Metopes of the Parthenon. The most famous temple in Greece is the Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena the Virgin.

Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" on the Severomorsk roadstead. Early 1990s.

The design name of this ship is “Soviet Union”. The mortgage name of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser was changed and it was laid down on April 1, 1982 under the name “Riga” (assigned the name of the capital of the Latvian SSR, serial number 0-105). The embedded bottom sections of the ship's hull were installed on the slipway of the Black Sea Shipyard No. 444 in Nikolaev. It was intended to be the first ship transitional class from heavy cruisers to aircraft carriers.

Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov."

On November 26 of the same year, it was renamed on the slipway to “Leonid Brezhnev”, and in December, the installation of the first block with a new embedded board (from volumetric and flat sections manufactured in the hull assembly shop of the plant) began at the site near the slipway. This block was lifted onto the slipway by two gantry cranes on February 22, 1983. According to the progressive technology of forming a hull from large blocks adopted for the construction of the TAKR (in the Russian Navy - TAVKR) Project 1143.5 (which was first introduced during the construction of such a large ship in the practice of domestic shipbuilding), the main hull was divided into 21 blocks.

Progressive block-by-block technology for ship assembly. Black Sea Shipyard No. 444 (Nikolaev, 1983)

In height it was divided into two tiers; the border between the lower and upper tiers was the 6th deck. The length of the blocks reached 32 m, the width corresponded to the full width of the hull, the height was about 13 m, and the weight was 1400 tons. All structures of the ship’s superstructure were combined into the 22nd block, sponsons were also formed from blocks.
When issuing working design documentation according to a strict block-by-block schedule (where the plant required a month to complete the design documentation for each block), the NPKB widely used modern Computer Engineering(the level of automation of design work in general reached 55%, calculations - 75%), volumetric design in the most saturated rooms of the ship and aggregation of equipment. The adopted technology significantly reduced the duration of the slipway period of ship construction. This reduction was ensured by expanding the scope of work with a significant volume of work being performed outside the slipway, in workshop conditions, which significantly increased the quality of execution. The formation of the hull from the blocks of the lower tier continued simultaneously in two directions - forward and aft of the embedded block; similarly, work was carried out on the formation of the upper tier. On the slipway, the main boilers and GTZA, other equipment of the machine boiler rooms, power compartments and departments of refrigeration machines, and system mechanisms were loaded into the blocks of the lower tier before the 6th deck was closed. Loading of equipment and devices into the upper tier blocks was also underway.
Loading and installation of weapons (except for the zonal block of launchers of the Granit anti-ship missile complex), aviation equipment, electrical equipment, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as equipment of the premises were to be carried out afloat, during the completion of the ship at Northern embankment Large ladle ChSZ.
S. N. Astremsky was appointed senior builder of the ship, who in 1972 - 1978. led the construction of the Minsk aircraft carrier, project 1143.2. From the beginning of the construction of the ship, the plant organized a design supervision group of the NPKB, headed in shifts by the deputy chief designer of the project. Comprehensive marking of pre-insulation saturation of premises and adjustment of design documentation based on construction experience were carried out with the participation of the technical assistance department of the NPKB, organized from Nikolaev designers.
The construction of the aircraft carrier is not going entirely smoothly. Despite the fact that a progressive technology for assembling the ship has been developed, the irregular work of the subcontractors brings all progressive initiatives to naught.
To install late equipment, openings have to be cut through 7 to 10 decks in the almost completed ship hull and then welded. Due to the replacement of some complexes, shipbuilders have to remodel and redesign hundreds of premises.
The launching of the Leonid Brezhnev aircraft carrier, unique in the practice of domestic shipbuilding in terms of launching weight (32,000 tons), took place in a solemn atmosphere on December 4, 1985.

Launching of the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Leonid Brezhnev" (Nikolaev, 1985).

On August 11, 1987, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Leonid Brezhnev” was given the name “Tbilisi” (for the third time in the process of its construction). Before the start of the mooring tests of the Tbilisi, in the spring of 1989, L. V. Belov became the chief designer of the ship (before that - deputy chief designers of anti-ship missiles, aircraft carriers and chief designer of project 1143.7). Mooring tests were carried out from June 8, 1989 to May 25, 1990.
In its appearance, the ship corresponded to a classic aircraft carrier with a solid flight deck, a superstructure (island) shifted to the starboard side and an angled landing deck with a four-cable arresting device S-2N.
The Tbilisi TAKR is distinguished from its predecessors by its enlarged flight deck, and also, unlike most foreign ships of this class that have steam catapults, this ship is equipped with a bow springboard (descent angle 14°), towards which two converging take-off lines are directed. The hull is high-sided, made of steel using a longitudinal frame system. The bottom is double along the entire length. The hull has 9 decks.

The first commander V.S. Yarygin commanded the ship (with the rank of captain 1st rank) from 1987 to 1992.

The first commander of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Tbilisi” (“Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”) VIKTOR YARYGIN: “This is a serious ship! We call it a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, but actually, this is our first Soviet, and now Russian, aircraft carrier. And I don’t know why we are embarrassed to talk about it out loud.
...I remember the first formation and the first lunch, which they started preparing at 10 o’clock in the morning. We only had lunch the next day at 4 am! The crew lined up for the first time after lunch - it was necessary to let the sailors sleep. They were building for about two hours - they came running, so frightened, saying that they were lost!”

