Naval Systems

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier

Also known as
  • Admiral Kuznetsov
  • TAVKR Admiral Kuznetsov
  • Project 1143.5
  • Project 11435
  • Orel class
  • Project 1143.5 / Project 11435 Admiral Kuznetsov-class heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser

The Kuznetsov class is a Soviet heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser design built at Nikolayev South Shipyard for ski-jump STOBAR carrier aviation and a shipboard missile battery. Admiral Kuznetsov remained Russia's sole aircraft carrier when its air wing deployed to the eastern Mediterranean and launched strikes in Syria in 2016.

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / STOBAR aircraft carrier, Naval Systems
Image source: Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / STOBAR aircraft carrier
Service note
1991-present
Produced
1985-1991
Number built
2 hulls launched; Admiral Kuznetsov completed for Soviet/Russian service

Specifications

Length
284 m
Beam
72.3 m
Draught
9.14 m
Full load displacement
55,000 t
Maximum displacement
58,600 t
Speed
29 kt
Range
8,500 nmi
Endurance
45 days
Flight deck
14,700 m2 with 12-degree bow ski-jump and arrester wires
Aircraft capacity
Published fit includes Su-27K/Su-33-class fighters and Ka-27 helicopter variants
Ship missile battery
12 Granit / SS-N-19 surface-to-surface missile launchers
Variants

Project 1143.5/11435 records use several overlapping names: the Soviet/Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser design, the lead ship Admiral Kuznetsov, and the unfinished Varyag hull that China later rebuilt as Liaoning.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Project 1143.5 / Orel classSoviet carrier-cruiser design

Naval Technology identifies the Kuznetsov class as Project 1143.5 / Orel class and describes it as a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser built at Nikolayev South Shipyard.

Sources: Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier

Type 001 Liaoning aircraft carrier, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ski-jump aircraft carrier, Naval SystemsVaryag / Type 001 LiaoningUnfinished sister hull rebuilt in China

Naval Technology says Varyag was the second Kuznetsov-class hull, while CSIS says the unfinished hull was purchased by a Chinese entity, towed to China, modernized, and commissioned as Liaoning in 2012.

Sources: Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier, How Does China's First Aircraft Carrier Stack Up?

Carrier Aircraft

Admiral Kuznetsov's ski-jump and arrester-wire layout supports fixed-wing carrier aviation without catapults; the catalog currently has a linked entry for the MiG-29K family documented in the 2016 deployment.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
MiG-29K, Carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsMiG-29KCarrier-based multirole fighter

USNI News reported that Russian MiG-29K/KR aircraft were part of Admiral Kuznetsov's air group during the carrier deployment over Syria in November 2016.

Sources: Russian Carrier MiG-29K Fighter Crashes in Mediterranean

Air Wing And Ship Armament

Kuznetsov-class pages need to separate the ship from the aircraft and missiles that made it a carrier-cruiser rather than a conventional flat-deck carrier.

ElementDocumented configurationSource
Launch and recoveryBow ski-jump takeoff with arrester wires, plus two starboard aircraft lifts between hangar and flight deck.Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier
Fixed-wing aircraftNaval Technology lists Su-27K/Su-33-class aircraft capacity; USNI News separately documents MiG-29K/KR aircraft in the 2016 Syria deployment.Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier; Russian Carrier MiG-29K Fighter Crashes in Mediterranean
HelicoptersThe published carrier-aircraft fit includes Ka-27 helicopter variants for anti-submarine, radar, and support roles.Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier
Ship missile batteryThe ship is listed with twelve Granit surface-to-surface missile launchers as part of its cruiser-style armament.Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier

Sources: Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier; Russian Carrier MiG-29K Fighter Crashes in Mediterranean.

Timeline

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Key Events

  1. Lead ship launched

    Naval Technology reports that Admiral Kuznetsov was launched in 1985 after construction at Nikolayev South Shipyard.

    Sources: Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier

  2. Varyag hull launched

    Naval Technology identifies Varyag as the second class hull and says it was launched in 1988 before later transfer to China.

    Sources: Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft Carrier

  3. Admiral Kuznetsov commissioned

    The Moscow Times describes Admiral Kuznetsov as launched in 1985 and commissioned in 1991.

    Sources: Russia Weighs Scrapping Its Only Aircraft Carrier After Years of Restoration Delays

  4. Armed sorties over Syria reported

    USNI News reported that armed Russian fighters had sortied from Admiral Kuznetsov for flights over Syria ahead of planned strikes.

    Sources: Official: Russians Flying Armed Sorties From Carrier Over Syria

  5. First strikes on Syria

    RFE/RL reported that Admiral Kuznetsov took part in combat for the first time and that Russian jets from the carrier launched strikes on Syria.

