(RoyalPatriot.com )- The 19FortyFive website reports that numerous Russian military programs have been described as “on schedule” despite frequent delays, setbacks, and at times little to no actual progress. One can only believe that this is an exaggeration, particularly when it concerns Project 1143.5’s flagship heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov (NATO reporting name: Kuznetsov-class).
Moscow’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, has been out of commission and undergoing repairs in drydock since 2018.
Officials stated last week that the ship’s repairs are moving forward “on track” and that the Russian Navy will get the boat in the first quarter of 2024.
“Work is ongoing. At last week’s Transport Week show in Moscow, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) CEO Alexei Rakhmanov told reporters, “We are doing all that depends on us.
As usual, every repair is always full of surprises once you get started. As we begin to work on distinct portions, obstacles are discovered. We need to reinforce there and weld here. But the project is finishing on time. We’ll make every effort to make this happen.
The carrier’s upgrade and refit, which was harmed shortly after coming in port when a crane toppled on her flight deck, killing one worker and injuring four others, was undoubtedly full of shocks.
Later in 2019, when a fire started in the engine room due to a welding accident and spread to a central portion of the warship, the carrier sustained significant damage.
At least two people died, and smoke and flames spread to more than 120 square meters on the ski-jump-shaped aircraft carrier.
Following a power loss, the facility’s drydock, which has been essential to the repairs, was harmed. The director general of the shipyard handling the renovations was detained for misuse of funds because corruption has also been a problem.
Admiral Kuznetsov was supposed to be back in the military by 2020, however, due to several setbacks, the timeline was altered.
The refit of the aircraft carrier would be finished by early 2023, according to USC’s deputy CEO for military shipbuilding Vladimir Korolyov, who told TASS last year that the warship would re-join the navy that same year.
The timeline had changed once more, and the carrier is now on pace to be transferred to the Russian Navy by the beginning of 2024.
In June, Admiral Kuznetsov was moved to the 35th Shipyard in Murmansk’s refurbished dry dock. The shipyard is said to have been working extra hard to fix Admiral Kuznetsov.
The ship will probably serve another 10 to 15 years when it is finally back into operation. It just depends on when that will happen. Or, as is frequently the case with Russian military equipment plans, when it happens.
