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From: creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Steve Creps)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Soviet use of "Aircraft Carrier" title
Message-ID: <1991Jun13.055813.24036@amd.com>
Date: 13 Jun 91 00:32:03 GMT
References: <1991Jun1.012523.27313@amd.com>
Sender: military@amd.com
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
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From: Steve Creps <creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu>


   There are three classes of Soviet ships that possibly can be
considered aircraft carriers.

   The first, the Moskva (Moscow) class, is actually designated
(according to [1]) "helicopter cruiser (CVS)."  This is clearly a
cruiser, as the forward half of the ship follows the traditional
cruiser design (it's not flat, and it has lots of weapons).  The aft
half of the ship is a flat landing deck large enough for only helos to
take off or land (possibly VTOLs too, but it doesn't carry those).  Its
weaponry consists of SA-N-3's, SS-N-16's, RBU-6000 ASW rockets, Ka-25's
(helos), and guns (57mm).  Note that the "-N-" in "SA-N-3" and
"SS-N-16" means it's the naval version of a missile, not that it's a
nuclear weapon.

   The next class, Kiev, can be considered an ASW CV at best (my
opinion).  Source [1] calls it "aircraft carrier (CVSG)," which seems
to indicate "ASW aircraft carrier, guided missile."  The Soviet Navy
calls them "tactical aircraft-carrying cruisers."  Its armament
consists of SS-N-12's, SA-N-3's and 4's, guns (76mm max), 533mm
torpedoes, RBU-6000's, Yak-38A's and B's (aircraft), and Ka-25's and
27's.  These ships are primarily ASW platforms, and would be no match
for any U.S. carrier, whether or not the two sides' support ships (CGs,
DDGs, etc) are considered (my opinion).

  The third and most able class is the new Kremlin class.  I'm not sure
of the current status of this class (I believe the first may have just
begun service within the past two years), or very many of its specs,
but it will be a larger nuclear-powered ship probably capable of
carrying some "real" aircraft.

Sources:
[1] _Modern_Naval_Combat_, David Miller and Chris Miller

-- 
Steve Creps
creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (129.79.1.6)
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