An official ceremony marking the start of construction took place on 1 September 1982; in fact she was laid down in 1983.
An official ceremony marking the start of construction took place on 1 September 1982; in fact she was laid down in 1983.
Turkey allowed Admiral Kuznetsov to transit the Straits, and no signatory to the Montreux Convention ever issued a formal protest of her classification as an aircraft-carrying cruiser. ==History== ===1990s=== Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, constructed at Chernomorskiy Shipyard, also known as Nikolayev South Shipyard, in Nikolayev, now Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, was launched in 1985, and became fully operational in 1995.
In November 1989 she undertook her first aircraft operation trials.
Finally, on 4 October 1990, she was renamed Admiral Flota Sovetskovo Soyuza N.G.
However, her sister ship Varyag was still incomplete when the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991.
In December 1991, she sailed from the Black Sea to join the Northern Fleet.
Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft. From 23 December 1995 through 22 March 1996 Admiral Kuznetsov made her first 90-day Mediterranean deployment with 13 Su-33, 2 Su-25 UTG, and 11 helicopters aboard.
Turkey allowed Admiral Kuznetsov to transit the Straits, and no signatory to the Montreux Convention ever issued a formal protest of her classification as an aircraft-carrying cruiser. ==History== ===1990s=== Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, constructed at Chernomorskiy Shipyard, also known as Nikolayev South Shipyard, in Nikolayev, now Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, was launched in 1985, and became fully operational in 1995.
Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft. From 23 December 1995 through 22 March 1996 Admiral Kuznetsov made her first 90-day Mediterranean deployment with 13 Su-33, 2 Su-25 UTG, and 11 helicopters aboard.
Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft. From 23 December 1995 through 22 March 1996 Admiral Kuznetsov made her first 90-day Mediterranean deployment with 13 Su-33, 2 Su-25 UTG, and 11 helicopters aboard.
During the deployment, a severe water shortage occurred due to evaporators breaking down. At the end of 1997 she remained immobilized in a Northern Fleet shipyard, awaiting funding for major repairs, which were halted when they were only 20% complete.
The overhaul was completed in July 1998, and the ship returned to active service in the Northern fleet on 3 November 1998. ===2000–2010=== Admiral Kuznetsov remained in port for two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000–2001.
The overhaul was completed in July 1998, and the ship returned to active service in the Northern fleet on 3 November 1998. ===2000–2010=== Admiral Kuznetsov remained in port for two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000–2001.
Admiral Kuznetsov participated in the Kursk rescue and salvage operations in late 2000.
In late 2003 and early 2004, Admiral Kuznetsov went to sea for inspection and trials.
In late 2003 and early 2004, Admiral Kuznetsov went to sea for inspection and trials.
In October 2004, she participated in a fleet exercise of the Russian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean.
During a September 2005 exercise, a Su-33 accidentally fell from the carrier into the Atlantic Ocean.
On 27 September 2006, it was announced that Admiral Kuznetsov would return to service in the Northern Fleet by the year's end, following another modernization to correct some technical issues.
Admiral Vladimir Masorin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, also stated that Su-33 fighters assigned to her would return after undergoing their own maintenance and refits. From 5 December 2007 through 3 February 2008 Admiral Kuznetsov made its second Mediterranean deployment.
On 11 December 2007, Admiral Kuznetsov passed by Norwegian oil platforms in the North Sea, outside Bergen, Norway.
Admiral Vladimir Masorin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, also stated that Su-33 fighters assigned to her would return after undergoing their own maintenance and refits. From 5 December 2007 through 3 February 2008 Admiral Kuznetsov made its second Mediterranean deployment.
Admiral Kuznetsov and her escorts returned to Severomorsk on 3 February 2008.
Following maintenance, she returned to sea on 11 October 2008 for the Stability-2008 strategic exercises held in the Barents Sea.
On 12 October 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the ship during the exercise. From 5 December 2008 through 2 March 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov made her third Mediterranean deployment.
