Latest news with #aircraftcarrier
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Navy aircraft carrier departs from Portsmouth after upgrade
The Royal Navy's £3.2 billion aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has left Portsmouth in the middle of two extensive periods of maintenance 65,000 tonne ship, which was commissioned into service in 2017, has been undergoing "significant" upgrade work at Portsmouth Naval Base for the past nine the ship will undergo sea trials to test newly installed navigation and propulsion control systems before going into dry dock at Rosyth in Scotland for seven Claire Thompson, HMS Queen Elizabeth's Commanding Officer, said: "The departure of HMS Queen Elizabeth from Portsmouth marks the end of one phase of our upkeep period and the beginning of another. The Royal Navy says HMS Queen Elizabeth is undergoing the equivalent of a car MOT after six years that has included a global deployment to the Indo-Pacific in 2021 and a series of NATO operations in European waters. The time in dry dock will allow engineers to inspect and improve systems inaccessible when the ship is afloat."We have achieved an enormous amount in 2025, with a significant upgrade to our propulsion system being the most notable item amidst a wide range of engineering projects tackled alongside our partners from industry," Capt Thompson added: "My focus remains generating a highly capable team that can take the ship from our docking period and work towards front-line duties."The sea trials will assess the 500-strong ship's company's ability to deal with a range of emergencies – including damage control and fire and floods training. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Putin's ONLY rustbucket aircraft carrier that limped through Channel in pathetic show of force ‘to finally be scrapped'
VLADIMIR Putin's only rustbucket aircraft carrier that struggled through the Channel is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs. Work on the hulking Admiral Kuznetsov has been suspended with reports suggesting the vessel is doomed for the scrapheap. 7 7 7 7 Putin's 'Ship of Shame' has played no role in the war against Ukraine and has instead been languishing in the grim Arctic port of Murmansk, in northwestern Russia. It's believed the rust bucket - Putin's only aircraft carrier - will never set sail again, as 1,500 crew members were quietly sent to fight in the war instead. Former Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Sergey Avakyants applauded the decision to cease repairs, calling the vessel an "expensive" and "inefficient" naval weapon. He said today: 'The aircraft carrier is already a fading era. 'It is a very expensive and inefficient naval weapon. 'The future belongs to carriers of robotic complexes and unmanned aviation. 'If the decision is made not to continue repairs the Admiral Kuznetsov should just be taken, cut up for scrap, and disposed of." The ship was inherited by the Kremlin from the USSR and has a history of malfunctions, said Russian media. According to the report, it underwent repairs in 2018 after a trip to Syria and its future has remained "unclear" ever since. Reports said: 'Misfortunes continue to haunt the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the only aircraft carrier in the Russian fleet that the Kremlin inherited from the USSR. Second huge cargo ship is attacked and SUNK by Houthi rebels in deadly Red Sea raid 'Having been put under repair in 2018 after a voyage to the shores of Syria, Admiral Kuznetsov was never able to return to service on time, and its future remains unclear.' The decrepit battleship, that has been described as the pride and joy of the Russian Northern fleet, set sail on its maiden voyage 40 years ago and has been involved in naval convoys passing the British coast. It used to carry up to 28 planes (Su-33 and MiG-29) and 17 helicopters (Ka-52K and Ka-27), and was armed with P-700 Granit missiles. But in 2019 and 2022, the vessel was struck by two separate fires whilst undergoing works - causing millions of pounds worth of damage. When the Admiral Kuznetsov came to the English Channel The Admiral Kuznetsov "sulked" past the UK on its way back to Russia from Syria in 2017. UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon dubbed the carrier a "ship of shame" as the vessel and its task group was escorted by a Royal Navy frigate and jets. Britain sent HMS St Albans and Typhoon fighters to monitor the ship and "provide reassurance" to countries bordering the North Sea and English Channel. Fallon said: "We are man-marking these vessels every step of the way around the UK as part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe." Cmdr Chris Ansell, in command of HMS St Albans, said: 'This tasking demonstrates the Royal Navy's commitment to protecting our home waters and readiness to undertake short notice operations. 'The movements of the Russian ships are being continually monitored in a co-ordinated response between the Royal Navy, RAF and our NATO partners. "As an island nation, the security of the seas around our coastline is vital and this sort of task is routine business for HMS St Albans and the Royal Navy, which stands ready at all times. The ship measures the length of three football pitches and weighs a staggering the 58,000-tonnes. Last year, crew members Ivan Akenchenkov, 51, and Sergey Ovsienko, 30, and Oleg Sosedov, 21, who served on the aircraft carrier, were reported missing during a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Oleg is now reported to have died during an attack in Kharkiv on July 23. His mother Natasha Simbirtseva has been told by fellow servicemen that he had been killed. She said: 'He has not been in touch since July 21. 