It's really very easy to get lost. The total length of corridors at “Tbilisi” (“Kuznetsov”) is almost 20 kilometers, and the number of rooms reaches 3.5 thousand! Ship crew members may not even meet each other during their entire service. A common occurrence is that a sailor, although he has served for a year, still does not know where the command communications post is. In the hangar, below the flight deck, where aircraft are usually located, the ship's crew is being assembled. This is almost 2,000 people. And there is still enough free space. The aircraft carrier has a bakery, a library and even its own gym.
Despite the fact that the aircraft carrier turned out completely different from what it was in the original design, the scale of this structure is still impressive. The ship rises above the water by as much as 64 meters! This is the height of a standard 20-story building. The power of the power plant is 200,000 liters. With. - four times more than the legendary Titanic. The weight of just one anchor exceeds the weight of 17 Zhiguli cars of the 9th model. A ship of this class is a complex multi-level system with its own infrastructure. The structure where the sea and sky merge into one can safely be called a floating city!

The fourth commander of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov” (2002), captain 1st rank ALEXANDER TURILIN: “We call the ship with the entire prefecture a “town” - more than 300 meters long, more than 70 meters wide, with a displacement of more than 60,000 tons, crew of more than 2,000 people. A completely autonomous economy - its own five power plants, four machine-boiler installations, six galleys and canteens, two bakeries, about four thousand premises, and so on.”

Commander of the Pacific operational squadron of surface ships (1981 - 1989) ROSTISLAV DYMOV:
“Of course, it’s amazing, when you enter the ship, there’s an elevator six floors up and the same number down. Can you imagine how big it is! The take-off area, the so-called flight deck - there are two football fields could be easily placed. The sailors played football there. And the ball very rarely ever went overboard. You had to be too good a football player to finish it to the edge.”

Post of the Luna-3 optical landing system, located on the left side.

In the aft part of the hull, on the outer platform of the left side in the area of ​​the midship frame, a stabilized optical landing system “Luna-3” is mounted, the lights of which can be observed during the day from about three kilometers away. The power plant is similar to the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, but has an increased fuel capacity.
On board can be based 26 aircraft (Su-33 and MiG-29K) and 24 helicopters (18 - Ka-27 and Ka-29, 2 - Ka-27PS, 4 - Ka-31). As of March 1996, there were on board: 15 Su-33, 1 Su-25UTG, 11 Ka-27, 1 Ka-31. There is a hangar (153x26x7.2 m) under the main deck to accommodate aircraft.

TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov". Hangar for aircraft.

For fire safety purposes, the hangar can be divided into 4 compartments by fire-resistant folding curtains. To move the aircraft around the hangar, a semi-automatic chain transportation system is used (tractors are used only to transport the aircraft to the elevator platforms). For delivery aircraft to the flight deck, Tbilisi, for the first time in domestic practice, was equipped with onboard lifts for two aircraft each, the hangar gate opening had a sliding hermetically sealed closure. Fuel tanks and ammunition magazines have box-shaped armor protection.
Anti-torpedo protection, 4.5 m wide, consists of 3 longitudinal bulkheads (the second is multi-layer armored).
Starting position No. 1 is located on the starboard side in front of the bow lift, symmetrically on the left side is position No. 2. The takeoff distance from these two positions is 110 meters; for takeoff with a maximum weight along the left take-off axis, starting position No. is located 182 meters from the bow. 3, from which the Yak-141 type aircraft can also take off with a short run along the axis of the corner deck. All launch positions are equipped with lifting gas shields, which are internally cooled by sea water and prevent damage to aircraft standing at the executive launch by the exhaust jets of the take-off vehicle. At starting position No. 1, in addition, the shield protects equipment and personnel at technical positions located along the superstructure.
To accommodate Ka-27 helicopters, there are nine take-off and landing pads on deck with wells for electrical cables, since the engines start at the start.
Rescue equipment included: one large ship's command boat, Project 1404, two work boats, Project 1402B, two six-oar yawls, Project YAL-P6, and 240 PSN-10M rafts in containers.
The ship's armament consists of 12 launchers 4K-80 of the Granit anti-aircraft missile system, 4 six-barrel launchers of the Kinzhal air defense missile system (192 missiles), 8 launchers "Kortik" (256 missiles), 6 six-barreled 30 -mm AK-630M artillery mounts (48,000 shells), 2 RBU-12000 “Boa constrictor” mounts.
The radio-electronic equipment includes: BIUS "Lesorub", multifunctional complex "Mars-Passat", three-dimensional radar "Fregat-MA", radar for detecting low-flying targets "Podkat", navigation complex "Beysur", communication complex "Buran-2", radar flight control "Resistor", electronic warfare equipment "Sozvezdie-BR", sonar "Zvezda-M1" and others (58 items in total).

TAVKR "Tbilisi" departs from the factory berth for the first time to participate in testing carrier-based aircraft. October 21, 1989.

In the fall of 1989, joint flight and design tests of its aircraft weapons began at Tbilisi. On November 1, 1989, for the first time in the history of domestic aviation and the USSR Navy, the Su-27K fighter piloted by test pilot V.G. made its first airplane landing on the deck of the Tbilisi. Pugachev, hooking the brake hook onto the second cable and running along the deck for about 90 meters.
November 1989 actually becomes the birthday of the first domestic aircraft carrier, completely different from the American one, but still an aircraft carrier. Unlike its predecessors, aircraft appearing on the deck of the Tbilisi are capable of performing a much wider range of combat missions.

