Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov Admiral Flota Sovetskovo Soyuza Kuznetsov ( " Fleet Admiral of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov " ) was built by the Black Sea Shipyard in Mykolaiv , Ukraine which was the only manufacturer of the Soviet / Russian aircraft carriers . The initial name of the ship was Riga ; she was launched as Leonid Brezhnev , embarked on sea trials as " Tbilisi " , and finally named Kuznetsov . She is an aircraft cruiser ( heavy aircraft carrying missile cruiser ( TAVKR ) in Russian classification ) serving as the flagship of the Russian Navy . She was originally commissioned in the Soviet Navy , and was intended to be the lead ship of her class , but the only other ship of her class , " Varyag " , was never completed or commissioned by the Soviet , Russian or Ukrainian navy . Later , this second hull was sold to the People ' s Republic of China by Ukraine , completed in Dalian and launched as " Liaoning " . " Kuznetsov " was named after the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gerasimovich Kuznetsov . Role . While designated an aircraft carrier by the West , the design of the " Admiral Kuznetsov " - class implies a mission different from that of either the United States Navy ’ s carriers or those of the Royal Navy . The term used by her builders to describe the Russian ships is ( TAVKR or TARKR ) – " heavy aircraft - carrying missile cruiser " – intended to support and defend strategic missile - carrying submarines , surface ships , and naval missile - carrying aircraft of the Russian Navy . " Admiral Kuznetsov " ' s main fixed - wing aircraft is the multi - role Sukhoi Su - 33 . It can perform air superiority , fleet defence , and air support missions and can also be used for direct fire support of amphibious assault , reconnaissance and placement of naval mine s . The carrier also carries the Kamov Ka - 27 and Kamov Ka - 27S helicopters for anti - submarine warfare , search and rescue , and small transport . For take - off of fixed wing aircraft , " Admiral Kuznetsov " uses a ski - jump at the end of her deck . On take - off aircraft accelerate toward and up the ski - jump using their afterburners . This results in the aircraft leaving the deck at a higher angle and elevation than on an aircraft carrier with a flat deck and catapults . The ski - jump take - off is less demanding on the pilot , since the acceleration is lower , but results in a clearance speed of only 120 – 140 km / h ( 75 – 85 mph ) requiring an aircraft design which will not stall at those speeds . The " cruiser " role is facilitated by " Kuznetsov ' s " complement of 12 long - range surface - to - surface anti - ship Granit ( SS - N - 19 ) ( NATO name Shipwreck ) cruise missiles . This armament justifies the ship ' s Russian type designator " heavy aircraft carrying missile cruiser " . History . " Admiral Flota Sovetskovo Soyuza Kuznetsov " , constructed at Nikolayev South Shipyard in Mykolaiv , Ukrainian SSR , was launched in 1985 , and became fully operational in 1995 . An official ceremony marking the start of construction took place on 1 September 1982 ; in fact she was laid down in 1983 . The vessel was first named " Riga " , then the name was changed to " Leonid Brezhnev " , this was followed by " Tbilisi " . Finally , on 4 October 1990 , she was renamed " Admiral Flota Sovetskovo Soyuza Kuznetsov " , referred to in short as " Admiral Kuznetsov " . The ship was 71 % complete by mid - 1989 . In November 1989 she undertook her first aircraft operation trials . In December 1991 , she sailed from the Black Sea to join the Northern Fleet . Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft . 1995 – 96 Mediterranean Deployment . From 23 December 1995 through 22 March 1996 " Kuznetsov " made its first 90 - day Mediterranean deployment with 13 Su - 33 , 2 Su - 25 UTG , and 11 helicopters aboard . This cruise marked the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy celebrated in 1996 . During that period the carrier lay at anchor at sea off the port of Tartus , Syria . While in the Mediterranean her aircraft , mainly Su - 33 fighters , made flights close to the Israeli shore line and were intercepted by Israeli F - 16 s . 1997 – 98 . At the end of 1997 she remained immobilized in a Northern Fleet shipyard , awaiting funding for major repairs , which were halted when they were only 20 % complete . The overhaul was completed in July 1998 , and the ship returned to active service in the Northern fleet on 3 November 1998 . 