Actually not, look closely at the photo, those are Mig-29K, naval variants, folding wings, a hook, and heavier gear, plus a beefed up engines.
Posted on 09/28/2006 6:36:52 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Russian air carrier to rejoin Navy by end of 2006
16:16 | 27/ 09/ 2006
MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) - The Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's only aircraft carrier, will join the Northern Fleet by the end of the year after modernization, the Navy's chief said Wednesday.
The ship, also known as Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft carrier, was commissioned in the Russian Navy in 1991 and became fully operational in 1995. But it was plagued by technical problems, including faulty arrester gear, and was put into dock earlier this year for a technical overhaul.
"All preparatory work has been completed on the Admiral Kuznetsov and it will leave port for a combat training mission at the beginning of next week," Admiral Vladimir Masorin said after a visit on board the ship.
The Navy commander also said that several Su-33 Flanker-D fighters assigned to the aircraft carrier would return to the ship after a brief technical overhaul. The vessel is capable of carrying up to 26 fixed-wing fighters and 24 helicopters.
Russia's military leadership is considering building several modern aircraft carriers after 2015.
"The Russian Navy will operate several aircraft carriers in future," Masorin said in February, adding that Admiral Kuznetsov would probably remain in service until 2030.
Update:
"In 1909 the French inventor Clément Ader published in his book "L'Aviation Militaire" the description of a ship to operate airplanes at sea, with a flat flight deck, an island superstructure, deck elevators and a hangar bay...That year the US Naval Attaché in Paris sent a report on his observations."
They were invented by the Brits, IIRC, and used by several Navies, although usually on ex Brit or ex US ships. One exception would the be the French, who started (or restarted) after WW-II with ex US ships but went on to build their own. The current one, "Charles de Gaul", is, like it's namesake, something of a disaster.
Actually not, look closely at the photo, those are Mig-29K, naval variants, folding wings, a hook, and heavier gear, plus a beefed up engines.
I recall a report saying that Russia would have 3 carriers active by the end of 2008.
The Russians are also stealing such data...
They only have 1 in service-the rest have been scrapped or sold off.They plan to restart building of carriers after 2012-15.
If Bubba was still in office he'd give them the design for some campaign cash. Or maybe a blow job.
They are not Fulcrums on the deck. The picture of the Kuznetsov shows it carrying Su-33 Flanker Ds. It will be the Indian Navy that get the naval Fulcrum.
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