Designed in the last years of the Soviet Union, the Admiral Kuznetsov was to embody Russian naval power on the oceans. However, upon its entry into service, the ship revealed serious technical shortcomings. Its construction, marked by haste and lack of resources, generated a multitude of chronic problems:
- Unreliable propulsion systems
- Obsolete electronics
- Deplorable living conditions for the crew
- Limited air capacity
These design flaws quickly made Admiral Kuznetsov the laughing stock of Western navies. Far from being the hoped-for spearhead, the aircraft carrier has become a expensive burden for the Russian Navy. Its use of oil as fuel, an outdated technology, makes it easily spotted at sea thanks to the thick black smoke it gives off.
Despite these problems, Russia clings to its only aircraft carrier, a symbol of its status as a naval power that it is struggling to maintain. This obstinacy is reminiscent of the challenges faced by other nations, such as France, which sometimes has to manage emergency returns of its nuclear submarines.
A disastrous deployment in the Mediterranean
The most revealing episode of Admiral Kuznetsov’s limitations took place during his deployment to the Mediterranean during the Syrian civil war. This mission, supposed demonstrate Russia’s power projection capabilityturned into a real fiasco:
| Issue | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Recurring mechanical breakdowns | Reduced cruising speed |
| Black smoke visible for miles | Easily identifiable position |
| Loss of two combat aircraft | Compromised operational efficiency |
The height of humiliation was reached when the US 6th Fleet was ordered to follow the Russian aircraft carrier, not out of fear of its military capabilities, but to help him in case of shipwreck. This grotesque situation illustrates how the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov can be summed up in three words: obsolete, problematic and expensive.
An uncertain future for Russian naval power
Today, the Admiral Kuznetsov is immobilized in dry dock, its crew having been redeployed to the Ukrainian front. Its future remains uncertain, between costly modernization and permanent scrapping. This situation raises questions about the future of the Russian navy and its ability to compete with Western fleets.
Paradoxically, while Russia is struggling to maintain its sole aircraft carrier, other nations are investing massively in their naval capabilities. For example, Naval Group has just signed a contract for four submarines with the Netherlands, illustrating the dynamism of the naval sector in certain European countries.
Admiral Kuznetsov’s story reflects the broader challenges facing Russia in its quest for superpower status. Between excessive ambitions and restrictive economic realities, Vladimir Putin’s country must rethink its naval strategy to hope to stay in the race against technologically more advanced Western navies.
