"The US and NATO Allies Breathed a Sigh of Relief": The West Closely Monitors the Repair of the Aircraft Carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"

The Russian aircraft carrier of Project 1143.5 "Admiral Kuznetsov" carries missile weapons on board that surpass the ship's air wing in terms of power. The undeniable features of the vessel were highlighted in an article by the American publication The National Interest (TNI).

An analyst at TNI writes that "Admiral Kuznetsov" was originally designed to house a missile base that surpasses the aircraft launched from its deck in terms of launch power. The aircraft carrier's armament consisted of 12 launchers for "Granit" anti-ship missiles with a warhead weighing 750 kilograms.

The ship's anti-torpedo defense was provided by the RBU-12000 "Udav" jet complex, and reliable protection against air targets was provided by AK-630 artillery mounts, the "Kortik" artillery complex, and the "Kinzhal" anti-aircraft missile system.

The TNI journalist emphasizes that the power of the aircraft carrier lies not in how many and what kind of fighters it can accommodate. An aircraft carrier dependent on its own missile defense systems introduces a"unique approach to naval warfare".

The idea behind the Admiral Kuznetsov's missile complex was that it could challenge an American aircraft carrier battle group while remaining out of reach of enemy ships and aircraft, and launch anti-ship missiles from a distance of 350 miles (~ 648 km).

The National Interest

These missiles can overwhelm ship defenses with sheer numbers. TNI notes that"fortunately for the United States and NATO, 'Kuznetsov' was cursed."

Indeed, the only Russian aircraft carrier has recently been plagued by a series of misfortunes. In 2018, an accident occurred in Murmansk during the repair of a floating dock. A twenty-meter crane fell on the deck, killing one worker and injuring four others. The "Kuznetsov" got away with a six-meter hole above the waterline. In 2019, a fire broke out on the ship due to an accident during welding work. The fire was only contained the next day, killing two people and injuring 14. And at the end of 2022, the ship survived another fire.

Now that the "Kuznetsov" is in dry dock for an extended period of time, the Russians don't have an aircraft carrier, and they can't use it at sea. This limits the capabilities of the Russian Navy. But in its time, the "Kuznetsov" could do a lot of damage with its ship-killing missiles. The US Navy and the surface fleets of various NATO allies breathed a sigh of relief knowing that they never had to face an aircraft carrier battle group of the Russian or Soviet Navy in its prime.

The National Interest

Currently, the "Admiral Kuznetsov" is undergoing repair and modernization, after which its service life will beextended by 20 years. It was initially reported that the aircraft carrier would return to the Armed Forces in the first quarter of 2024.