Would it be cheaper to build 2 40k ton STOBAR CVL from scratch than converting the 2 Ex-Kievs?

plawolf said:

Far far better to build new, although I am not sure just how useful 40kt pocket carriers would be in this day and age. Such ships would not have able to carry enough aircraft to hold their own against land based opposition or any of the other carriers currently in operation.

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Not the number of aircraft is the question but the size of aircraft. For modern naval warfare aircraft should be able to travel 1000 NM to their target.

I don't think that there is any prospects on reviving the Kievs, for one these hulls has been so badly neglected and modified for civilian luxury that the damage they sustained is practically irreparable.

I think the in deck elevators are probably the worst feature of a converted CTOBAR. A conversion to a pure helicopter carrier is probably more of a sane project.

Gents, 13 years ago in this forum we had a discussion on this very subject;

Minsk & Kiev

bd popeye said:

Gents, 13 years ago in this forum we had a discussion on this very subject;

Minsk & Kiev

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Seemed like most people were for the Minks and Kiev to be converted to helicopter carriers.

These ships are too large, expensive and inconvenient just for helicopters. "cruiser" in their name meant much more than it seamed from their angled deck.

They have no utility outside of the specific ship/aircraft composition of the Soviet navy. But they still cost like a true capital ship.