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For a comparison the Kuznetsov is carrying 3 Mig-29K and maybe twice as many Su-33 [1]. And here's what a USN CVN looks like on its way to deployment [2]. I'm t

For a comparison the Kuznetsov is carrying 3 Mig-29K and maybe twice as many Su-33 [1]. And here's what a USN CVN looks like on its way to deployment [2]. I'm too lazy to count the aircraft. [1]: http://i.imgur.com/egMni6q.jpg http://i.imgur.com/egMni6q.jpg [2]: http://i.imgur.com/IRlG9ti.jpg http://i.imgur.com/IRlG9ti.jpg

s_q_b 10y ago
Yes, there's no comparison between the Kuznetsov-class and any of the United States supercarriers, or the Charles de Gaulle. But the Russian actions are a means of power projection, saber rattling against the other great powers. After all, whenever there's a world event, one of the first questions asked by the United States leadership is, "Where is the nearest carrier group?" There is no longer a unipolar hegemony in Eurasia. That's the message these maneuvers, and indeed the Chinese acquisition of this carrier itself, are intended to convey.
mjmahone17 10y ago
For a Nimitz-class, it looks like ~90 aircraft, or in terms of squadrons, 4 fixed-wing attack squadrons, an electronic attack squadron, an early warning/command squadron, and two helicopter squadrons [1]. While it looks like the Kuznetsov may be capable of carrying twice as many aircraft as pictured, that's the equivalent of one helicopter squadron and one mixed attack/air superiority squadron. Then again, there's a reasonable assumption that Russia's main force projection is due to how much of the populated world is nearly immediately accessible via Russian-controlled land bases, with much less need for force projection across oceans compared to the US. [1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_John_C._Stennis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_John_C._Stennis
dingaling 10y ago
> For a comparison the Kuznetsov is carrying 3 Mig-29K and maybe twice as many Su-33 Though they dropped one of the MiG-29s in the ocean a couple of days ago... But that's still a magnitude more powerful than what most second / third-tier countries can summon from their entire armed forces. For example in Africa, perhaps only Algeria, Morocco, Angola and South Africa would have any hope of taking-on such a force, and that's not even considering the carrier's escorts.

s_q_b 10y ago

Yes, there's no comparison between the Kuznetsov-class and any of the United States supercarriers, or the Charles de Gaulle. But the Russian actions are a means of power projection, saber rattling against the other great powers. After all, whenever there's a world event, one of the first questions asked by the United States leadership is, "Where is the nearest carrier group?" There is no longer a unipolar hegemony in Eurasia. That's the message these maneuvers, and indeed the Chinese acquisition of this carrier itself, are intended to convey.

mjmahone17 10y ago

For a Nimitz-class, it looks like ~90 aircraft, or in terms of squadrons, 4 fixed-wing attack squadrons, an electronic attack squadron, an early warning/command squadron, and two helicopter squadrons [1]. While it looks like the Kuznetsov may be capable of carrying twice as many aircraft as pictured, that's the equivalent of one helicopter squadron and one mixed attack/air superiority squadron. Then again, there's a reasonable assumption that Russia's main force projection is due to how much of the populated world is nearly immediately accessible via Russian-controlled land bases, with much less need for force projection across oceans compared to the US. [1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_John_C._Stennis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_John_C._Stennis

dingaling 10y ago

> For a comparison the Kuznetsov is carrying 3 Mig-29K and maybe twice as many Su-33 Though they dropped one of the MiG-29s in the ocean a couple of days ago... But that's still a magnitude more powerful than what most second / third-tier countries can summon from their entire armed forces. For example in Africa, perhaps only Algeria, Morocco, Angola and South Africa would have any hope of taking-on such a force, and that's not even considering the carrier's escorts.