2000 . " Kuznetsov " apparently remained in port for about two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000 – 2001 . This deployment was cancelled due to the loss of the nuclear - powered submarine " Kursk " . The " Kuznetsov " participated in operations related to the rescue and salvage of the " Kursk " submarine in late 2000 . Plans for further operations were postponed or cancelled . 2003 – 04 . In late 2003 and early 2004 , " Kuznetsov " went to sea for inspection and trials . In late October 2004 , she participated in a fleet exercise of the Russian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean , and again in September 2005 . During the 2005 exercise , one of her Su - 33 fighters was involved in an accident , and fell from the carrier into the Atlantic Ocean . Although financial and technical problems have resulted in limited operations for the ship , it is expected that " Admiral Kuznetsov " will remain in active duty until at least 2030 . 2006 . On 27 September 2006 it was announced that " Admiral Kuznetsov " will return to service in the Northern Fleet by the end of the year . The ship will undergo another modernization refit , in an attempt to correct some of her many technical issues . Admiral Vladimir Masorin , Commander - in - Chief of the Russian Navy , also stated that several Su - 33 fighters assigned to the aircraft carrier would return to the ship after undergoing maintenance and refits of their own . 2007 – 08 Mediterranean deployment . From 5 December 2007 through 3 February 2008 " Kuznetsov " made its second Mediterranean deployment . On 11 December 2007 , " Admiral Kuznetsov " passed by Norwegian oil platforms in the North Sea , outside Bergen , Norway . Su - 33 fighters and Kamov helicopters were launched from the carrier while she was in the area of the rigs . The incident caused the Norwegian helicopter service to stop its flights out to the rigs , due to a risk of collision with Russian aircraft operating from the carrier . The Russian carrier was in international waters during the maneuver . " Admiral Kuznetsov " then proceeded to the Mediterranean Sea , where she participated in an exercise together with 11 other Russian Navy surface ships and 47 aircraft . She performed three tactical training missions , using live and simulated missile launches with both air and surface missiles . The aircraft carrier arrived back in Severomorsk on 3 February 2008 along with the Udaloy II class destroyer " Admiral Chabanenko " and Udaloy I class ASW Destroyer " Admiral Levchenko " . After a maintenance period she was back at sea on 11 October 2008 where drills were held in the Barents Sea . Russian President and Supreme Commander - in - Chief Dmitry Medvedev visited the ship on 12 October 2008 during the Stability - 2008 strategic exercises . 2008 – 09 Mediterranean deployment . From 5 December 2008 through 2 March 2009 " Kuznetsov " made its third Mediterranean deployment . On 5 December 2008 the aircraft carrier and several other vessels left Severomorsk heading for the Atlantic on a tour which was announced would be lasting several months and which would include combat training including joint drills with Russia ' s Black Sea Fleet and visits to several ports in the Mediterranean . On this tour while the " Admiral Kuznetsov " anchored off Turkey on 7 January 2009 a small fire broke out on the ship . One crew member was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning . The fire was caused by a short - circuit . On 16 February 2009 , " Admiral Kuznetsov " , along with other Russian naval vessels was involved in a large oil spill while she refuelled off the south coast of Ireland . On 2 March 2009 " Admiral Kuznetsov " returned to her main base in Severomorsk after a three - month voyage in the Northern Atlantic and the Mediterranean waters . 2010 . In September 2010 " Admiral Kuznetsov " left a dry dock after scheduled repairs and is getting ready for a training mission in the Barents Sea at the end of that month . 