Honored Test Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union V.G. Pugachev.

Soon, test pilot T.O. Aubakirov made the same precise landing on the MiG-29K, and then the Su-25UTG training aircraft, piloted by test pilots from the OKB and LII I.V., boarded the TAKR. Votintsev and A.V. Krutov.

Aubakirov did not bring the matter to the point of touching the deck for a long time, but flew above it at an altitude of no more than a meter.

Test pilot T.O. Aubakirov after the first landing of the MiG-29K on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The disgraced former Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov never saw the first landing of a plane on the deck of a Soviet aircraft carrier - he died in 1974, and his former “deputy” - Commander-in-Chief Sergei Georgievich Gorshkov - did not live only a year before the event that he had been striving for all his life both admirals. In May 1990, the ship was temporarily included in the 30th division of surface ships of the Red Banner Black Sea Fleet. On August 1, 1990, under the leadership of the Government Commission headed by Vice Admiral A. M. Ustyantsev, state tests of the Tbilisi aircraft carrier began.

During state tests, 1990.

TAVKR "Kuznetsov", summer 1990. In the first row from left to right: test pilot V. Pugachev, head of visual landing N. Alferov, test pilot V. Averianov, chief designer K. Marbashev, deputy head of LIiDB A. Sobov, leading engineers A. Sorokin and V. Zenin.

On October 4, 1990, the ship in Once again renamed - he was given a new name “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.” This decision, albeit belated, reflects outstanding role N.G. Kuznetsov in the development and combat activities of the Navy - the founder of the creation of an ocean-going nuclear missile fleet, in which aircraft carriers were to take their rightful place.
For sixteen years he persistently and persistently sought the creation of domestic aircraft carriers. 16 years after his death, his name was deservedly assigned to the largest warship of our fleet.

State tests of the Su-27K (T10K-4) on the deck of the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, October 1990.

On December 25, 1990, after the completion of state tests, the aircraft-carrying cruiser entered service. During the state tests of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" 16,200 miles were covered and 454 aircraft flights were performed.
Despite the fact that three experimental Su-27K aircraft, two MiG-29K and one Su-25UTG, Ka-27, Ka-29 and Ka-31 helicopters were already involved in testing aircraft, during the time the Kuznetsov TAVKR was at sea It was not possible to fully implement the program and the group use of fighters was practically not worked out, and their weapons were not tested.

Unfortunately, despite the intensive work of test pilots S.N. Melnikova, V.Yu. Averyanova, R.P. Taskaev (who replaced T.O. Aubakirov, who was preparing for space flight), the political situation in the country had a fatal impact on the implementation of this work. Aircraft testing continued in the Black Sea until the end of 1991. At the same time, development work on the aircraft-carrying cruiser continued until May 6, 1991.

Commander of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (2002) ALEXANDER TURILIN:
“Yes, 1991 speaks for itself. Unfortunately, not everything that was planned for this ship was then completed and completed. Some work was carried out at an accelerated pace, and much of it is still being completed by the crew.”

Start of design work on the creation of the Project 1143.5 cruiser - 1978. The work was carried out by the Leningrad Design Bureau. The first option is an improved preliminary design of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser 1143. The design is being carried out in accordance with the research work called “Order”, which is a military-economic justification for an aircraft-carrying cruiser with nuclear installation project 1160.

The design was carried out based on the following projects:
- preliminary project 1160 - an aircraft carrier with a displacement of 80,000 tons;
- Project 1153 - a large cruiser with aircraft weapons (50 aircraft), with a displacement of 7000 tons. There are no ships laid down or built;
— design aircraft carrier recommended by the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry, displacement 80,000 tons, aircraft and helicopters up to 70 units;
- Project 1143M - an aircraft carrier armed with supersonic aircraft of the Yak-41 type. This is the third aircraft carrier ship of Project 1143 - 1143.3. It was laid down in 1975, accepted in 1982, withdrawn from service in 1993;
- Project 1143A - Project 1143M aircraft carrier with increased displacement. The fourth aircraft-carrying cruiser built. Laid down in 1978, accepted in 1982. Since 2004, the ship has been modernized for the Indian Navy. Accepted into the Indian Navy in 2012;
- Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser is the next fifth modification of Project 1143 and the fifth aircraft-carrying cruiser built.

In October 1978, by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Ministry of Defense was instructed to develop tactical and technical specifications for the ship project 1143.5, and the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry to issue a preliminary design and technical design by 1980. The estimated start of serial construction of Project 1143.5 ships is 1981, completion is 1990. Laying and construction of ships - slipway "O" of the Nikolaev shipyard.

The preliminary design was prepared by 1979, in the same year it was approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S. Gorshkov. A few months later, in 1980, the head of the military department D. Ustinov signed a directive General Staff, which spoke about the need to change project 1143.5. Now the completion date of the technical project was pushed back to 1982, construction to 1986-91. In April 1980, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S. Gorshkov approved the tactical and technical specifications with the amendments made to the project.

In the summer of 1980, all parties involved - the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry, the Ministry of Aviation Industry, Air Force and the Navy recognize the development of the ship 1143.5 project as fully completed.
However, changes to the project continue. The use of aircraft weapons on the Project 1143.5 ship was studied in accordance with the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. At the end of 1980, the Central Research Institute of Military Shipbuilding adjusted the tactical and technical specifications for the ship project 1143.5. At the same time, a decision was made to build a second ship of Project 1143.4 (1143A) instead of the ship of Project 1143.5. However, in the future the project is being finalized again - technical project 1143.42.

