Key Points and Summary: The Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, faces an uncertain future.
-Plagued by mechanical issues, fires, and corrosion, the ship has spent years in dry dock.
-Experts question its ability to ever return to active service, let alone project significant naval power.
-Originally intended as part of a larger Soviet fleet, the Kuznetsov’s limitations, including its reliance on a ski-jump ramp instead of catapults, hinder its combat effectiveness.
-While Russia hopes to keep it operational, the carrier’s fate remains a major question mark for its navy’s Black Sea and NATO defense ambitions.
From Soviet Dream to Dry Dock Nightmare: The Saga of the Admiral Kuznetsov
Russia’s lone aircraft carrier seems to linger or vacillate between being an abject failure or simply a “comedy of errors,” as it has yet to be resurrected from a troubled existence.
The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, which has suffered from an onboard fire and a massive fuel spill, is known for its apparent performance deficits.
Admiral Kuznetsov: History and Probklems
The Kuznetsov carrier has been in drydock since 2018 for extensive repairs and re-fitting.
The ship, launched in 1985, began as part of the Soviet Navy as a first step in a plan to deploy a two-carrier fleet.
The Admiral Kuznetsov, for example, does not launch fighters with steam catapults but relies upon a bow ramp.
This “forces reductions in the planes’ takeoff weight and patrol time,” according to a 2013 report from War is Boring.
A ramp launch not only limits sortie rate but, as described in the article, requires that fighters be launched with less fuel and less ordnance, which significantly impedes mission functionality.
Given these and other limitations, the aircraft carrier does very little in the realm of helping Russia project power in any kind of global capacity.
At the same time, even if Russia’s Naval ambitions were more regional, meaning primarily restricted to the Black Sea and an ability to intimidate NATO allies along its border, such as Bulgaria and Romania, its sole aircraft carrier would seem ill-equipped to exact any substantial combat impact.
Admiral Kuznetsov: Worst Aircraft Carrier Today?
Russian leaders have routinely said they plan to operate the carrier until 2050.
Yet, there seem to be straightforward questions about whether the aircraft carrier will ever return to the ocean.
The ship’s metal structures and third deck are corroded, and the Kuznetsov has a history of mechanical problems, such as using outdated Mazut fuel that created black smoke and breakdowns.
On several occasions, the ship needed to be escorted by tugboats, according to various reports.

Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Despite some optimistic comments from Russian leaders, the Pravda newspaper expressed concern about the ship’s many problems.
“Ship repairmen warned the military that the condition of the ship does not allow it to be deployed due to the high probability that it would sink or capsize. During the examination, it was revealed that the metal structures below the third deck of the ship were significantly corroded. The holds are filled with muddy water, which makes it impossible to examine the ship in detail from the inside,” the Pravda paper states.
Russia Just Can’t Do Aircraft Carriers
Alongside the many problems associated with the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russian plans for a second aircraft carrier did not come to fruition.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s derailed plans to complete a second carrier. As a result, the would-be Varyag carrier was sold to China and became China’s first carrier, called the Lioaning.
Russia never completed and deployed its second carrier but helped the People’s Liberation Navy jump-start a massive Naval expansion.
The Russian Navy Has Issues Overall
In recent decades, Russia has primarily been considered more of a land war threat, operating with a somewhat marginal navy.
Russia’s surface ships have not performed very well, and its entire Navy has few accomplishments.
To what extent does Russia truly wish to deploy a Navy that is substantial and lethal enough to project power beyond its borders? It is unlikely that the Russian Navy can position itself to be a significant, influential global naval power. That requires more of a U.S.-like fleet of multiple carriers. China is fast-tracking its ability to compete with the U.S. in this fashion. Is something similar realistic and even being pursued by Russia?

Russian Navy Northern Fleet Press Office/TASS/Russian State Media
Perhaps not. However, there are clear reasons why Russia would want an aircraft carrier, even for regional or limited purposes. Should the aircraft carrier return to service with an air wing, it might position Russia to hold NATO allies along the Black Sea at risk of attack and defend its airspace from the ocean.
Moscow appears to have regional ambitions in the Black Sea, yet its maritime forces have been largely destroyed or kept out of range by Ukrainian land-fired missiles.
However, Russia’s regional ambitions in the Black Sea are pretty significant as they extend to the coastal borders of Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.
Russia plans to deploy and sail the ship for another 15 years after its service return; however, that is very much in question.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
