World Aircraft Carriers List: Russia & The Soviet Union

Revised 26 November 2001
Version 2.07
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan
World Aircraft Carrier Lists Main Page: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/

Orlitsa small seaplane carrier
Almaz auxiliary seaplane carrier
Imperator Alexander I Class auxiliary seaplane cruisers
Imperator Alexandr I
Imperator Nikolai I
Rumyniya auxiliary seaplane carrier

Moskva Class helicopter cruisers
Moskva
Leningrad

Kiev Class VTOL cruisers
Kiev
Minsk
Novorossiysk
Baku VTOL cruiser

Kuznetsov Class multirole aircraft carriers
Kuznetsov
Varyag
Ulyanovsk nuclear powered multirole aircraft carrier

Link to Soviet/Russian Navy Photo Feature - Aircraft Carriers


Orlitsa small seaplane carrier

Displacement: 3,800 tons full load
Dimensions: 300 x 40 x 17 feet/91.5 x 12 x 5 meters
Propulsion: VTE engines, 1 shaft, 2200 ihp, 12 knots
Crew: ??
Armor: none
Armament: 8 75 mm SP, 2 MG
Aircraft: 4-5 seaplanes

Concept/Program: Freighter converted to seaplane carrier 1913-1915. Operated in northern waters.

Design/Conversion: Simple conversion, small hangars fitted over well decks fore and aft.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Retained by the Soviets postwar until returned to merchant service in 1923.


Orlitsa
ex merchant Imperatritsa Alexandra, ex Vologda
Photos: [Orlitsa], [Bow closeup of Orlitsa].

Built by Caledon, Dundee. Launched 1903. Purchased 1913, converted 1913-1915, completed 20 Feb 1915.

Immobilized/inactive after 4/1918. Returned to merchant service as Sovet in 1923. Fate unknown.

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Almaz auxiliary seaplane carrier

Displacement: 3,285 tons
Dimensions: 363 x 43.5 x 17.5 feet/110.6 x 13.25 x 5.3 meters
Propulsion: TE engines, 2 shafts, 7,500 ihp, 19 knots
Crew: ???
Armor: 3 inch deck
Armament: 7 4.7 inch, 4 3 inch AA
Aircraft: 3-4 seaplanes

Concept/Program: A former armed yacht/small cruiser converted to operate seaplanes in the Black Sea Fleet.

Design/Conversion: Hoisting booms and servicing facilties for 4 seaplanes fitted.

Departure from Service/Disposal: After 4/1918 she went to the Ukrainians, then the Germans, the British, the White Russians and finally the French before being scrapped.


Almaz
Photos: [Almaz as seaplane carrier].

Built by Baltic Works. Laid down 25 Sept 1902, launched 2 June 1903, completed 1904. Rearmed at Vladivostok summer 1905, survived Tsushima, to Baltic Sea Fleet in 1906 and re-rated as a despatch vessel. Classed as an armed yacht 1908, to the Black Sea 1911. Converted to seaplane carrier early 1915.

To Ukraine 4/1918, seized by the Germans at Sevastopol, surrendered to the British 11/1918, transferred to the White Russians 9/1919. Interned at Algiers in 1920, taken over by France 1928 and scrapped in 1934.

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Imperator Alexander I class auxiliary seaplane cruisers

Displacement: 9,240 tons full load
Dimensions: 384 x 50 x 20.5 feet/117 x 15 x 6.25 meters
Propulsion: VTE engines, 1 shaft, 5,100 ihp, 15 knots
Crew: ??
Armor: none
Armament: 6 4.7 inch SP, 6 75 mm
Aircraft: 7-9 seaplanes

Concept/Program: Former passenger ships taken over for Black Sea Fleet service during WWI. Served as combination seaplane carriers and auxiliary cruisers.

Design/Conversion: Very simple conversion. Seaplane working deck built up over the main deck aft, with hoisting booms fitted on the aft mast.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Both were inactive after 4/1917, seized by the Germans 3/1918 and surrendered to the British 11/1918, both sold into merchant service postwar.


Imperator Alexander I
ex Imperator Alexander III, ex merchant
Photos: [Imperator Alexander I].

Built by Denny, Dumbarton. Purchased 1913, converted 1914 to 29 Nov 1916.

Inactive after 4/1917, renamed Respublikanets 11 May 1917. Seized by the Germans 4/1918 at Sevastopol, surrendered to the British 11/1918. Sold into merchant service as Lamartine postwar. Fate unknown.