In the early spring of 1981, the Nikolaev Shipyard received a contract from the Main Directorate of the Navy for the production of order 105. In the fall of 1981, changes were made to the ship's design - the displacement was increased by 10 thousand tons. Next, the following changes are made to the project:
— installation of anti-ship missiles “Granit” on board the ship;
— increase in aviation weapons to 50 units;
— springboard takeoff of aircraft without the use of a catapult.

The final technical design of 1143.5 was ready by March 1982. Adopted by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 392-10 of May 7, 1982.

On September 1, 1982, the Project 1143.5 ship was laid down on the modernized slipway “O” of the Nikolaev shipyard and given the name “Riga” with serial number 105. Two months later, the ship was renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”. In December 1982, installation of the 1st block of the hull structure began. By the way, this was the first ship consisting of 24 hull blocks. The blocks are hull wide, 32 meters long, 13 meters high, weighing up to 1.7 thousand tons. The ship's superstructures were also installed as a block.

All propulsion and power systems were ordered for 1983-84. Their assembly and installation was carried out on an already partially assembled hull, which led to the opening of decks and some bulkheads and greatly slowed down the entire construction process. The first photographs of the new ship, taken from a satellite, appeared in the French press in 1984; the TAKR readiness for that year was 20%.

The ship was launched from the slipway at the end of 1985, the weight of the ship did not exceed 32 thousand tons, the readiness of the ship was estimated at 35.8%. In 1986, P. Sokolov was appointed chief designer of project 1143.5. In mid-1987, the ship was renamed again - now it became known as the TAKR "Tbilisi", the ship's readiness is estimated at 57%. There is a delay in the construction of the ship (by approximately 15 percent) due to a disruption in the supply of various equipment. At the end of 1988, the readiness of the TAKR is estimated at 70%.

The estimated cost of the ship in 1989 was about 720 million rubles, of which almost 200 million rubles are delayed in the supply of equipment and systems. In the same year, a new chief designer L. Belov was appointed, the ship's readiness was estimated at 80%. About 50 percent of the radio-electronic equipment and systems are installed on the ship; most of the equipment arrived on the ship in 1989.

The ship's first departure to sea took place on October 20, 1989.. It was officially approved by all project participants. Of the ready-made solutions on the ship, the air group was ready for use. The ship's exit was completed on November 25, 1989. Tests of the air group begin on November 1, 1989 - the Su-27K was the first to land on the deck. Immediately after landing, he took off from the deck of the TAKR MiG-29K.

The ship's equipping with weapons and electronic equipment was completed by 1990; the ship's complete readiness is estimated at 87%. Running factory tests were carried out in the spring and summer of 1990. In October 1990, the ship last time changes its name, which it still bears today - TAKR "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". During the 1st stage of the tests, the ship successfully covered more than 16 thousand miles, and aircraft took off from the deck of the ship more than 450 times.

State tests of the first TAKR project 1143.5 were completed on December 25, 1990, after which it was accepted into the Navy. Further tests of the ship took place until 1992 on the Black Sea, after which it went into service with the Northern Fleet.

Design development of the ship:

- improvement of project 1143 - five options were proposed, the main components being studied: catapult, emergency barrier, arresting devices, control unit. Displacement up to 65,000 tons. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers;

- Project 1143.2 - the next option for improving the ship. The main components being worked on are: two catapults, an enlarged hangar, and a flight deck. Displacement up to 60,000 tons. Main armament: air group consisting of 42 aircraft (some of which may be helicopters);

- a draft version of project 1143.5 - the proposed version was studied to the extent possible for docking. Displacement up to 65,000 tons. Armament - an air group of 52 vehicles (30 aircraft and 22 helicopters) and 12 Granit missile launchers;

- project 1143.5 (Ustinova-Amelko) - changes to the ship's design to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Defense. The components being worked on are: springboard, KTU or nuclear power plant of projects 1143.4/1144. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers and an air group of 46 Yak-41 type aircraft;

- project 1143.5 (TsNIIVK) - an adjusted project of the Central Research Institute of Military Shipbuilding. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Components under development: a reserve catapult has been added, the hull structure has been reduced, and the amount of aviation fuel has been reduced. Main armament: air group consisting of 46 aircraft (short and vertical take-off aircraft of the Yak-41 type).

- project 1143.42 - an adjusted project in favor of the second ship of project 1143.4. Displacement up to 55,000 tons. Components being worked on: deck enlargement, catapult. Main armament: air group consisting of 40 aircraft (including AWACS aircraft), Basalt anti-ship missiles;

- project 1143.42 (adjustment of the Ministry of Defense) - an adjusted project by decision of the military department. Displacement - up to 65,000 tons. Knots being worked on: springboard. Main armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers, an air group of 50 aircraft.

Design and design of TAKR project 1143.5

Structurally, the ship consists of 24 blocks, each weighing about 1.7 thousand tons. Welded hull with 7 decks and 2 platforms. During the construction of the ship, two Finnish-made Cane cranes were used, each with a lifting capacity of 900 tons. The ship's hull is covered with a special radio-absorbing coating. If we conditionally divide the ship into floors, then their number will be 27 floors.

