10. Russia’s Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier
Producer: Nevskoye Planning & Design Bureau, Nikolayev South
Principal Applicant: Russian Navy
Cost: $2 billion* for the program/unit (FY 2018)
The Russian class of Admiral Kuznetsov is competitive with the US Navy’s carrier fleet. The Admiral Kuznetsov is a heavy aircraft carrier classified as a TAVKR, named after a former admiral of the USSR Fleet. Its goal is to protect and assist the Russian Navy.
Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov ©VPales/SShutterstock
Launched in 1985, Admiral Kuznetsov was first used by the Soviet Union. She was supposed to be the class’s lead ship, but before Varyag, the second student, was completed, the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. The refurbishment of Admiral Kuznetsov began in July 2018 and is still going on.
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