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Imperator Nikolai I
ex merchant
Photos: [Imperator Nikolai I].

Built by John Brown, Clydebank. Purchased 1913, converted 1914 to 29 Nov 1916.

Inactive after 4/1917, renamed Aviator 5/1917. Seized by the Germans 4/1918 at Sevastopol, surrendered to the British 11/1918. Sold into merchant service as Pierre Loti postwar. Fate unknown.

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Rumyniya auxiliary seaplane cruiser

Displacement: 4,500 tons full load
Dimensions: 357 x 42 x 27.5 feet/108.8 x 12.8 x 8.4 meters
Propulsion: VTE engines, 2 shafts, 6,500 ihp, 18 knots
Crew: ???
Armor: none
Armament: 4 6 inch SP, 1-4 75 mm AA
Aircraft: 4-7 seaplanes

Concept/Program: A Romanian passenger ship loaned in 1916 for Black Sea service. Served as combination seaplane carrier and auxiliary cruiser. Two sisters apparently saw service only as auxiliary cruisers, perhaps with one or two seaplanes.

Design/Conversion: Very simple conversion. Seaplane working deck built up over the main deck aft, with hoisting booms fitted on the aft mast.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Captured by the Germans 4/1918, to the British 11/1918, and returned to her owners.


Rumyniya
ex merchant Rumania
Photos: [Rumyniya].

Built by Ch de la Loire, St. Nazaire. Launched 1904. Loaned and converted 1916.

Seized by the Germans 4/1918 at Sevastopol, surrendered to the British 11/1918. Returned to owners 1918. Fate unknown.

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Note: New information indicates the Soviets never intended to use the ex-German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin as an operational vessel. She was demolished as a target hulk.


Moskva class helicopter cruisers

Displacement: 17,500 tons full load
Dimensions: 620 x 85.5 x 27.8 feet/189 x 26 x 8.5 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts, 100,000 hp, 30 knots
Crew: 850
Armor: uncertain; probably little or none
Armament: 2 SA-N-3 Goblet SAM, 2 dual 57mm DP guns, 1 dual SUW-N-1 ASW rocket launcher, 2 RBU-6000 ASW rocket launchers, 10 21 inch torpedo tubes
Aircraft: 14 helicopters

Concept/Program: The first big Soviet cruisers of postwar design, intended as ASW ships to counter US SSBNs in the Mediterranean. An interesting combination of cruiser and aviation features, but unsuccessful. They were intended to operate with AAW and ASuW escorts in task forces. A third ship of this general type, named Kiyev was cancelled in 1968-69; she was either an anti-ship missile version of this design or enlarged aviation version.

Design: Flight deck aft with hangar below, AAW and ASW weapons forward, large superstructure midships. Carried a full range of cruiser weapons and sensors, but suffered from excessive amounts of new, untried and experimental equipment. They trimmed down by the bow, pitched excessively, and generally were poor sea boats. Suffered extensive machinery problems; maximum sustained speed was 26 knots. The elevators were very small, so larger and newer aircraft could not be accommodated. The air group was considered to be too small. These ships were considered to be failures.

Modifications: Torpedo tubes removed during the 1970's.

Operational: Based in the Black Sea and saw service mostly in the Mediterranean.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Disposed of following end of the Cold War.


Moskva
Photos: [Moskva as completed], [Burning in 1975], [Hulk in 1995].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 15 Dec 1962, launched 14 Jan 1964, completed 25 Dec 1967.

This ship suffered extreme machinery problems and her plant was rebuilt twice. Used for VTOL trials in 1973. Suffered severe fire 2 February 1975. Stationary at Sevastopol after 1983, except for one short cruise late in 1991. Remained nominally in service, but inoperable, as an accommodations hulk until stricken 7 November 1996. Towed to India for scrapping 6/1997.

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Leningrad
Photos: [Leningrad as completed - port side], [As completed - bow], [As completed - stern], [Hulk in 1995].

Built by Nikolayev. 15 Jan 1965, launched 31 July 1968, completed 2 June 1969.

Served as mine countermeasures helicopter ship at Suez, 1974. Stricken due to poor condition 24 June 1991 but hulk remained at Sevastopol through 1995. Scrapped in Greece starting 9/1995.