In total, there were 3,857 rooms for various purposes inside the ship., of which we note: 4-class cabins - 387 rooms, cockpits - 134 rooms, dining rooms - 6 rooms, showers - 50 rooms. During the construction of the ship, more than 4 thousand kilometers of cable routes and 12 thousand kilometers of pipes for various purposes were used.

The ship received a through deck with an area of ​​more than 14,000 m 2 with a diving board at an angle of 14.3 degrees at the bow of the ship. Profiled fairings are installed on the springboard and the edges of the deck corners. Aircraft are transported to the take-off deck by 40-ton lifts (starboard) at the bow and stern of the ship. The deck width is 67 meters. A section of the landing strip 205 meters long and 26 meters wide is located at an angle of 7 degrees. The deck surface is covered with a special anti-slip and heat-resistant "Omega" coating, and the vertical take-off/landing areas are covered with heat-resistant "AK-9FM" plates.

On the left and right sides of the launch pads there are two runways (runway length 90 meters), which converge at the upper end of the ski jump. Third runway 180 meters long (the left side is closer to the stern). To ensure protection of support personnel and aircraft from taking off aircraft, cooled deflectors are used on the deck. To land the aircraft on the deck, Svetlana-2 arresting devices and the Nadezhda emergency barrier are used.

The aircraft is landed using a short-range navigation radio system and the Luna-3 optical landing system. A closed hangar with a length of 153 meters, a width of 26 meters and a height of 7.2 meters accommodates 70% of the full-time air group. It also stores tractors, fire engines and a special set of equipment for servicing LAC. The hangar has a chain semi-automatic system for transporting standard aircraft; aircraft are transported on deck using tractors. The hangar is divided into 4 compartments by folding fireproof curtains with electromechanical control to ensure fire safety.

Structural protection of the surface part of the ship is shielded type, internal protective barriers are composite structures of the steel/fiberglass/steel type. High-strength steel (yield strength 60 kgf/mm 2) was chosen as the main material. Aviation fuel, propellant and ammunition tanks are protected using local box armor. For the first time, underwater structural protection is used in the construction of domestic ships. The depth of the PKZ is about 5 meters. Of the 3 longitudinal partitions, the second was armored multi-layer type. Unsinkability was ensured by flooding 5 adjacent compartments, no more than 60 meters long.

The power plant is a boiler-turbine type, consisting of 8 new steam boilers, 4 main turbo-gear units TV-12-4, providing a total power of 200,000 hp. Propulsors – 4 screws with a fixed pitch. Energy – 9 turbogenerators with a total capacity of 13,500 kW, 6 diesel generators with a total capacity of 9,000 kW.

Armament and equipment of TAKR project 1143.5

12 below-deck launchers of the Granit attack anti-ship missile system are located at the very base of the springboard. The launchers are covered with armored covers flush with the deck. Jamming systems: 4 PK-10 launchers and 8 PK-2M launchers with 400 rounds of ammunition (Tertsia control system).

The ship's anti-aircraft armament is 4 modules of the Kinzhal anti-aircraft missile system with ammunition of 192 missiles, 8 modules of the Kortik air defense system with ammunition of 256 missiles, 48,000 shells. The modules are installed on the side, providing all-round fire at air targets.

The ship's artillery armament is three AK-630M batteries with 48,000 rounds of ammunition.
The ship's anti-torpedo armament is two 10-barrel RBU-12000 mounts, installed on the stern side. Ammunition 60 RGB.
Air group - according to project 50 aircraft. As of 2010, it consisted of 18 Su-33, 4 Su-25T, 15 Ka-27 and 2 Ka-31.

Radio-technical weapons and equipment of the ship - 58 systems and complexes, the main ones:
— BIUS “Lumberjack”;
— SOI “Tee”;
— long-range target designation complex “Coral-BN”;
— multifunctional radar "Mars-Passat" with a phased antenna array;
- three-dimensional radar "Fregat-MA";
— two-dimensional radar “Podkat” for detecting low-flying air targets;
— navigation complex “Beysur”;
— communication equipment “Buran-2”;
— active jamming stations MP-207, MP-407, TK-D46RP;
— flight control radar “Resistor”;
— electronic warfare complex “Kantata-1143.5”;
— hydroacoustics complex “Polynom-T”;
— hydroacoustics stations “Zvezda-M1”, “Amulet”, “Altyn”;
— navigation radar stations “Nayada-M”, “Vaigach-U”;
— sound-underwater communication station “Shtil”;
- system space communications"Crystal-BC";
— aircraft combat control system “Tur-434”;
— television landing system “Otvedok-Raskresposhechenie”;
— guidance station “Lawn”;
— automatic control system “Control”.

The antenna devices of most systems and complexes are located on the ship's superstructure. Radio transmission and reception equipment - more than 50 units. These are 80 paths for receiving and transmitting information and data, most of which can operate simultaneously.

Auxiliary equipment includes more than 170 items and consists of 450 individual units.

The ship's rescue equipment is a command boat of Project 1404, two boats of Project 1402-B, two 6-oar yawls (Project YAL-P6), 240 PSN-10M (life rafts in containers).

Main characteristics of the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov":
- length - 304.5 meters;
— width of the roof line/deck – 38/72 meters;
— draft – 10.5 meters;
— the height of the springboard above the water is 28 meters;
— displacement standard/full/max. – up to 46,000/59,000/67,000 tons;
— economy/max speed – 18/32 knots;
— economy/maximum range – 8000/3800 miles;
— navigation autonomy – 1.5 months;
- ship personnel crew/flight crew - 1533/626 people.

