Chapter 194 Soviet Aircraft Carrier

Historically, the development process of the Soviet Union's aircraft carriers is also very regrettable.

In 1967, the Yakovlev Design Bureau successfully developed the Yak-36 vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The Soviet Air Force and Air Defense Force had no interest in this aircraft, but the Navy loved it. Since the British were already developing the "Ever Victorious" class medium-sized aircraft carrier that could carry the "Sea Harrier" vertical take-off and landing aircraft and the "Sea King" anti-submarine helicopter, the Soviet Navy could also follow this path. At that time, Gorshkov proposed that the technical plan for the third "Moscow" class helicopter carrier should consider the Yak-36 on board.

This is not a simple matter. The Nevsky Design Bureau and the Moscow Speed ​​Machine Building Plant Design Bureau jointly completed an assessment of the possibility of deploying and using the Yak-36 aircraft on the "Moscow" class aircraft carrier. They believed that the Yak-36 aircraft was feasible, but it would need to be modified. As a result, the construction of the third "Moscow" class helicopter carrier was stopped. The construction of the new 1143-type "Kiev" class heavy aircraft carrier cruiser began.

In 1972, the Soviet Navy, Air Force and Shipbuilding Industry Ministry concluded after research that it was meaningless to establish an ocean-going fleet without the cover of carrier-based fighters, and that carrier-based aircraft should be ordinary aircraft rather than vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Based on this conclusion, the Nevsky Design Bureau began to implement the development plan of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier code-named "Eagle". The designed displacement was 80,000 tons, with 70 carrier-based aircraft and 4 steam catapults, which was almost the same as the US aircraft carrier plan.

At this time, Navy Commander-in-Chief Gorshkov agreed to the plan, but suggested that the tonnage should be smaller and anti-ship missiles should be installed. The following year, Defense Minister Grechko also supported the plan. But at this time, Secretary Ustinov suddenly proposed: Before implementing the plan, a catapult should be installed on the third ship of the Kiev class, the Novorossiysk, and the fleet should be supplemented with MiG-23A fighter jets.

In this way, the "Eagle" postponed the implementation of the super aircraft carrier that was supposed to be launched in the 1970s. The "Novorossiysk" was built as originally planned, and consideration was given to building an aircraft carrier of the same size that would use a catapult and carry 36 aircraft.

It was not until 1976 that the Council of Ministers made a new resolution and approved the construction of two "large aviation weapon cruisers" with a displacement of 60,000 tons each, using nuclear power, equipped with two catapults, and carrying 50 aircraft and helicopters.

However, Admiral Amelico, the deputy chief of the Navy's general staff, unexpectedly became an opponent of standard aircraft carriers. He proposed to use the Atlantic-class commercial dry cargo ship to transform it into an anti-submarine helicopter carrier to enrich the fleet. This was simply a ridiculous idea, and of course it was refuted in the end. However, a few years later, in the 1980s, the top leaders finally approved the tactical and technical task book for a 40,000-ton conventional-powered aircraft carrier, but the catapult was cancelled and a ski-jump deck was adopted. Finally, it was expanded to 55,000 tons.

Just like that, the standard displacement was reduced from 80,000 tons to 55,000 tons, from nuclear power plants to steam turbines, and from four catapults to none. The fate of the navy was arbitrarily controlled by these powerful people who had only a superficial understanding of the navy but were self-righteous, and made one mistake after another.

Now, Andrei's proposal was deeply agreed by Gorshkov. There was no other way to put the Yak-36 on board. After all, the navy was not valued by the top leaders. It was impossible to develop a fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft like the US Navy. Even the Yak-36M could only be picked up ready-made. It was impossible to develop a special engine for its own use.

However, Andrei's words still revealed a different point of view from Gorshkov. Andrei meant that as an aircraft carrier, carrier-based aircraft are the most important, and those huge weapons that take up space should be equipped by other escorting warships!

"Andre, are you saying that our existing Yak-36M carrier-based aircraft cannot meet combat requirements?" asked Admiral Durt, commander of the Pacific Fleet.

"We can ask the pilots of our current Kiev aircraft carrier about this question," Andrei said. "They are the ones who have the most say."

"Assef, tell me." Soon, a pilot was called over. It was Assef, the pilot who had won a third-class merit during this voyage.

Being watched by so many leaders, Assef was very nervous. However, when he was asked about the performance of the Yak-36M, Assef quickly mustered up his courage and said, "Report, I think that our fighter jets simply cannot meet the requirements in terms of performance. Vertical takeoff and landing consumes a lot of fuel, resulting in a short time in the air. We have to calculate the fuel consumption almost every moment after takeoff to avoid running out of fuel and being unable to return to the deck. Due to limited weight, we cannot carry more weapons. Moreover, the vertical takeoff and landing process is very complicated, and there are many possibilities of mechanical failure. We have already had a Yak-36M crash during the takeoff and landing process."

No one likes the Yak-36M. Later generations have proved that this type of aircraft is useless. Even though the United States has alien technology and has developed a perverted engine like the F119, it still cannot solve a series of problems with the F-35 vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

Assef's courage is commendable. Andrei watched the pilot leave. Gorshkov's face looked a little unhappy. It was he who ordered the Yak-36 to board the ship, but now, the reaction of the troops below was not good.

"The Americans are right. Using catapults to launch fixed-wing fighters is the right direction." Andre said: "If our aircraft carriers can also take off and land fixed-wing aircraft, we can more effectively contain the American aircraft carriers. Our Yak-36M is a sitting duck in front of the American Tomcat fighters. If we can't fight with the Tomcat fighters for air supremacy, our aircraft carriers can't really realize our combat effectiveness. The American aircraft carrier formation can attack us 500 kilometers away with its carrier-based aircraft. What about us? Even if our anti-ship missiles can attack targets that far away, it won't work without relay guidance. With the U.S. Navy in control of the air, our guidance helicopters are easily attacked."

Vertical take-off and landing aircraft are just appetizers in front of conventional fighter jets. For example, the ones like Argentina's can only defeat a few Sea Harriers. If they encounter the Soviets, once the Sea Harrier takes off, there is no way it can land again.

"Andrei, you are right," Gorshkov said. "However, we still need to work harder if we want the top leaders to realize the benefits of fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft."

The top leaders are not yet unanimous in their ideas, and building a new aircraft carrier is a long and arduous task.

"I have an idea," Andrei said, "We can make our senior leaders realize the role that fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft can play in aircraft carrier operations. In this way, we can stop building our fourth Kiev-class aircraft carrier and transform it into a new aircraft carrier."