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Kiev class VTOL cruisers

Displacement: 42,000 tons full load
Dimensions: 818.5 x 107.2 x 31 feet/249.5 x 32.7 x 9.5 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 895.5 x 174 x 39 feet/273 x 53 x 11.8 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp, 32 knots
Crew: 1600 total
Armor: unknown, probably little or none
Armament: 8 SS-N-12 Sandbox SSM, 2 SA-N-3 Goblet SAM, 2 SA-N-4 Gecko SAM (except in Novorossiysk), 2 dual 76.2mm/50 cal DP gun, 8 30 mm gatling AA, 2 quint 533 mm TT, 1 dual SUW-N-1 ASW rocket launcher, 2 RBU-6000 ASW rocket launchers
Aircraft: 31 VTOL

Concept/Program: Large VTOL cruisers developed from the Moskva concept. These ships started as an enlarged Moskva design, but evolved into a totally new ship. They had multiple missions - offensive and defensive ASW, fleet operations, support of amphibious operations. Although theoretically impressive, they were less than fully successful, and their VTOL "fighter" (Yak-38) was nearly useless. A 4th ship of the class was completed to an extensively modified design.

Design: Angled port-side flight deck intended to provide additional space for VTOL aircraft takeoffs, not for conventional flight operations as in US ships. Large island on the starboard side, cruiser-type weapons forward, aircraft parking/storage beside and abaft island. Large hangar deck, but with small elevators. Not designed for rolling takeoffs; the Yak-38 could only land and take off vertically. Machinery was a doubled version of the Moskva machinery, and equally deficient. Trimmed down by the stern; aviation features poorly designed. Experience showed these ships to be highly flamable; all suffered at least one significant fire. Not a successful design.

Variations: These ships were built over a long period of time, so there were various evolutionary upgrades.

Modifications: None underwent significant modifications.

Departure from Service/Disposal: These ships had been rendered inoperable by the early 1990's due to maintenance-intensive design and lack of repair facilties following the breakup of the USSR.


Kiev
Photos: [Kiev as completed - port side], [Kiev - port quarter].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 21 July 70, launched 26 Dec 1972, completed 28 Dec 1975.

Assigned to the Northern Fleet. Overhauled at Nikolayev 1985. Stricken due to poor condition 30 June 1993 but retained as parts source for Gorshkov. Sold and scrapped in India 2000.

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Minsk
Photos: [Minsk as completed - port side], [Minsk - port side, color photo], [Towed away for scrap].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 28 Dec 1972, launched 30 Sept 1975, completed 27 Sept 1978. Assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Overhauled 1981-82 at Vladivostock. Inoperable after 1989, laid up in reserve 2/1992, stricken 30 June 1993. Sold 14 Nov 1994, sale cancelled, agreement to scrap in South Korea signed 1 Aug 1995, towed to Kyang-yang, South Korea for scrapping in 1995, but was not scrapped. Towed to Shenzhen, China 8/1998 for use as a casino/entertainment complex.

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Novorossiysk
Photos: [Novorossiysk as completed], [Overhead view - color photo].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 30 Sept 1975, launched 26 Dec 1978, completed 14 Aug 1982.

Assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Laid up in reserve 9/92, stricken 30 June 1993. Sold 14 Nov 1994, sale cancelled, agreement to scrap in South Korea signed 1 Aug 1995, arrived at Pohang, South Korea for scrapping 18 Jan 1996; scrapped 1997.

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Baku VTOL cruiser

Displacement: 45,000 tons full load
Dimensions: 818.5 x 107.2 x 39 feet/249.5 x 32.7 x 11.8 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 895 x 173.8 x 39 feet/272.8 x 53 x 11.8 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp, 31.5 knots
Crew: 1600 total
Armor: unknown, probably little or none
Armament: 12 SS-N-12 Sandbox SSM, 24 16-cell SA-13 Gopher SAM VLS, 2 single 100mm/70 cal DP guns, 8 AK-630 30 mm gatling AA, 2 RBU-12000 ASW rocket launchers
Aircraft: 30+ VTOL

Concept/Program: An improved and updated version of the Kiev; served as an operational testbed for equipment intended for Kuznetsov. Lasted only 5 years in service.

Design: Generally similar to Kiev, but with different weapons and electronics fit, and aviation features optimized for the cancelled Yak-141.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Lasted only 5 years before being rendered inoperable by machinery problems, and later damaged by fire. The ship remains nominally in service but is unlikely to ever deploy again. There have long been rumors that India would buy this ship; in 1998 India confirmed that it intended to acquire the ship, but by mid-1999 it seemed unlikely that the deal would be completed. There are now reports that Russia intends to rehabilitate the ship for further service as a helicopter carrier. However, it seems most likely that she will remain inactive until she is finally scrapped.