On 5 December 2008, she and several other vessels left Severomorsk for the Atlantic for a combat training tour, including joint drills with Russia's Black Sea Fleet and visits to several Mediterranean ports.
On 12 October 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the ship during the exercise. From 5 December 2008 through 2 March 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov made her third Mediterranean deployment.
On 7 January 2009, a small fire broke out onboard Admiral Kuznetsov while anchored off Turkey.
On 16 February 2009, she was involved in a large oil spill, along with other Russian naval vessels, while refuelling off the south coast of Ireland.
On 2 March 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov returned to Severomorsk, and on September 2010 she left dry dock after scheduled repairs and preparations for a training mission in the Barents Sea, later that month. ===2011–2012 Mediterranean deployment=== The Russian Main Navy Staff announced that Admiral Kuznetsov would begin a deployment to the Atlantic and Mediterranean in December 2011.
On 2 March 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov returned to Severomorsk, and on September 2010 she left dry dock after scheduled repairs and preparations for a training mission in the Barents Sea, later that month. ===2011–2012 Mediterranean deployment=== The Russian Main Navy Staff announced that Admiral Kuznetsov would begin a deployment to the Atlantic and Mediterranean in December 2011.
This was planned already in 2010 when there were no such events there" noting that Admiral Kuznetsov would also be making port calls in Beirut, Genoa and Cyprus.
On 2 March 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov returned to Severomorsk, and on September 2010 she left dry dock after scheduled repairs and preparations for a training mission in the Barents Sea, later that month. ===2011–2012 Mediterranean deployment=== The Russian Main Navy Staff announced that Admiral Kuznetsov would begin a deployment to the Atlantic and Mediterranean in December 2011.
In November 2011, it was announced that Admiral Kuznetsov would lead a squadron to Russia's naval facility in Tartus. A Russian naval spokesman announced via the Izvestia daily that "The call of the Russian ships in Tartus should not be seen as a gesture towards what is going on in Syria...
On 29 November 2011, Army General Nikolay Makarov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, said that Russian ships in the Mediterranean were due to exercises rather than events in Syria, and noted that Admiral Kuznetsov's size does not allow her to moor in Tartus. On 6 December 2011, Admiral Kuznetsov and her escort ships departed the Northern Fleet home base for a Mediterranean deployment to exercise with ships from the Russian Baltic and Black Sea Fleets.
On 12 December 2011, Admiral Kuznetsov and her escorts, were spotted northeast of Orkney off the coast of northern Scotland, the first such time she had deployed near the UK.
Possible upgrades include exchanging the troublesome steam powerplant to gas-turbine, or even nuclear propulsion, and installation of catapults to the angled deck. The Navy expected to acquire Mikoyan MiG-29K aircraft for Admiral Kuznetsov by 2011; this later was confirmed by a defense sub-contractor The MiG-29Ks would replace the 19 carrier-based Su-33 fighters, a resource set to become obsolete by 2015.
On 8 January 2012, Admiral Kuznetsov anchored near shore outside Tartus while other ships from her escort entered the port to use the leased Russian naval support facility to replenish their supplies, after which all ships continued their deployment on 9 January.
In February 2012, Admiral Kuznetsov returned to her home base of Severomorsk, having lost propulsion during the return voyage in the Bay of Biscay.
The tugboat took the vessel in tow and aided Admiral Kuznetsov's return. ===2013–2014 deployment=== On 1 June 2013, it was announced that the ship would return to the Mediterranean by the end of the year, and on 17 December, Admiral Kuznetsov departed her home base for the Mediterranean.
On 1 January 2014, Admiral Kuznetsov celebrated New Year's Day while at anchor in international waters of the Moray Firth off northeast Scotland.
In May 2014, the ship and her task group: the Kirov-class nuclear-powered cruiser Petr Velikiy; tankers Sergey Osipov, Kama and Dubna; the ocean-going tug Altay and the Minsk (part of the Black Sea Fleet), passed the UK while sailing for home.
