Russian Kuznetsov CSG News, Pics, Videos, & Views

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
The Russians are conducting in depth and impressive training in the Atlantic as we speak. They have their carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov there with an entire strike group consisting of the missile cruiser Moskva (Slava Class), the strong anti-submarine guided missile destroyer, the Admiral Levchenko (Udaloy class), the strong anti-submarine guided missile destroyer, the Admiral Chabenenko (Udaloy II class), and two fleet tanker/oilers the Sergai Osipov and the Ivan Bubnov.

These vessles are conducting strike at sea, interdiction, ans sea control operations and will be joined by large numbers of Russian strike aircraft over the next few weeks. Aircraft fro Russian bases including TU-160 Blackjack Bombers, TU-22M Naval Strike aircraft, TU-95 recon and strike aircraft, AEW, refueling and other aircraft will converge with sorties working in multi-role and multi-service exercises.

More on these exercises can be found
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Here are fifteen excellent pictures of the exercises and the ships involved:

Admiral Kuznetsov carrier operations:

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Admiral Kuznetsov carrier deck operations:

2008-RUS-Kuznetsov-07.jpg

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Moskva, Slava Class Guided missile cruiser:

2008-RUS-CG-Moskva-01.jpg


Admiral Chabanenko, Udaloy II class guided missile destroyer

2008-RUS-DDG-Chabanenko-01.jpg


Admiral Levchenko, Udaloy class guided missile destroyer

2008-RUS-DDG-Levchenko-01.jpg


Ivan Bubnov, Fleet tanker

2008-RUS-AO-IvanBubnov-01.jpg


Segei Osipov, Fleet tanker

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The Varyag (by whatever name the PLAN ultimately commissions her) will one day perform training exercises similar to this and the members of this forum can get a feel for what that day will be like by observing her sister ship, the Kuznetsov.

Substitute a Type 52C and perhaps a Type 51C guided missile destroyer, at least one type 52B guided missile destroyer, and a couple of Type 54A guided missile frigates, along with one or two replenishment vessels, and you will envision a PLAN strike group one day in the next few yers in the China Sea or the western Pacific.
 
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bd popeye

The Last Jedi
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Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

Nice PIX Jeff! Where on Earth did you find them?? Those are some great PIX of the vernable Russian CV.

Any information about how many aircrfat are deployed in the CVW of the ADM"K" would be appericated.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

Nice PIX Jeff! Where on Earth did you find them?? Those are some great PIX of the vernable Russian CV.

Any information about how many aircrfat are deployed in the CVW of the ADM"K" would be appericated.
Those are the best pics I have ever found and actually show ops with armed and loaded flankers, as opposed to what we almost always see...flankers taking off empty.

I counted 10 fixed-wing aircraft on deck and a couple of helos. One or two SU-25 Frogfoots and the rest Flankers for the fixed wing. I do not know how many aircraft and helos are in the hanger.
 
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Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

Seadog; Norfolk; Tasman said:


Thought you guys might find this article interesteing, particularly the pics.

Make sure you click on them and look at the high-res versions.

Cheers...Jeff
2008-RUS-Kuznetsov-01.jpg
 

tphuang

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Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

actually, the Russians did a far better job than I expected. They actually put a decent showcase out there with long range refueling and AWACS involved. It shows that the refit work they did on their major ships worked out quite well.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

actually, the Russians did a far better job than I expected. They actually put a decent showcase out there with long range refueling and AWACS involved. It shows that the refit work they did on their major ships worked out quite well.
Agreed thphuang. This manuever demostrates a multi/mixed arms capability far superior to most nations except the US. With their very capable (even if few in number) bombers, strike aircraft, refueling, recon, and AEW acting in concert with their carrier strike group at significant distances from their shores, they are showing that their ability to interdict and fight for sea control is still very substantial...if limited in terms of numbers.

I believe that mixed arms capability could meet and defeat (if it found them) any other nation's at sea capability with the exception of the US and perhaps the French. The ability to get the refueling, the heavy strike aircraft, the larger AEW and recon aircraft into position to augment their carrier does that for them. Really, at the present time, only the US and France can meet it.

Ultimately China and Japan will have the same capabilites.
 

Finn McCool

Captain
Registered Member
Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

With Russia fluch with oil wealth and the military high in Putin's priority list, it is no surprise that the Adm.K is conducting operations like this. It's about giving the Russian Navy some of its pride back. This is more than we've seen from them in a while; Adm. K actually has some aircraft on the flight deck. As the Russian Nacy's budget rises, which it probably will, we should see the issue of "small numbers" which someone raised matter less. If they could have one strike group this size able to deploy like they did in the operation in the Atlantic and the Pacific, then the Russian Navy would matter in a way that it hasn't in years. But that is all very long term For now, the Kuznestov is looking better than it has in while.

About the pics: The Soviets sure did make some intimdating, brawny looking ships. Not very stealty, but they look like big brutes.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

With Russia fluch with oil wealth and the military high in Putin's priority list, it is no surprise that the Adm.K is conducting operations like this. It's about giving the Russian Navy some of its pride back. This is more than we've seen from them in a while; Adm. K actually has some aircraft on the flight deck. As the Russian Nacy's budget rises, which it probably will, we should see the issue of "small numbers" which someone raised matter less. If they could have one strike group this size able to deploy like they did in the operation in the Atlantic and the Pacific, then the Russian Navy would matter in a way that it hasn't in years. But that is all very long term For now, the Kuznestov is looking better than it has in while.

About the pics: The Soviets sure did make some intimdating, brawny looking ships. Not very stealty, but they look like big brutes.
If they had two such groups in each major Ocean (ie. Atlantic and Pacific), so that one could be avaliable at all times, I would say that the numbers thing was less important.

Even one on each side would help...but now they only have the one. But that one is looking good with these exercises.

As to the vessels...yes, the Russian vessels are very heavily armed and built to be menacing. But...though they look that way, their ability to reload those principle missile tubes is extremely limited when compared to their western counterparts.
 

tphuang

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Re: Russian Carrier Strike Group conducting manuevers in med and Atlantic (many pics)

Agreed thphuang. This manuever demostrates a multi/mixed arms capability far superior to most nations except the US. With their very capable (even if few in number) bombers, strike aircraft, refueling, recon, and AEW acting in concert with their carrier strike group at significant distances from their shores, they are showing that their ability to interdict and fight for sea control is still very substantial...if limited in terms of numbers.

I believe that mixed arms capability could meet and defeat (if it found them) any other nation's at sea capability with the exception of the US and perhaps the French. The ability to get the refueling, the heavy strike aircraft, the larger AEW and recon aircraft into position to augment their carrier does that for them. Really, at the present time, only the US and France can meet it.

Ultimately China and Japan will have the same capabilites.
yeah, I was quite impressed by the bomber, strike aircraft and the entire air arm joining in. That was quite unexpected. It shows that even through the lack of training, they still managed to keep some level of joint operation between the navy and the air force. Most of us (at least I) sure overlooked their capabilities. Also of interest, I think it's worth noting that the last sortie by Adm K was so bad that not many people expected a lot out of it this time. They must have done a lot of work on it.
 
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