This year the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov":

- January 8 - as part of a ship aircraft carrier group of the Russian Navy, entered the Syrian port of Tartus on an official friendly visit;

- February 16 - as part of a shipborne aircraft carrier group of the Russian Navy, completed a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to the home base of Severomorsk;

— 2012-17 – modernization of the ship should begin, the work will be carried out by the Sevmash production association.

The Russian fleet includes the only aircraft carrier - Admiral Kuznetsov. He is unique in his class, but not alone in anything else. Assessments of the quality and usefulness of most Russian military equipment are most often ambiguous. “Kuznetsov” did not escape this either. Someone claims that he is “laughing at NATO ships”, pointing out his powerful weapons. Some consider the cruiser “a disgrace to the Russian fleet,” citing the long period of time spent under repairs.

To date, the ship has managed to fight and was awarded the Order of Ushakov, so they were clearly in a hurry to declare its “shame.”

Brief history of creation

Aircraft carriers first appeared during the First World War. They had no influence on its course, but almost all maritime powers became interested in them. And by the beginning of World War II, most of the warring states had aircraft carriers.

The experience of using aircraft carriers has shown that the star of battleships has set, and from now on it is “floating airfields” that are the strongest warships. If at the beginning of the 20th century every maritime state tried to own at least one battleship, then by the middle of the century aircraft carriers became the object of desire.

In the Soviet Union, things were different. Before the Great Patriotic War They didn’t even have time to lay down a single aircraft carrier. After her, the outstanding naval commander, Admiral of the Fleet N.G., actively advocated the construction of aircraft carriers. Kuznetsov.

However, his personal conflict with Marshal Zhukov, which led to the admiral’s disgrace, and the peculiar position of the party leadership, which proclaimed aircraft carriers “weapons of aggressors,” buried this idea.

The only aircraft-carrying ships of the Soviet fleet were the anti-submarine helicopter carriers of Project 1123. Their successors, the ships of Project 1143, were initially also considered anti-submarine, but later they were reclassified as “aircraft-carrying cruisers.” The development of these ships was the “Admiral Kuznetsov”.

The Project 1143.5 ship was a development of the Kyiv aircraft-carrying cruisers. If Project 1143's aircraft armament was more likely to be auxiliary, the new cruiser was supposed to carry not only anti-submarine aircraft, but also “real” fighters and attack aircraft.

For this purpose, for the first time in the USSR, carrier-based horizontal takeoff aircraft with a short takeoff run were designed.

The cruiser was laid down in Nikolaev in early September 1982. A ship called “Riga” was laid down, but already in November it was renamed in honor of the deceased Leonid Brezhnev. With the name of the Secretary General, the aircraft carrier survived until 1987, and for the first tests (not yet fully completed) it came out under the name “Tbilisi”.

The first aircraft landed on the deck of the cruiser in November 1989, with the Su-27K (aka Su-33) piloted by the famous test pilot Viktor Pugachev. After successful testing of the aircraft, the ship returned to Nikolaev. And at the end of 1990, the series of renamings finally ended. The cruiser was named after Fleet Admiral N.G. Kuznetsov, unfortunately, did not live to see the first full-fledged aircraft carrier appear in the Navy.

Description of the ship

A design feature of the Kuznetsov was the absence of steam catapults on the take-off deck - they were replaced with a springboard. This solution saved weight and usable space and had a positive effect on survivability. But this does not make it possible to use the entire flight deck for launch, and aircraft with insufficiently powerful engines simply cannot take off from a ski-jump.

This led to the emergence of a serious weakness of the aircraft carrier - the air group did not have specialized reconnaissance aircraft with a long range. Later problem was solved by installing “electronic reconnaissance containers” on carrier-based fighters. However, they still depend on control from the ship, and containers with various equipment are placed not on one fighter, but on a group of three.

The ship's power plant was eight boilers and four steam turbines. There is nothing unusual in such a system, but at one time it served as a reason for criticism of the ship. The smoke observed by journalists from the chimney of the only Russian aircraft carrier was regarded as a sign of the poor condition of the Admiral Kuznetsov.

The only thing is that the cruiser’s boilers run on fuel oil. And when the ship is stationary, the engines operate in a mode in which carbon deposits are deposited in the pipe.

Of course, fuel oil boilers do not provide an unlimited cruising range, like nuclear reactors, but simpler and much cheaper to maintain. And the fuel-filled compartments are part of the anti-torpedo protection system.

When the aircraft carrier was developed, it was designed to be resistant to close explosions of nuclear weapons (with a yield of up to thirty kilotons). It was expected that the flight deck would, in any case, become unusable due to radioactive contamination, and enemy ships would have to be hit with Granit missiles.

Anti-torpedo protection consists of many bulkheads and compartments with fuel oil, alternating with empty ones. It is designed to protect against explosions equivalent to 400 kg of TNT.

In order for the aircraft carrier to attack enemy ships without scrambling aircraft and without resorting to the services of escort vessels, it was armed with long-range heavy P-700 Granit missiles.

The missiles were never used for their intended purpose. It seemed likely that the Granites would be modified to attack ground targets, but judging by the fact that the launchers have already been dismantled, it will not be carried out.