Possible upgrades include exchanging the troublesome steam powerplant to gas-turbine, or even nuclear propulsion, and installation of catapults to the angled deck. The Navy expected to acquire Mikoyan MiG-29K aircraft for Admiral Kuznetsov by 2011; this later was confirmed by a defense sub-contractor The MiG-29Ks would replace the 19 carrier-based Su-33 fighters, a resource set to become obsolete by 2015.
India paid $730 million for the development and delivery of 16 MiG-29Ks; 24 additional aircraft for the Russian Navy would cost about $1 billion. ===2016 Syrian campaign=== Following ongoing maintenance, Admiral Kuznetsov set sail on 15 October 2016 from the Kola Bay for the Mediterranean, accompanied by seven other Russian Navy vessels including the nuclear-powered battlecruiser and two s.
On 26 October 2016, the ship was reported to have passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and refuelled at sea off North Africa the following day.
On 3 November 2016, the Admiral Kuznetsov battle group paused off the east coast of Crete.
On 14 November 2016, a MiG-29K crashed into the sea after taking off from the carrier.
The carrier commander could have diverted the aircraft to land at a nearby airbase, but hesitated in the hope that the arrestor gear would be repaired in time. On 15 November 2016, Admiral Kuznetsov, took part in "a large-scale operation against the positions of terrorist groups Islamic State and Al-Nusra, in the provinces of Idlib and Homs" in Syria by launching Su-33 fighter strikes.
On 3 December 2016, an Su-33 crashed into the sea after attempting to land on the carrier.
Following the two incidents, the air wing was transferred to shore at Khmeimim Air Base near Latakia, Syria to continue military operations while the carrier's arresting gear issues were addressed. ===Post-Syrian operations=== In early January 2017, it was announced that Admiral Kuznetsov and her battlegroup would be ceasing operations in Syria and returning to Russia as part of a scaling back of Russian involvement in the conflict.
On 11 January 2017, Admiral Kuznetsov was conducting live-fire training exercises in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya.
On 23 February 2017, President Vladimir Putin said that the ship′s deployment to the Mediterranean had been his personal initiative. ===Refit=== The carrier started an overhaul and modernisation program in the first quarter of 2017 to extend its service life by 25 years.
In November 2018, it was damaged by a falling 70-ton crane from the floating dry dock and a fire that killed two during the refit.
Admiral Kuznetsov was to undergo modernization at the 35th Ship Repair Plant in Murmansk between 2020 and 2021, upgrading the ship's power plant and electronics systems. ====PD-50 sinking==== On 30 October 2018, Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged when Russia's biggest floating dry dock, , sank, causing one of its 70-ton cranes to crash onto the ship's flight deck and leaving behind a hole in the flight deck.
In late May 2019, seven months later, information posted on Digital Forensic Research Lab's blog suggested that repair work of the aircraft carrier was underway.
That same month, it was also announced that two graving docks in Roslyakovo, Murmansk Oblast would be merged and enlarged to accommodate Admiral Kuznetsov, the work taking a year and a half. ====Fire==== In December 2019, a major fire broke out on board Admiral Kuznetsov as work continued on the ship's refit.
Admiral Kuznetsov was to undergo modernization at the 35th Ship Repair Plant in Murmansk between 2020 and 2021, upgrading the ship's power plant and electronics systems. ====PD-50 sinking==== On 30 October 2018, Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged when Russia's biggest floating dry dock, , sank, causing one of its 70-ton cranes to crash onto the ship's flight deck and leaving behind a hole in the flight deck.
As of March 2021, Admiral Kuznetsov is out of service for a refit.
Admiral Kuznetsov was to undergo modernization at the 35th Ship Repair Plant in Murmansk between 2020 and 2021, upgrading the ship's power plant and electronics systems. ====PD-50 sinking==== On 30 October 2018, Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged when Russia's biggest floating dry dock, , sank, causing one of its 70-ton cranes to crash onto the ship's flight deck and leaving behind a hole in the flight deck.
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