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From: tarl@lectroid.sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: USSR Carriers
Message-ID: <1991Jun12.012900.25980@amd.com>
Date: 11 Jun 91 07:11:31 GMT
Article-I.D.: amd.1991Jun12.012900.25980
References: <1991Jun10.022944.11392@amd.com>
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From: tarl@lectroid.sw.stratus.com (Tarl Neustaedter)


What's known about the new soviet carriers is somewhat speculative
(they aren't exactly known for their Glasnost :-). In any case, the
soviets have (in operation) the Tbilisi, which carries SU-27s or
MiG-29s. The Riga is of the same class and supposed to enter in service
in '92. These are officially defined as "heavy aircraft cruisers"
(tyazholiy avionosnyy kreyser), probably because of the treaty
limitations with turkey relating to passage of ships through the
bosporus. These carriers have ski jumps and no catapult, but they do
use arrested landings. They are conventionally powered, and displace
65,000 tons.

The are building a new aircraft carrier, the Ul'yanovsk, to be in
service towards the middle of the decade, which is expected to resemble
our own carriers. Catapult, no ski jump, dual launch paths, angled
landing deck.  Expected displacement 75,000 tons. There is a comment
that historically the USSR has had trouble building steam catapults, so
don't hold your breath waiting for this ship to enter service. The
information about the Ul'yanovsk is *much* sketchier than the info
about the Tbilisi.

They also have four Kiev and modified-Kiev class V/STOL carriers at
about 36,000 tons, which have no ski jump and no catapult. Think of
these more like our Wasp or Tarawa class carriers.

Source: Combat Fleets of the World, 1990/1991. Naval Institute Press.

-- 
Tarl Neustaedter	tarl@vos.stratus.com
Marlboro, Mass.	Stratus Computer
Disclaimer: My employer is not responsible for my opinions.