22 Aug 2018 18:35

Repairs of Russia's sole aircraft-carrier proceed according to timetable - head of USC

KUBINKA, Moscow region. Aug 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The upgrade of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov proceeds according to the timetable and the vessel is to rejoin the Navy in 2021, head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Alexei Rakhmanov told Interfax.

"Everything's according to the timetable. We are finding technical solutions to a number of matters which gives us confidence that we will complete the job by the end of 2020," Rakhmanov said at Army-2018 forum.

"Practically all work on contracts has been completed. Our counterparts have confirmed the main deadlines. If only the navy or army pilots don't come up with some surprises, one can be sure that the word I gave to the defense minister will be kept. In 2020 - the beginning of testing [of the ship after the upgrade], in the middle of 2021 - its transfer to the Navy," Rakhmanov said.

In April the Defense Ministry and USC signed a state contract for the repairs of Admiral Kuznetsov.

The aircraft-carrier will be supplied with new air defense systems, new energy equipment elements and flight support systems, Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Bursuk announced in April.