The cruiser's air defense is provided by Kortik missile and gun systems and six-barreled AK-630 automatic guns of 30 mm caliber. To protect against enemy torpedoes and submarines, the Boa Constrictor rocket launcher is used.

Initially, the air group of “Admiral Kuznetsov” was supposed to consist of deck modifications of the light MiG-29 and the Su-25 attack aircraft.

In fact, throughout the 90s, only “dryers” were used, with the Su-25 only in a training version.

MiG-29K fighters began to be delivered only in 2015, and they are expected to replace the majority of Su-33s. The remaining “dryers” are supposed to be used as attack aircraft, increasing their bomb load. Most of the aircraft carrier's helicopters are anti-submarine Ka-27PL, with a recent addition being the attack Ka-52K.

Interesting facts and technical characteristics

The unique class of the ship - “aircraft-carrying cruiser” gave it the legal opportunity, being in fact a full-fledged aircraft carrier, to operate freely in the Black Sea (the Montreux Convention prohibits aircraft carriers from passing through the Bosphorus).

If during modernization the strike missile weapon is lost by Kuznetsov, he may lose the opportunity. But this is hardly critical, since the Black Sea region does not really need aircraft carriers.

Slightly different in design, in the 90s it went to Ukraine and was not completed. It was then sold to China, ostensibly to be converted into a floating hotel. As a result, since 2012, under the name “Liaoning”, he has been serving in the PLA Navy.

The table presents data from the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov and the American aircraft carrier Nimitz, as typical representative“supercarriers” of the USA, the French “Charles de Gaulle” of recent construction, and the newest British ship “Queen Elizabeth”.

Indeed, Kuznetsov is inferior to American heavy aircraft carriers in terms of air group power and range. But does this deserve devastating criticism - after all, modern European aircraft carriers are close in quality (and size) to the Kuznetsov. It may be impractical to place powerful missile weapons on an aircraft-carrying ship. But the initial design of the last British aircraft carrier does not even provide for defensive weapons, and whether they will be installed subsequently is still unknown. It's hard to consider this an advantage.

Video

In the spring of 1982, the first “real” aircraft carrier was laid down in Nikolaev. The Project 1143.5 aircraft carrier was laid down under the name “Riga”; November 26, 1982 renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”; sea ​​trials in 1987 it took place under the name “Tbilisi”; entered service as "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". Although it retained the project number of the first aircraft-carrying ship, Kuznetsov has little in common with it, with the exception of its power plant

Its architecture acquired a more “aircraft carrier” appearance: a continuous flight deck (75 m wide) with a springboard, an arresting device and an emergency barrier, and two on-board aircraft elevators. “The Island” remained almost the same. Surface structural protection was improved, autonomy was increased, and underwater hull protection was installed.

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"Admiral Kuznetsov" - heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of Project 1143.5

"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" - heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser of Project 1143.5

In the spring of 1982, the first “real” aircraft carrier was laid down in Nikolaev. The Project 1143.5 aircraft carrier was laid down under the name “Riga”; November 26, 1982 renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”; sea ​​trials in 1987 it took place under the name “Tbilisi”; entered service as "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". Although it retained the design number of the first aircraft-carrying ship, Kuznetsov has little in common with it, with the exception of its power plant. Its architecture acquired a more “aircraft carrier” appearance: a continuous flight deck (75 m wide) with a springboard, an arresting device and an emergency barrier, and two on-board aircraft elevators. “The Island” remained almost the same. Surface structural protection was improved, autonomy was increased, and underwater hull protection was installed.

The PTZ system has a depth of 4.5 m and consists of three chambers: expansion, absorption (filled with fuel), and filtration. Between the last two there is a protective bulkhead of variable thickness, made of high-strength ductile steel Ak-25. Steam TPAs ​​are similar to those installed on the Baku.
According to the project, the air group was supposed to consist of 24 carrier-based aircraft and 42 helicopters, but the regular number of aircraft was not achieved due to lack of funds. Aircraft landing control was provided by the Luna optical system. In the bow of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov there are 12 under-deck launchers for P-700 Granit strike cruise missiles. Four six-missile modules of the Kinzhal air defense system are located in the bow and stern on the side sponsons.

The ship's defense is provided by 8 Kortik anti-aircraft artillery systems, 6-30 mm AK-630M gun mounts, and 2 Udav anti-torpedo defense systems. In parallel with the construction of the ship, development of deck aircraft for it and aviation technical equipment was underway. In Crimea, at the Novo-Fedorovka airfield, a training ground with a steel airfield in the form of a ship’s deck was built, called “Nitka”. In the summer of 1982, it carried out the first takeoffs of the Su-27 and MiG-29 from a ground jump at an angle of 8.5 degrees. A year later, testing of the Svetlana-2 aero arresting device began. On September 1, 1984, the first Su-27 landing took place using an arresting aid.
In 1985, conventional aircraft began to take off from a steeper ramp (angle of 14 degrees), adopted for TAKR. On September 1, 1989, test pilot Viktor Pugachev made the first landing on the deck of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. On the same day, test pilot Takhtar Aubakirov took off from the ship on a MiG-29 aircraft. Before the completion of state tests of the ship, more than 300 flights were performed from it. However, combat pilots began to master the deck of the Kuznetsov much later.