2011 – 12 Mediterranean deployment . The Russian Main Navy Staff announced that " Kuznetsov " will begin a deployment to the Atlantic and Mediterranean in the early days of December . The carrier will be escorted by the large ASW ship " Admiral Chabanenko " . In late November 2011 , Pravda and Reuters announced that a squadron led by the " Admiral Kuznetsov " will deploy to its naval facility in Tartus as a show of support for the al - Assad regime . However , in contradiction a Russian naval spokesman stated to the Izvestia daily that " The call of the Russian ships in Tartus should not be seen as a gesture towards what is going on in Syria , " and " This was planned already in 2010 when there were no such events there . There has been active preparation and there is no need to cancel this , " noting that " Admiral Kuznetsov " would also be making port calls in Beirut , Genoa and Cyprus . On 29 November 2011 , Army General Nikolay Makarov , Chief of the Russian General Staff , said that sending ships of the Russian Navy to the Mediterranean Sea is linked to exercises and not to the situation in Syria . " In the event of necessity , namely to carry out repairs , to take water and food on board and to allow rest for the crews , Russian ships may visit Tartus but in this case this has not been included in the plan of the trip , " the Interfax source said . He also noted that the size of " Admiral Kuznetsov " does not allow it to moor in Tartus because the port does not have suitable infrastructure , i . e . large enough mooring . On 6 December 2011 , " Admiral Kuznetsov " and escorting ships departed its Northern Fleet homebase for a several month Mediterranean deployment . During the deployment " Kuznetsov " will also exercise with ships from the Russian Baltic and Black Sea Fleets . On 12 December 2011 " Admiral Kuznetsov " with its carrier group , has been spotted northeast of the Orkneys off the coast of northern Scotland from where it has been shadowed by HMS " York " for a week . This was the first time the carrier had deployed near the UK ; due to severe weather , the group took shelter in international waters in the Moray Firth , some 30 miles from the UK coast . The Kuznetsov then sailed around the top of Scotland and into the Atlantic past western Ireland , where it conducted flying operations with her Sukhoi Su - 33 Flanker jets and Kamov Ka - 27 helicopters in international airspace . On 8 January 2012 , " Admiral Kuznetsov " anchored near shore outside of Tartus while other ships in its escort entered the port to use the leased Russian naval support facility . After replenishing supplies , all of the ships will continue their Mediterranean deployment on 9 January . On 17 February 2012 , " Admiral Kuznetsov " returned to its homebase of Severomorsk . On 1 June 2013 , it was announced that the ship would return to the Mediterranean by the end of the year . MiG - 29K for the " Admiral Kuznetsov " . According to the newspaper " Bulletin Reports , " the Russian Navy expects to buy the Mikoyan MiG - 29K for " Admiral Kuznetsov " by 2011 , according to an informed source in the Russian Ministry of Defence , noting that the contract may be concluded in the next two years . Information was confirmed by the general designer of one of the defence enterprises , which produces sub - assemblies for these aircraft , while the MiG corporation refrained from comment . Currently , the Navy has a fleet of 19 carrier - based Su - 33 fighters , a resource which will expire by 2015 . The production of new Su - 33 is possible , but not cost - effective for such small volumes . At the same time , the MiG - 29K in this respect are more convenient , because the Indian Navy has already ordered 16 aircraft and plans to buy at least 30 planes . As noted by Konstantin Makienko , it lessens the series article cost and allows Russia to save on development . India has paid 730 million dollars for the development and delivery of 16 fighters , while the 24 planes for Russia ' s fleet would cost about $ 1 billion . Mid - life refit . In April 2010 it was announced that by the end of 2012 the ship will enter Severodvinsk Sevmash shipyard for a major refit and modernisation . The report states that the refit will include upgrades to the obsolete electronics and sensor equipment , installation of the new anti - aircraft system and increase of the air wing by the removal of the P - 700 Granit anti - ship missiles . Upgrades might also include exchanging the troublesome steam powerplant to the gas - turbine or even nuclear propulsion and installation of catapults to the angled deck . As of late 2013 no such major refit has occurred .