Russia is keen to have new aircraft carriers
12.06.2007 14:03

For years and years since the disintegration of the USSR experts and observers discussed just theoretical opportunities of constructing new aircraft carriers in Russia. However, these discussions remained on the level possible-impossible and had no official reaction. For the past month or it is not a discussion any more, it is a specific plan considered on the highest level: command of the Russian Navy, shipbuilding designers and researchers, politicians. It seems that the top policy makers have stolen this topic from journalists. This week former Secretary of the Security Council and the member of the Russian parliament (Duma) Andrei Kokoshin took his turn to speak in favor of the new aircraft carriers. Noteworthy, there have been no negative or skeptical references whatsoever. Even the media which lives according to the principle “good news are bad news” keeps silence.

According to A.Kokoshin newbuilding program could start with a series of small aircraft carriers. Such ships could ensure support functions to the groupings of submarine nuclear cruisers of the Northern and Pacific Fleets of the Russian navy as well as provide protection to the vast area of the nation’s economic interests. The MP thinks that the latter becomes more and more acute problem against the background of the growing oil and gas projects in the continental shelf and increasing role of the related sea communications.

A.Kokoshin reminded that it is the Commander of the Navy Admiral of Fleet Vladimir Masorin who brought the project of building new aircraft carriers to the practical level. One of the main reasons why all this started is that “it is high time” to discuss pre-conditions for the future navy with the aircraft carriers. It includes operation-strategic and political-military problems as well as technical characteristics.

We should remind that A.Kokoshin two years ago after his visit to the Pacific Fleet addressed to the Ministry of Defense suggesting to resume the project of the construction of perspective aircraft carriers. Before, when he was the First Deputy Minister of Defense he personally supervised construction of the nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great" nicknamed "the killer of aircraft carriers". He also supervised deliveries of the deck aviation to the Russia’s existing aircraft carrier «Admiral of Kuznetsov».

News source: ShipbuildingRu
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