Russia to build two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers by 2027

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World Navy Force News - Russia
 
 
 
Russia to build two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers by 2027
 
By 2027, Russia will have two new nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, one in the Northern Fleet and one in the Pacific Fleet. After years of discussions whether or not Russia needs large aircraft-carrying vessels or can cope with nuclear-powered submarines and cruisers, the admirals now have chosen an “American” fleet model consisting of vessel groups with an aircraft carrier in the center. The naval leaders believe this arrangement will make to possible to broaden Russia’s area of influence in the Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean.

The first Russian-built aircraft carriers will be nuclear-powered. They will be built in modules at two different shipyards and assembled at Sevmash.
     
By 2027, Russia will have two new nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, one in the Northern Fleet and one in the Pacific Fleet. After years of discussions whether or not Russia needs large aircraft-carrying vessels or can cope with nuclear-powered submarines and cruisers, the admirals now have chosen an “American” fleet model consisting of vessel groups with an aircraft carrier in the center. The naval leaders believe this arrangement will make to possible to broaden Russia’s area of influence in the Pacific Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean.Russian Navy current conventional aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov"
(picture: US DoD)

     
To build a new shipyard especially for construction of aircraft carriers would take a minimum of four years and take a very large part of the budget. To use already existing production forces is a lot more effective, a representative for the United Shipbuilding Corporation told Izvestia.

The first draft of the new aircraft carrier is planned to be presented in 2012, and the final project should be ready in 2017. If this schedule is met, the first carrier could be put on water in 2023.

By that time, the Russian navy must have put together an escort group for each of the aircraft carriers, consisting of missile cruisers, destroyers, multirole submarines, frigates, corvettes, assault landing ships and support vessels, including icebreakers for operations in Arctic zones. Each group will consist of about 15 vessels.
From barentsobserver