Five-year overhaul of Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier to begin in 2014 - source
MOSCOW. Sept 10 (Interfax-AVN) - An overhaul and intensive modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrier will begin at the Sevmash shipyard next year. The ship will not go on a Mediterranean voyage, a shipbuilding industry representative told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"The Admiral Kuznetsov will go on a long-distance voyage no earlier than 2020. Sevmash will begin its five-year overhaul and thorough modernization next year. The improved ship will rejoin the Navy in five years," the source said.
Sevmash, which has rebuilt and transformed the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier into India's INS Vikramaditya, can also do the Admiral Kuznetsov job well and on time, the source said.
The source added that the Defense Ministry had not signed a contract on the carrier's overhaul and modernization with the United Shipbuilding Corporation. The ship enjoys maintenance service.
At present the carrier is on a training mission in the Barents Sea. Seaborne aircraft will begin their flights from the Admiral Kunzetsov's deck in October, the source said.
The Admiral Kuznetsov is the only aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy. In addition to Sukhoi Su-33 multirole fighters, it carries Kamov Ka-27, Ka-28, Ka-29 and Ka-32 helicopters and their modifications.
The ship has a displacement of 55,000 tonnes, a sea endurance of 8,000 miles, a naval crew of 1,500 men and a piloting crew of 650. Its maximum speed is 29 knots. The ship is armed with Granit anti-ship systems, Kortik and Klinok air defense systems and Udav anti-sub systems.