01/20/1991 "Kuznetsov" became part of the Northern Fleet. The state's declining economy significantly complicated and delayed the development of the ship, the equipping of its air group with serial Su-27K fighters and the training of flight crews. Only in 1993 did the aircraft intended for the aircraft carrier arrive in the Northern Fleet, and only the following year was it possible to train ten combat ship pilots.
At the end of August 1995, they made their first landings on a TAKR, and in September, Kuznetsov took part in fleet exercises, during which the practical development of its aircraft weapons began.
As for the basing problem, it remained unresolved. True, a floating pier was built for Kuznetsov in Ura Guba, but they could not build a coastal power station and a boiler house. To ensure its life, the ship has to constantly “drive” two main boilers.

Even during the operation of “Kyiv” in the North, one interesting feature became clear. The aircraft-carrying ship has a huge upper deck, which is actively cooled during cold times (eight months of the year). Since the heating system in the harsh conditions of the Arctic fails to cope with its responsibilities, condensation constantly forms, causing corrosion of decks, bulkheads, cable routes, and failure of devices. In addition to premature aging of ships, low temperatures and high humidity significantly worsen the living conditions of the crew. So, on the Kuznetsov, in the cockpits located at the ends of the ship, the temperature in winter does not rise above 10-12 degrees.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
Displacement 55,000 (70,500) tons
Dimensions 304.5 x 38 x 10.5 m

Four-shaft power plant power 200,000 hp: 4 PT
Speed ​​32 knots

Cruising range 8000 miles at 18 knots

Armament: 12 Granit anti-ship missile launchers, 4 Kinzhal air defense missile systems, 8 Kortik missile launchers, 6-30 mm AK-630M assault rifles, 2 RBU-12000
Air group (March 1996) 15 Su-27K fighters, 1 Su-25UTG, 11 Ka-27 helicopters, 1 Ka-31 helicopter

"Admiral Kuznetsov" is a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser (in fact, a full-fledged aircraft carrier), part of the Russian Navy. Laid down in 1982 under the name “Riga”, during construction it was renamed “Leonid Brezhnev”, and when launched in 1987 it received the name “Tbilisi”. At the final stage of testing in 1990, it was named “Admiral Kuznetsov”. The ship's displacement is 58.6 thousand tons. Crew 1960 people.

The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" at sea.

Construction and operation

The design of the new aircraft-carrying cruiser of the Soviet fleet was carried out at the Nevsky Design Bureau under the leadership of designer Sergeev. It differed from four similar ships already built by that time (the Kiev project) by the presence of a take-off springboard and an enlarged deck, and was supposed to be the first in a new class of aircraft-carrying cruisers.

The keel of the ship took place on September 1, 1982. It was built at the shipyards of the Black Sea Shipyard in the city of Nikolaev; the production of equipment for it was carried out by the Leningrad Proletarsky Plant.

The ship was launched on December 4, 1985, after which further installation of equipment and installation of weapons was carried out afloat. By 1989, when the ship was 71% complete, sea trials began, including landing and taking off aircraft. In December 1991, the cruiser, having rounded Europe, made the transition from the Black Sea to the Vidyaevo base ( Murmansk region) and joined the Russian Northern Fleet.

Retrofitting of the ship and its testing continued. It received its first permanent carrier group (Su-33 fighters) in 1993. In December 1995, Admiral Kuznetsov made its first independent 90-day cruise to the Mediterranean Sea with 13 Su-33s and 11 helicopters on board.

Until 1998 it was under renovation. In 2004 and 2007, as part of a group of ships, he made voyages to the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In 2008 it underwent new repairs and modernization. In 2014, the cruiser's air group received new MiG-29K aircraft. In October 2016, he was sent to the Mediterranean Sea to the coast of Syria.

The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" before repairs.

The aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" after repair.

Design Features

The hull of the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov" consists of seven decks and includes a large number of bulkheads capable of withstanding the impact of 400 kg of ammunition (in TNT equivalent), which increases the survivability of the ship. It differs from most conventional aircraft carriers in the use of take-off ramps, the power plant and the presence of Granit anti-ship missile systems.

The abandonment of catapults and the use of ski-jump takeoffs made it possible to save on the weight and energy maintenance of the ship, while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of the impossibility of using aircraft due to failure of the catapult equipment. On the other hand, such a solution complicates the takeoff and landing of aircraft - they are only possible on one side of the deck and in one direction.

The Admiral Kuznetsov's fuel oil power plant is characterized by increased smoke production during operation, but the use of fuel oil as fuel significantly reduces the cost of maintaining the ship and its repair. In addition, fuel oil stored in the cruiser's double hull is part of the anti-torpedo protection.

On the bow of the ship there are launch silos for the Granit anti-ship missiles, capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 700 km. With their help, the Admiral Kuznetsov can destroy enemy ships and fire at coastal targets without raising the aircraft of the air wing. When firing "Granites", aircraft take off from the deck is impossible.

A MiG-29K takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

A MiG-29K takes off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Armament of the TAVKR "Admiral Kuznetsov"

The main weapon of a ship is its air group. It includes 14 Su-33 and 10 MiG-29K fighters. In addition, there are 15 Ka-27 multi-purpose helicopters and 2 Ka-31 reconnaissance helicopters (radar patrol helicopter) on board.

12 Granit anti-ship missile systems make up the cruiser’s strike weapons. To counter enemy aircraft, it is equipped with 24 launchers of the Kinzhal anti-aircraft missile system and 8 Kortik air defense systems.