fleet Admiral of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”) is an aircraft cruiser serving as the flagship of the Russian Navy. She was originally commissioned in the Soviet Navy, and was intended to be the lead ship of her class, but the only other ship of her class, Varyag, was never completed.
The ship has ill fame and the phrase “If you misbehave, you’ll be sent to the Kuznetsov” is a norm. Read below to find out why.
The Admiral Kuznetsov’s main fixed-wing aircraft is the multi-role Sukhoi Su-33. It can perform air superiority, fleet defense, and air support missions and can also be used for direct fire support of amphibious assault, reconnaissance and placement of naval mines.
The carrier also carries the Kamov Ka-27 and Kamov Ka-27S helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and small transport.
The ship features 7 decks and 2 platforms, stern-part and fore-part machinery and boiler compartments, 5 engine compartments, a 150-meter long warehouse, 6 galleys, a lock up and a guardroom.
Displacement: 43,000 tons (Standard-load), 55,000 tons (Full-load), 58,600 tons (Max-load)
Length: 1,005.5 ft (306.5 m) o/a, 900 ft (270 m) w/l
Beam: 237.2 ft (72.3 m) o/a, 125 ft (38 m) w/l
Draft: 29.9 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 turbo-pressurised boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp (150 MW)
2 × 50,000 hp (37 MW) turbines
9 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) turbogenerators
6 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) diesel generators
4 × fixed pitch propellers
Speed: 32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h)
Range: 8,500 nmi (15,700 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Endurance: 45 days
Complement: 1,993 (total); 1,960 ship’s crew, 626 air group, 40 flag staff, 3,857 rooms.
To begin with, the ship has no heating because an auxiliary boiler is missing. So it’s not bad when it’s +5C in the cockpit and it’s a luxury when it’s +12C in there.
Electric heaters help the personnel out. Yet they are expensive and not easy to buy so the seamen have to assemble them by themselves to later have their “off-design equipment withdrawn”.
“Dangerous zone”.
Unfortunately, that’s not all about the heating. When it’s this cold, water freezes everywhere including pipes which may cause a rupture. To prevent this, they just don’t supply almost 60% of the cabins with water (neither in winter nor in summer). The situation with latrines is just as bad. The ship has over 50 latrines but half of them are closed.
As for its ventilation, 50% of the ventilators broke down. Considering the fact that there are very few portholes on the ship, it is difficult to imagine how terrible it smells in here (it smells like mold and it’s very stuffy).
“Course, speed”.
Speaking about the wardroom, it is missing too. Instead, there is a cafeteria seating up to 150 persons ( there are 2,000 people in the crew).There are no tablecloths in the cafeteria and it is highly recommendable to wipe your cutlery before using it. As for its food, it’s Ok but it’s better not to be late because they steal it sometimes so it may be gone by the time you come.
Formation is carried out 10 times a day and each formation lasts for about 35 minutes. Every time they highlight the fact that these people are the crew of the AIRCRAFT CARRIER while in fact actual aircrafts visit this ship pretty rarely.
Members of the crew are entitled to be granted an apartment but they are situated “in the back of beyond” and it will take them 4 hours to get there by bus.
The ship’s ill fame results in high stuff turnover. Experienced sailors are replaced with inexperienced ones and contract soldiers are the only way out.
The personnel consist of mostly people from far away villages because those from the cities believe evading proves their high social status. This can be applied to Russians while Caucasian people think the other way round. It is a matter of honor for them to serve in the army and serving in the navy is their dream. As for people from Bashkiria or Tuva, they probably don’t know how to evade yet. As a result, every 10th draftee doesn’t speak Russian.
The warehouse.
As for the ship’s primary task, hardly any aircrafts can be seen here. Instead, you will find a 25-ton crane, 4 haulage trucks, fire-fighting trucks and a snow plow in its warehouse.
Theft is another problem of the Admiral Kuznetsov. They supply the ship with pierced canned food but they still manage to sell it at a lower cost to factory workers. “You gotta hustle if you wanna survive”.
via igor113
This makes Russian Navy look like a bad joke!
With most ships and submarines rusting in harbours and partially sunk, it is. How many aircraft carries US navy have – 20?
Lol. Half of all Russian navy ships are in the reserve, no real need for them but they wont be scrapped.
Doesn’t matter if the US navy has a hundred carriers. They wont do much good (or harm) on their way to the bottom of the sea after being hit by a Oniks or a BrahMos.
11 aircraft carries, but 10 battle groups. The Enterprise is retiring this year or early 2013
the new class USS ford will take its place. The Burke destroyers and Ticonderoga crusiers are the fleet defence against Ayaa’s Brahmos missles
Lol. None is sure whether they can defend against even a supersonic missile. How do you think they will fare against a hypersonic one.
