FiRepower

Im confused aswell , wondering why Russia is making such a small aircraft carrier for only 30 fixed-wings and helos , it really doesn't make any sense

TopHatter

Exactly! A conventionally-powered CV, that I can understand.

Heck, for that matter, Charles de Gaulle has a relatively small airwing at 40 aircraft.

ArmchairGeneral

Good points, and I don't have any answers. Although I have a feeling it might be capable of carrying many more aircraft if they wanted. US carriers used to carry nearly 100 planes each, using deck parks. Now they're down to about 65. I expect the French could use deck parks to increase their capacity, and the Russians probably could too.

It is certainly strange, from a practical position, for Russia to build a nuke carrier. But from a PR POV, it makes a bit more sense. Maintain Russia's position as major power and all that. As for her practical use, maybe just a successor to the Kuznetsov as a fleet air defense ship. As mentioned before, she has little power projection capability, due to the lack of catapults.

Hm. Looked up the Kuznetsov. Officially she carries 41 planes. It certainly would be odd to make a nuke with a smaller wing than their present carrier. Who knows?

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Feanor

We have a lot of money. It's called the stabilization fund. However it's not being spent.

Wraith601

The existence of the de Gaulle has more to do with pride than any real military utility. The French would have been just as well served with a smaller, cheaper conventional carrier, but no they have to have a nuke to prove that they can build one.

They seem to have their lesson which is why they're part of the CVF program.

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MrFirst

For those who asks why so few planes. The Russia's military industry has its particular features, a lot of corporations - weapon producers - aspire to lobby their arms systems into every large project where it's just possible to integrate it. Exactly because of this reason the Kirov class cruisers became so monstrous and huge, though they began from standard tonnage 10-12 thousand. Project had been changed several times and finally it increased almost up to 25k, because all influential Soviet industrial groups wished to put their products into the cruiser. I suppose Masorin cares to protect the project from excess influences - for the time being. But I suppose the project will increase inevitably up to 45-50 aircrafts at least, the discussions on the theme will appear of course. Nevertheless the price of modern aircrafts is too high, when one piece costs more than 40 million dollars, and next generation will be much more expensive, this is the natural limit for number of planes.

wabpilot

There are good reasons for nuclear propulsion. First it frees up more space for fuel and supplies. Second it is cleaner. Third nuclear power plants, well designed, require fewer crew. Fourth, nuclear plants can run long periods refueling. Fifth, no exhause burble. Given the small carrier the French were going to build, nuclear power made a lot of sense. Submarine powerplants are not a particularly good fit for a large surface ship like de Gaulle. But, that does not make nuclear power a bad idea, just poor execution on the part of the French.

CVF's conventional power plants will take space away from fuel and supplies. That alone will require a larger ship, or reduce its utility. Thus we see that CVF is now estimated to have an ultimate displacement of 75000 tonnes and a lenght of 947 fee. Still the airwing is projected at only 40-50 aircraft. That's a lot of space taken up by the propulsion system.

Stan

I really wish the CVF was selected with nuclear power plant would have been alot better, also that it was angled deck with catapult.

In the UK we are used to making compromises in this day and age.

hey ho still be nice to have a big carrier again

BenRoethig

The Russians were building a four cat CVN when the fall happened.

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Feanor

I really wish we would complete at least some domestic military project so that our army isn't completely falling apart due to lack of more moedrn equipment.

Stan187

The Russians much more so need to funnel money into training and paying people in the military, there are still soldiers running around in flak vests from the 60s (if they even have one), a carrier should not be their biggest worry.

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braindead

But Stan , these 15-20kg. flak vests are a big part of the training . . You try running around in one of them and do not say it´s good for character buliding ! We played football in these ones (luckily only once) .

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Stan187

That would get so hot, besides for being heavy, good lord man

-{SpoonmaN}-

Nothing like the Eastern Bloc for making the most of a bad situation.
Anyway, the key thing is to overhaul individual equipment as we've said, and then work upwards. Probably the next thing would be to replace the sub fleet and reduce the number of missile boats (they don't need that many), since it will save lives, and then work on the Air Force.
Finally, the surface fleet and the Heavy Forces should get an overhaul, but they aren't really in as diar a need in the current climate.

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Feanor

All branches of the Russian military are in dire need.