Will Russia’s Corroded, Damaged Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier Ever Return to Sea?

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

Certainly the Russian Navy has not been considered to be a massive threat with global power projection reach, yet its submarines, warships and assets able to attack from the Black Sea are not likely to be overlooked by the Pentagon, Ukraine and NATO countries bordering the area.

The longest-standing and most recognized struggle encountered by the Russian Navy likely centers around its troubled, lone carrier known as the Admiral Kuznetsov, as the corroded and damaged ship has been dry docked for repairs since 2018. Could it actually get back to the ocean? 

Despite corrosion, mechanical difficulties and challenges with upgrades, Russia’s lone Admiral Kuznetsov may wind up returning to service after all. However, following many problems and malfunctions, the platform has been drydocked since 2018 for refitting.

The carrier first emerged in 1985 and proved to be a key part of what was a Soviet ambition to build a two-carrier fleet, yet the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s complicated and ultimately derailed plans to build a second carrier. Instead, Russia’s would-be Varyag carrier was sold to China and became the PLA-Navy’s first carrier.

A return to the fleet for the Admiral Kuznetsov would be extremely surprising and quite an accomplishment, given that multiple news reports say the damage and corrosion to the boat causes substantial erosion of its metal structures.

For example, a previous essay in Pravda.com from as recently as January 2023 reports that Russia’s only carrier will not be in a condition where it can return to deployment.

“Ship repairmen warned the military that the condition of Admiral Kuznetsov does not allow it to be deployed due to the high probability that it would sink or capsize. During the examination, it was revealed that the metal structures below the third deck of the ship were significantly corroded. The holds are filled with muddy water, which makes it impossible to examine the ship in detail from the inside,” the Pravda paper states.