Kiev Class

Project 11434.5(Modified Kiev)
 Preceded By
 Suceeded By
Type 076(Iran)
 Planned
 In Service
 Preserved
 Scrapped
 Lost
 Built
 In Service
 Length
 Beam
31 m (102 ft) w/l
 Armament
4 × twin P-500 Bazalt SSM launchers (8 missiles),
2 × twin M-11 Shtorm SAM launchers (72 missiles),
2 × twin 9K33 Osa launchers (40 missiles),
2 × AK-726 twin 76.2 mm AA guns,
8 × AK-630 30 mm CIWS, 10 × 21" torpedo tubes,
1 × twin SUW-N-1 FRAS Anti-Submarine Rocket launcher,
*Novorossiysk*:
4 × twin P-500 Bazalt SSM launchers (8 missiles),
2 × twin M-11 Shtorm SAM launchers (72 missiles),
2 × AK-726 twin 76.2 mm AA guns, 8 × AK-630 30 mm CIWS,
1 × twin SUW-N-1 FRAS Anti-Submarine Rocket launcher,
*Baku*:
6 × twin P-500 Bazalt SSM launchers (12 missiles),
24 × 8-cell 9K330 Tor vertical SAM launchers (192 missiles),
2 × 100 mm guns, 8 × AK-630 30 mm CIWS, 10 × 21" torpedo tubes,
2 × RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers,
*Libertad(Modified Kiev)*:
48 Vertical Launchers for 3K95 Kinzhal SAM(192 Missiles),
4 AK-360 CIWS,
*Vikramaditya*:
4 AK-630 CIWS, Barak 1 *ex-INS Godavari,*
Barak 8 (LRSAM)in 48 VLS cells,
*Type 11434A(Modified Kiev)*:
4 Type 30 CIWs, 2 10 Cell HQ-10 SAM Launchers,
 Aircraft
 Speed
 Range
 Propulsion
 Complement

## History

Laid down in 1970, the first ship of the class, *Kiev*, was partially based on the of Project 1153 Orel. Originally the Soviet Navy wanted a carrier similar to the French *Clemenceu*-class. However, the V/STOL oriented *Kiev*-class design was chosen because it was considered more cost-effective. The carriers served as replacements for earlier carriers ordered under Stalin's leadership. Similar to British naval tactics the ships served as escorts to the heavier fleet carriers providing ASW support and additional strike capacity.

Unlike most NATO aircraft carriers, such as U.S. or most British ones, the *Kiev* class is a combination of both a cruiser and an aircraft carrier. In the Soviet Navy, this class of ships was specifically designated as a "heavy aviation cruiser" (Russian: Тяжелые авианесущие крейсера) rather than solely as an aircraft carrier. This designation allowed the ships to transit the Turkish Straits, while the 1936 Montreux Convention prohibited aircraft carriers heavier than 15,000 tons from passing through the Straits.

The ships were designed with a large island superstructure to starboard, with an angled flight-deck 2/3rds of the length of the total deck; the foredeck was taken up with heavy surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile armament. The equipment was removable incase a ski jump was desired later in their service lives.

The Soviet Union built and commissioned a total of four *Kiev*-class carriers, which served in the Soviet and then the Russian navies. The first two ships were preserved as museums, and the third ship was sold to China for scrap. The fourth ship, *Admiral Gorshkov*, was sold to the Indian Navy in 2004, and after years of extensive modifications and refurbishment, is currently in active service as INS *Vikramaditya.* The fifth ship *Libertad*, was built to a modified design in Argentina. It is currently in reserve. An additional ship the *Hanguk* was built in Chinese yards for North Korea. It was sunk during the Third Korean War. The seventh ship *Veinticinco de Mayo* was built in chinese yards as replacement for the *Libertad*.The final ship the *Ayatollah Khomeini* was built in Chinese yards for Iran in the late 2010s.

## Design

### Air Wing

#### Kiev Class

The class in its original configeration was designed for 26-30 aircraft.

#### Modified Kiev

Ships of the Project 11434.5 derivative are designed as a STOBAR carrier capable of operating both conventional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, with up to 36-40 aircraft capable of being accommodated. A similar design Project 11434.75 is designed with catapults for a CATOBAR configuration.

### Armament

#### Project 11434.5 & Type 11434A Design Changes

The Project 11434.5 ships are built with larger hangers for an increased aircraft complement. All weapons on the fore deck are removed in order to accommodate a ski jump.(12° on Russian & Chinese ships, 14.3° on Indian ships & Argentine ships.) The ships are equipped with SA-N-9 SAMs and Kashtan CIWs. The Chinese Type 11434A ships have enlarged hangers similar to the Project 11434.5. They also possess smaller islands that have been moved to starboard to enlarge the deck park. They have 3D phased array radar and are equipped with HQ-10 SAMs complimented by type 1130 CIWs.