It’s been battered, broken, on fire, and almost always spewing a pillar of black smoke, and now the Admiral Kuznetsov might be at the end of its service.
The pro-Kremlin Russian newspaper Izvestia recently reported that the Russian military might be giving up on getting its troubled and only aircraft carrier back into service. Citing high ranking “informed sources,” they said the carrier might be decommissioned and broken down for scrap. The reason? The high costs of repairs and the greater focus on smaller, automated weapons systems in war. Now the military is weighing if the need to have an aircraft carrier, like other world powers, is worth the costs already sunk into the Admiral Kuznetsov.
Despite being Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov isn’t a prestigious post but rather it has become known as a “ship of shame.” Originally ordered in 1981 by the Soviet Union it didn’t get commissioned until 1991 and by the time it was fully operational it was part of the Russian Federation, not the USSR. Its design is unique too, with a large ramp meant to help fighter jets launch. However, due to also needing to serve as a missile platform, its fighter contingent is limited.
And then there’s the fact that when at sea it is constantly spewing a large amount of black smoke. That’s because the ship relies on mazut, a heavy and thick fuel that when burned without being properly preheated — which has often been the case. Reportedly the ship’s internal ventilation system doesn’t fully work, leaving the crew dealing with fumes. And rather than being a prestigious posting, being assigned to the Admiral Kuznetsov is seen as a punishment for sailors.
It’s also been plagued by malfunctions, mechanical failures and fires. It often needs to be pulled by a tugboat. One sailor died when a fire broke out in 2009. In 2017, the ship went to dock for a major overhaul meant to extend its lifespan and address some of its major challenges. That process has had its own issues. In 2018 the floating dock sank, causing a large and heavy crane to crash into the Admiral Kuznetsov. There were multiple fires onboard the carrier, including one that killed two crewmembers. The overhaul was meant to be done in 2021 but it has continually pushed back its timeline, including notable claims from USC it would be back in service in 2024.
The “informed sources” that spoke to Izvestia said that repairs on the carrier had actually ceased some time ago, while the military tries to decide if spending the resources on it is worth it in the long run. Russia is still in its costly war in Ukraine, a fight that has taxed its munitions stockpiles, armor contingents and seen extensive losses to the Russian Navy.
Despite its problems the ship remains a recognizable part of the Russian military. It even appeared in this year’s ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning,’ complete with its spewing cloud of smoke. But if this is the end of the line for the Admiral Kuznetsov, then it is going out as it lived: at port and constantly broken.
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