'He was seen alive on July 23, and has not been seen since. 'But there is a fellow soldier who confirmed that the two [dead] are my son Oleg Sosedov and Dmitry Teplukhin [another seaman].' The desperate mother said: 'No official information has come. 'The commanders are not calling and are not reporting any information.' She slammed the 'complete inaction' of top brass in failing to search for missing men on they battlefield and repatriate the corpses of fallen fighters. 'It's ****ed up that fighters are being sent from our only aircraft carrier to storm a village in the Kharkiv region,' she raged. 7 7 7
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Report: Russia may scrap its only aircraft carrier
Vladimir Putin 's only aircraft carrier - the hulking Admiral Kuznetsov - is poised to be scrapped after seven failed years of repairs, say reports. Work on the jinxed ship, the largest in the Russian navy, has now been suspended despite the efforts to get it back in the water. News outlet Izvestia cites sources saying the vessel is likely destined for the scrapheap. 'The future belongs to carriers of robotic complexes and unmanned aviation. 'And the Admiral Kuznetsov - if the decision is made not to continue repairs - should just be taken, cut up for scrap, and disposed of.' 'Misfortunes continue to haunt the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the only aircraft carrier in the Russian fleet that the Kremlin inherited from the USSR,' reported The Moscow Times earlier. 'Having been put under repair in 2018 after a voyage to the shores of Syria, Admiral Kuznetsov was never able to return to service on time, and its future remains unclear.' The decrepit battleship - pride of the Russian Northern Fleet - was launched 40 years ago. The length of three football pitches, it has been hit by two fires while under repair, in 2019 and 2022, causing millions of pounds worth of damage. The 2019 blaze saw two men lose their lives and 14 others treated for smoke inhalation. One crewman, Oleg Sosedov (pictured), 21, who served on the aircraft carrier, was last year reported to have gone missing during a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Missing too was Ivan Akenchenkov, 51, and Sergey Ovsienko, 30, also crew members of the Admiral Kuznetsov. It comes after in 2023 the Admiral Kuznetsov was said to in such a ruinous state that it would sink if it were to sail again. Ukraine's Defense Ministry stated the Admiral Kuznetsov is in such 'a state of emergency' that it 'cannot move under its own power'. The ministry noted that a decision had been made to transfer the ship to the docks of a ship repair plant. However, it soon became clear the cruiser was not able to move without assistance. Attempts to tug the boat failed due to the poor condition of the ship's hull - which divers found was suffering deep corrosion below the third deck. The holds were also found to be filled with muddy water, making an internal check impossible.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Humiliation for Putin as Russia 'looks set to SCRAP its only aircraft carrier after seven years of failed repairs'
Vladimir Putin 's only aircraft carrier - the hulking Admiral Kuznetsov - is poised to be scrapped after seven failed years of repairs, say reports. Work on the jinxed ship, the largest in the Russian navy, has now been suspended despite the efforts to get it back in the water. News outlet Izvestia cites sources saying the vessel is likely destined for the scrapheap. Putin's 'Ship of Shame' is languishing in dock in grim Arctic port Murmansk, and has played no role in the war against Ukraine. It's crew were quietly sent to fight in the war instead. The 58,000-ton rust bucket - Putin's only aircraft carrier - is now seen as likely never to go to sea again. Former Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Sergey Avakyants called the decision to stop repair work 'absolutely correct'. He said today: 'The aircraft carrier is already a fading era. Work on the jinxed ship, the largest in the Russian navy, has been suspended despite repeated efforts to get it back in the water 'It is a very expensive and inefficient naval weapon. 'The future belongs to carriers of robotic complexes and unmanned aviation. 'And the Admiral Kuznetsov - if the decision is made not to continue repairs - should just be taken, cut up for scrap, and disposed of.' 'Misfortunes continue to haunt the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the only aircraft carrier in the Russian fleet that the Kremlin inherited from the USSR,' reported The Moscow Times earlier. 