Kiev Class Aircraft Carrier Article Index for
Kiev
Website Links For
Class
 

Information About

Kiev Class Aircraft Carrier




The Kiev class carriers (also know as Project 1143 or as the Krechyet ( Gyrfalcon ) class) were the first class of fixed-wing aircraft carriers built in Russia.

First laid down in 1970 the Kiev class was partially based on a design for a full-deck carrier proposed in Project Orel . Originally the Soviet Navy wanted a supercarrier similar to the American ''Kitty Hawk Class'' , however the smaller Kiev class design was chosen because it was considered to be more cost effective.

Unlike American or British carriers the Kiev class is a combination of a cruiser and a carrier. In the Russian navy this class of ships is specifically designated as a heavy aviation cruiser rather than just an aircraft carrier. The intended mission of the Kiev class was support for strategic missile submarines, other surface ships and naval aviation, it was capable of engaging in anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and surface warfare.

A total of four Kiev class carriers were built and commissioned, serving in the Soviet and then Russian Navy. The first three having served out their lifetimes were decommissioned and have been either scrapped or sold as recreational pieces to China. The fourth ship, Admiral Gorshkov, was modernized and sold to the Indian Navy in 2004.


GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

  • Designer: Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau

  • Builder: Nikolayev South (formerly Chernomorsky Shipyard 444)

  • Power Plant: 8 turbopressurized boilers, 4 steam turbines (200,000 shp), four shafts

  • Length: 273 meters overall

  • Flight Deck Width: 53 meters

  • Beam: 32.6 meters

  • Displacement: 43,000-45,500 metric tons full load

  • Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)

  • Aircraft: 26-30

  • --- 12-13 Yak-38 VSTOL

  • --- 14-17 Ka-25 or Ka-27 /29 helicopters

  • Crew: 1,200-1,600 (including air wing)

  • Armament:

  • --- Kiev and Minsk:


  • -- 2 SA-N-3 Goblet twin launchers


  • -- 2 SA-N-4 Goblet twin launchers


  • -- 8 SS-N-12 Sandbox launchers


  • -- 4 Twin 76.2mm AA guns


  • -- 8 30mm close in cannons


  • -- 10 21" Torpedo Tubes

  • --- Novorossiysk:


  • -- 2 SA-N-3 Goblet twin launchers


  • -- 12 SA-N-9 8-Cell vertical launchers


  • -- 8 SS-N-12 Sandbox launchers


  • -- 4 Twin 76.2mm AA guns


  • -- 8 30mm close in cannons


  • -- 10 21" Torpedo Tubes

  • --- Admiral Gorshkov:


  • -- 12 SS-N-12 Sandbox launchers


  • -- 24 SA-N-9 8-Cell vertical launchers


  • -- 2 100mm guns


  • -- 8 30mm close in cannons


  • -- 10 21" Torpedo Tubes

  • Date Deployed: 1975 ( ''Kiev'' )



SHIPS



SEE ALSO




EXTERNAL LINKS