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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russia plans to build aircraft carriers |
| 2009-06-10 |
| A Russian news agency reported Tuesday that the country plans to build five or six aircraft carriers as part of efforts to rebuild its once-formidable navy. The Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified Russian navy official as saying construction of the ships should start in 2012-2013. The official was quoted as saying that plans to build the carriers are a top priority for the military, and they will not be derailed by the financial crisis. The statement appears to contradict comments by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier this year that the navy should focus on smaller ships, no bigger than frigates or corvettes. Ivanov's statement indicated that the Kremlin was revising its lavish expansion plans under the impact of the financial crisis, which drained government coffers. A military official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said that the navy remains committed to building aircraft carriers, but added that terms of their construction will depend on availability of funds. The official, who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record, said that it was too early to say yet when the construction of carriers could begin. Russia now only has one Soviet-built carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, which is much smaller than U.S. carriers and has been plagued by mechanical problems and accidents. The navy had to scrap numerous relatively new warships for lack of funds and could not properly maintain many others in the 1990s, leaving only a handful of big surface ships in seaworthy condition. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #10 Mike Koslowski, I would say wake me up around 2021, rather than 2012. Maybe by 2112. By 2012, even starting today (and if the Russians knew what they're doing), even America couldn't build a new aircraft carrier. And we've been building nuclear carriers for fifty years. The other thing about building and operating aircraft carriers is that carriers don't operate alone, especially in a hostile environment. You need a wide and deep screen to keep them safe. Doing that takes a lot of practice. And don't get me started about operating aircraft from carriers. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-06-10 22:01 |
| #9 This is a combination of (a) hot air and pride (b) hopes that someone will pay them not to build (c) someone will pay them to build them some stuff. Last I heard the Russians had no warm water ports and they lost the black sea ports. If they want to dominate the arctic than carriers are not really the best thing. Properly outfitted subs would be better. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2009-06-10 21:43 |
| #8 Joseph Taitano Mendiola....Totally agree that Russia (Read CIS-heh-heh)can still muster the tenacity, ill-gotten wealth and engineering smarts to get focused enough to commandeer the Arctic frontier. What could we do? Maybe send in a phalanx of civil rights attorneys? We are SO screwed. |
| Posted by: Asymmetrical Triangulation 2009-06-10 20:41 |
| #7 ION NEWSMAX > LAW OF THE SEA TREATY [LOST] ALLOWS RUSSIA TO CLAIM ARCTIC RICHES, vee Russ-proposed/claim to UNO of extension of Russ sovereignty to CONTINENTAL SHELF. PERT > RUSSIA may reestablish its Cold War network of approximately 100 POLAR STATIONS, includ [armed auxil of Russ Navy] ICEBREAKER FLEET??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-06-10 19:30 |
| #6 This is going to be so much fun to watch. Think "Concordsky". (or the "Charles de Gaulle" (R91)) |
| Posted by: O 2009-06-10 17:12 |
| #5 How are those British carriers coming along? |
| Posted by: bman 2009-06-10 10:46 |
| #4 Let's see: Nuclear subs are idle Planes are rusting Soldiers are getting drunk on anything alcohol Aircraft carriers make good tennies courts for their tennis players Good plan, |
| Posted by: Art 2009-06-10 10:30 |
| #3 Expect oil prices to stay up? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-06-10 06:43 |
| #2 No, good..good...keep them spending money on useless white elephants. |
| Posted by: gromky 2009-06-10 04:14 |
| #1 They've been saying it for years. To keep three CVs at sea, you need 6 that you can man and operate without hurting yourself - assuming you know how to employ them. Wake me up around 2012 and let me know how they're doing. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2009-06-10 00:23 |