Baku
Photos: [Baku as completed].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 12/78, launched 1 April 1982, completed 11 Dec 1987.

Assigned to the Northern Fleet. Renamed Gorshkov 4 Oct 1990. Inoperable after major machinery casualty 1992, major fire in 1993. Boiler explosion and fire 2 February 1994, under repair until mid-1995; went to sea briefly 5/1995. Nominally in service, but probably not fully operational and probably not fully crewed. Unlikely to ever go to sea again.

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Kuznetsov class multirole aircraft carriers

Displacement: 67,000 tons full load
Dimensions: 984 x 124.5 x 36 feet/300 x 38 x 11 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 990 x 239 x 36 feet/301.8 x 72.8 x 11 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp, 30 knots
Crew: 1500 plus air wing
Armor: uncertain; probably little or none
Armament: 16 SS-N-19 Shipwreck SSM, 18 8-cell SA-N-9 Gauntlet SAM VLS, 8 CADS-1 CIWS (each 2 30mm gatling AA plus 16 SA-N-11 SAM), 6 AK-630 30 mm gatling AA, 2 RBU-12000 ASW rocket launchers
Aircraft: approx. 30

Concept/Program: The first true Soviet carriers, intended for overseas deployments, intervention, etc. in the manner of US carriers. An adventurous design, but not fully successful. The second ship was left incomplete following the breakup of the USSR.

Design: Generally based on the Kiev hull but with significant enlargement and improvements. Full flight deck, angled landing deck, but a ski-jump is fitted instead of catapults, due to failures in the catapult development program. Extremely heavy missile armament, including heavy SSMs in VLS set into the flight deck. Intended to operate navalized versions of regular Soviet fighter and attack aircraft, plus naval helicopters. Aviation features are reported to be poorly designed. The ship uses the Kiev machinery and has suffered machinery problems.

Operational: Did not become operational until 1995. Has made only one deployment, and the possibility of future deployments is uncertain. Air wing was made up of Su-27 variants and variants of the standard Soviet/Russian shipboard helicopters.


Kuznetsov
ex-Tbilisi, ex-Leonid Brezhnev, ex-Riga
Photos: [Kuznetsov as initially completed], [As deployed in 1995], [View from the bow], [View from the stern].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 6 Nov 1983, renamed Leonid Brezhnev 18 Nov 1984, launched 5 Dec 1985, renamed Tbilisi 10/1988, started trials 10/1989, then renamed Kuznetsov, in service for delivery voyage 21 Jan 1991. Full operational capability 1995.

Deployed to the Mediterreanean late 1995 into early 1996, then remained in port for overhaul through 1998. Is now in service, but probably not fully operational.

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Varyag
ex-Riga
Photos: [Varyag at Nikolayev].

Built by Nikolayev. Laid down 6 Dec 1985, launched 4 Dec 1988, renamed Varyag late 1990. Construction stopped by 1992 when the ship was structurally complete but electronics had not been fitted. Ownership was transferred to the Ukraine and the ship was laid up unmaintained, then stripped.

Sold to Chinese interests 1998 for conversion to an entertainment complex, but did not leave the Black Sea until 1 November 2001.

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Ulyanovsk nuclear powered multirole aircraft carrier

Displacement: 85,000 tons full load
Extreme Dimensions: 1089 x 246 x 38 feet/332 x 75 x 11.6 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 4 reactors, 4 shafts, 200,000 shp, 30 knots
Crew: ??
Armor: unknown, probably little or none
Armament: 12 SS-N-19 Shipwreck SSM, SA-N-12 SAM, 8 CADS-N-1 CIWS, 8 AK-630 gatling AA
Aircraft: 80

Concept/Program: A follow-on to the Kuznetsov design, intended to be a fully capable CVN, equivalent to the US CVNs. The program was doomed by the fall of the USSR. A second ship was probably planned.

Design: Details uncertain. Would have been equipped with steam catapults and nuclear propulsion, probably a doubled Kirov plant.


Ulyanovsk

Laid down at Nikolayev 25 Nov 1988, work stopped at 40% complete upon the breakup of the USSR, formally cancelled 1 Nov 1991, scrapped starting 4 Feb 1992.

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The World Aircraft Carrier Lists
Compiled and Maintained by Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
Copyright © 1995-2003 by Andrew Toppan
Reproduction, reuse or distribution without permission is prohibited