That’s funny, your hypersonic Brahmos 2 is not even operantional yet. Talk to me when you have all the kinks worked out.
So what if it’s still under development. Your beloved Aegis systems cant stop a barrage of supersonic Oniks. Might be able to stop a handful, but not all of the salvo.
This ship looks almost new. No wear or rust to be seen anywhere. Does it ever put to sea?
Just came back after being deployed to the Mediterranean.
LMAO. The captions are typical ER. These pictures were taken all the way back in 2009, when the Kuznetsov was in overhaul. lolol.
Wasn’t this ship sold to the Indian Navy? I have read that it is in a process of refurbishment prior to transfer to India. I have also read that Russia has raised the price after the deal was signed and India paid up, but is very unhappy about it.
Wait till the Indian Navy tries to keep this ship maintained!
Actually the Indian ship (INS vikramaditya) is of a different class, its the Kiev class. This is the Kuznetsov class, the only other ship in this class (actually more of a hull rather than finished ship) was sold to China and they are now refurbishing it.
No, the Indians are buying a Kiev class ship from the Russians. But you are correct about the price raising and the Indians being unhappy.
No, she was not sold. You are talking about “Admiral Gorshkov”, previous project.
Another carrier will be sold to India – Admiral Gorshkov.
The Chinese now have the sister ship and have actually gotten it sailing. Be interesting to compare the two.
LOL – the eastern order, as it seems
They don’t make them how they used to, eh?
wow i didn’t even imagine the kuznecov carrier was shitty like that
It’s in overhaul. No planes or any real equipment on board, and manned by a skeleton crew. Look at some of the photo-journals of the Kuznetsov out at sea for its real strength.
There is a fix to all of this, call up Newport News Ship Building, and tell them you need an aircraft carrier, this is the airplane we what to fly off of it. Send a check and in about 5 years you will have a good ship. Oh, and send a lot of your sailors to train with the U.S. Navy and one more thing, you are going to have to pay your men make it worth while to serve. Its all not about money.
No need for any of that. Three years on the ship has really come a long way.
HAHA yes thats interesting idea. Russia already bought helicopter carriers from France, including all the tech and electronics. Its a long Russian tradition to buy something superb from the West, in areas where Russian tech is lacking and then develop it from there. Yanks are waaay overpricing tho ))), must be that “freedom isnt free or cheap” thing. Besides, US government will never allow such thing to happen. Mr Mccain would rather go back to pow camp in Vietnam that allow that
Damned straight the Newport News Shipyard can build ANYTHING. If it Sails they have done it or will do it.
Yeah man, send out to the best and get something that will last and last.
Better yet send for technicians from the Newport News Ship Building Company and get them to set up a yard for you with great quality control…Go QED department!
What is the sunken submarine in photo 13??
to the original poster: man the eff up!
signed: the Men of the World
I wanted to apologize for all those SORRY ASS CRYBABIES from Russia that whine like little girls all day long “Oh my God, ALL IS LOST, wha wha wha!!!”. Sad sacks of shit, not worthy of being called MAN. It all comes from the collapse of Soviet Union and general depressive psychology of Russians. Anyway, Kuznetsov is going for MAJOR refit, for like 3-4 years soon. EVERYTHING will be redone and rebuild. Also, I really do belive there will be at least 1 more heavy carrier built in future. And dont forget at least 5 MISTRALS that are already in production. And thats just tip of the iceberg. Over 40 combat shits are in production RIGHT NOW in Russia and many current shits are in remodeling phase. Just wait few years, you will see brand new Russian Navy back from ashes!
Not a crybaby, did you MEAN to use the word shits instead of ships?
Wow, I had no idea she was in that bad of shape. Sad. But I still have high hopes for the Russian navy. I’ve read service on the Kirov(s) was actually highly sought after. Thought it was same for kuznetsov aswell.
ayaa do you even believe your own crap? American doesn’t even have to intercept any russian stuff, as mostly it’s not even capable of making it off the ground or out of the home port for that matter. the russian’s themselves already built-in protection for American systems. it’s called russian kludge you know. urra comrade. off to the liquor !
Dispite what everybody here thinks,the ships designation is not a carrier.
It is an aircraft carrying battleship ,which is armed with ballistic missiles also.That is why it only has a few aircrafts aboard .It was designed to be a command centre /flagship for the fleet, and its secondary task is to carry some aircraft(sea flankers) that eventually could engage in combat,if needed.It is more heavily armed than an USA carrier tho.