    Sources: Russia's Aircraft Carrier Launches First Strikes On Syria

  6. Long repair period follows Syria deployment

    The Moscow Times reports that Admiral Kuznetsov entered its current overhaul after the Mediterranean mission where it conducted Syria airstrikes, with repairs underway since 2018.

    Sources: Russia Weighs Scrapping Its Only Aircraft Carrier After Years of Restoration Delays

  7. Russian reports question return to service

    The Moscow Times reported that repair and modernization work had been suspended while Russian officials discussed whether Admiral Kuznetsov should return to active duty or be scrapped.

    Sources: Russia Weighs Scrapping Its Only Aircraft Carrier After Years of Restoration Delays

Media

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Videos

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Images

Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / STOBAR aircraft carrier, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: HMS Dragon with Russian Aircraft Carrier 'Admiral Kuzetsov' MOD 45157552.jpg
Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser / STOBAR aircraft carrier, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Sukhoi Su-33 launching from the Admiral Kuznetsov.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
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Type 002 Shandong aircraft carrier, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ski-jump aircraft carrier, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsType 002 Shandong aircraft carrierChinese People's Liberation Army Navy ski-jump aircraft carrierThe Type 002 Shandong is China's first domestically built aircraft carrier and the PLAN's second operational carrier, a conventionally powered STOBAR ship that extends the Liaoning design with a smaller island, Type 346A radar, and a larger expected air wing. Commissioned at Sanya on 17 December 2019 as hull number CV-17, Shandong has since been tracked on repeated Western Pacific and South China Sea deployments rather than documented combat use.
Project 1164 Atlant / Slava-class guided-missile cruiser, Guided-missile cruiser, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsProject 1164 Atlant / Slava-class guided-missile cruiserGuided-missile cruiserThe Project 1164 Atlant / Slava-class guided-missile cruiser is a Soviet-designed surface-strike cruiser class built at the 61 Kommunara yard in Mykolaiv. Its large angled anti-ship missile battery, S-300F Fort area air defense, Osa-M point defense, AK-130 gun, and helicopter deck made the class a Russian fleet flagship type, with Moskva documented in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia's Syria operation, and the 2022 phase of the Russia-Ukraine War before its sinking in the Black Sea.
Type 003 Fujian aircraft carrier, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy CATOBAR aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapults, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsType 003 Fujian aircraft carrierChinese People's Liberation Army Navy CATOBAR aircraft carrier with electromagnetic catapultsType 003 Fujian is the People's Liberation Army Navy's first fully domestically designed catapult aircraft carrier and China's first carrier with electromagnetic catapults. Built at Jiangnan Shipyard and commissioned on 5 November 2025, it moves Chinese carrier aviation from ski-jump STOBAR operations toward CATOBAR launch and recovery with heavier fixed-wing aircraft.

Sources

Kuznetsov Class (Type 1143.5) Aircraft CarrierPublisher: Naval Technology | Note: Supports the class designation, Project 1143.5 / Orel naming, Black Sea shipyard construction context, and principal dimensions and full-load displacement. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Kuznetsov Class (Project 11435 Class) Russian Aircraft CarrierPublisher: ODIN | Note: Supports the Kuznetsov-class designation, Russian heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser role, and ski-jump STOBAR carrier background. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Official: Russians Flying Armed Sorties From Carrier Over SyriaPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports Admiral Kuznetsov armed sorties over Syria in November 2016 during the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Russian Carrier MiG-29K Fighter Crashes in MediterraneanPublisher: USNI News | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War: supports MiG-29K/KR aircraft fielded by Admiral Kuznetsov during the carrier deployment over Syria in November 2016. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Russia's Aircraft Carrier Launches First Strikes On SyriaPublisher: RFE/RL | Note: Supports Admiral Kuznetsov first strikes on Syria during the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Russia Weighs Scrapping Its Only Aircraft Carrier After Years of Restoration DelaysPublisher: The Moscow Times | Note: Supports launch and commission timing, the carrier's status as Russia's only aircraft carrier, and reported suspension of overhaul work while officials debated whether it should return to service. | Accessed: 2026-06-29How Does China's First Aircraft Carrier Stack Up?Publisher: ChinaPower Project, CSIS | Note: Supports the unfinished Varyag hull's sale, transfer to China, modernization, and commissioning as Liaoning in 2012. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for the primary carrier image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29HMS Dragon with Russian Aircraft Carrier 'Admiral Kuzetsov' MOD 45157552.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and Open Government Licence v1.0 for a carrier-at-sea image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Sukhoi Su-33 launching from the Admiral Kuznetsov.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licensing for a carrier launch image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29