Troubled Waters: The Saga of Russia’s “Cursed” Aircraft Carrier

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Russia’s one and only  aircraft carrier, the “Admiral Kuznetsov” is expected to enter into naval service in the country next year, after being in the dry dock Sevmorput in Murmansk for maintenance and upgrades for six years.

Originally constructed in 1982 and not completed until 1991, the 58,000-ton “Admiral Kuznetsov” ship entered the dry dock for maintenance and upgrades in 2017.

According to the Russian news agency “TASS,” the aircraft carrier is expected to commence sea trials in the spring of 2024, and if these trials go smoothly, it will enter into service with the Russian Navy at the end of the following year.

If the sea trials do not proceed smoothly, the ship will only enter service in 2025.

The maintenance and modernization work on the “Admiral Kuznetsov,” which began six years ago, aims to extend the ship’s operational life for another 15 to 20 years.

The announcement that the one and only Russian aircraft carrier is set to complete its maintenance work next year after six years “in dry dock” has been well-received by defense observers in the country.

In fact, many defense observers have called for the Russian government to retire or terminate the service of the “Admiral Kuznetsov” due to various issues and accidents experienced by the ship.

Because of a series of problems and accidents, whether at sea or in dry dock, the lone Russian aircraft carrier has earned the nickname “cursed warship.”

The history of the warship has been plagued with unfortunate incidents since its completion in 1991.

Although completed in 1991, the aircraft carrier spent more time in its homeport than sailing the seas because Russia lacked the funds to operate it.

Defense observers in Russia say that if the Admiral Kuznetsov manages to sail out of its homeport, it can already be considered a success.

 

The aircraft carrier has experienced several unfortunate incidents, such as a fire that occurred while sailing in Turkey in 2009, resulting in the death of a crew member.

One month after the incident in Turkey, Admiral Kuznetsov suffered another mishap, causing about 300 tons of its oil to spill in the waters off Ireland while refueling.

In 2012, the warship suffered damage in the Bay of Biscay in France and had to be towed back to its Russian homeport by the Russian tugboat “Chiker,” which was always by its side during its voyages.

In another unfortunate incident in Syrian waters, two fighter planes from Admiral Kuznetsov, MiG-29K and Su-33, crashed while attempting to land on the warship.

This incident forced the Admiral Kuznetsov to cancel its voyage in the Mediterranean and return to the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria.

In 2018, a 70-ton crane used for maintenance work on the ship collapsed onto the warship, resulting in one worker’s death and injuries to four others.

 The accident caused a 16-foot hole in the ship.

In 2019, the ship’s engine room caught fire due to welding work by workers, resulting in two fatalities and 14 others suffering from smoke inhalation.

Last year, the warship suffered another fire incident.

Now, even though the “Admiral Kuznetsov” is expected to begin sea trials next year before being handed over to the Russian Navy, many believe that more unfortunate incidents are awaiting the “cursed” warship. — DSA

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