Gauntlet
Junior Member
Love your post, but I will have to correct something here.MIGleader said:
Due to canceling of both the Freestyle and Fulcrum-D (in the Russian case atleast), the Kuznetsov now operates 2 full squadrons of Flanker-Ds. That means 20-24 planes. (that is what you said, I just "agreed"). Estimated production of the Su-33 seems to be 30-50 planes.
However, the UTGs are not part of Kuznetsovs airwing. They are only used for training as their combat equipment has been removed to make room for a second man, strengthening of the fuselage and various carrier equipment. 10 UTGs were produced, 5 for Ukraine and 5 for Russia. Russia lost one is a crash, and now only have 4.
For the spinner fleet, it consists of about 18 Helix-A ASW choppers, 4 Helix-D SAR choppers and 2 Ka-31 Helix-B (E?) AEW choppers. To this day about 100 Helix-As and Ds have been built for Russia, while probarly only 2-3 Ka-31 have been built. Its not likely that the Kuznetsov is using Ka-31s ATM, but will probarly do it in the near future.
In the furture Su-33UBs/Su-27KUBs will be part of the operational fleet with advance strike capability AND training purposes for the Flanker-D pilots. To this date, only 1 plane is flying.
Heres a RAR file I put together, with alot(!) of pictures showing the Kuznetsov with its air-wing.
PS: Be nice, this was my first post.
(BTW, great forum)
Well, seeing the orginal mission of the Kuznetsov were to support their submarines, I would classify it as a Cruiser with a heavy air wing.bd popeye said:
Its Shipwreck missiles are not to be overlooked, as they are massive and leathal weapons.
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) comes from the fact that as they were build in Nikolajev docks in Black Sea. Order to get them truogh Bosboriouz straits, they needed that kind of desingnation as international treatyes forbids aircraft carriers to pass trough them. Kuznetsov was also build in Ukraine thus the same desingnation. I have seen soviet documentary about Kiev when she was bran new, and the it was called aviatzia koralb (or aviation ship in London's dialect).