'Having been put under repair in 2018 after a voyage to the shores of Syria, Admiral Kuznetsov was never able to return to service on time, and its future remains unclear.' The decrepit battleship - pride of the Russian Northern Fleet - was launched 40 years ago. The length of three football pitches, it has been hit by two fires while under repair, in 2019 and 2022, causing millions of pounds worth of damage. The 2019 blaze saw two men lose their lives and 14 others treated for smoke inhalation. One crewman, Oleg Sosedov, 21, who served on the aircraft carrier, was last year reported to have gone missing during a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Missing too was Ivan Akenchenkov, 51, and Sergey Ovsienko, 30, also crew members of the Admiral Kuznetsov. The flagship of Russia's Northern Fleet, the Admiral Kuznetsov - commissioned in 1990 - has been involved in naval convoys passing the British coast. It used to carry up to 28 planes (Su-33 and MiG-29) and 17 helicopters (Ka-52K and Ka-27), and was armed with P-700 Granit missiles. Its crew should number 1,500. It comes after in 2023 the Admiral Kuznetsov was said to in such a ruinous state that it would sink if it were to sail again. Ukraine's Defence Ministry stated the Admiral Kuznetsov is in such 'a state of emergency' that it 'cannot move under its own power'. One crewman, Oleg Sosedov, 21, who served on the aircraft carrier, was last year reported to have gone missing during a Russian attack in Kharkiv The ministry noted that a decision had been made to transfer the ship to the docks of a ship repair plant. However, it soon became clear the cruiser was not able to move without assistance. Attempts to tug the boat failed due to the poor condition of the ship's hull - which divers found was suffering deep corrosion below the third deck. The holds were also found to be filled with muddy water, making an internal check impossible. According to Ukraine, ship repair specialists warned the condition of Admiral Kuznetsov makes it impossible for it to launch and if it does, 'it is highly likely that it will tip over on its side and [sink].'
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
U.S. Navy To Make Do With 10 Flattops As Latest Carrier Running Late
The U.S. Navy's oldest aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is on what is likely her final deployment and her ... More replacement is now running two years behind schedule. (Photo by South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images) The future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is now expected to join the fleet in March 2027, nearly two years later than the previously scheduled date. The second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered supercarrier was scheduled to have a delivery date of July 2025, but the handover was pushed back to March 2027. The delay is attributed to issues with the Advanced Arresting Gear and Advanced Weapons Elevator, two critical systems on the warship. The carrier's prime contractor, Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding, explained that there have been challenges in implementing improvements to those systems with USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). "Specifically, John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) construction was fairly advanced when many Ford lessons were realized, precluding timely implementation of lessons learned for Kennedy," HII spokesperson Todd Corillo said in a statement to the media. This is the most recent delay for CVN-79, as the carrier previously had an expected delivery date of June 2024, but that was pushed back two years ago. The only good news is that the most recent delays shouldn't further impact the next two Ford-class flattops. "In contrast, Enterprise (CVN-80) and Doris Miller (CVN-81) have been able to incorporate, leverage and capitalize on Ford lessons learned earlier in the construction process," Corillo added. That sugarcoats the fact that CVN-80 had seen its delivery date shifted from September 2029 to July 2030. This resulted from supply chain issues and limited material availability. The lead vessel of the new class of supercarriers, USS Gerald R. Ford, had run about two years behind schedule, but then faced further delays as numerous systems were far from combat-ready. That resulted in initial delays with the USS John F. Kennedy, but problems persist. One Fewer Flattop In Service In the long run, these delays may help HII and even the United States Navy streamline the construction process with this newest class of nuclear-powered supercarriers. Yet, the bigger issue is that the delay will cause some severe near-term headaches for the U.S. Navy. Its oldest nuclear-powered carrier, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), is scheduled to be retired next May. That will reduce the number of carriers in service on paper, but in practice, the situation may be even more dire. USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) is currently undergoing her Refueling and Complex Overhaul, which was initially scheduled to be completed next month. The RCOH is now running at least 14 months behind schedule, and although it will extend the service life of the carrier by 25 years, CVN-74 won't return to service until October 2026 at the earliest. Then there is the fact that the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is preparing to begin the same process, which could mean that next year, two carriers are sidelined, while one is taken out of service entirely. "The news of yet another potential delay to the next Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier lands at a precarious moment for the U.S. Navy, and not simply because of a production timeline," explained geopolitical analyst Irina Tsukerman, president of threat assessment firm Scarab Rising. She said it underscores a more profound strategic vulnerability, one of overreliance on aging leviathans and an industrial base increasingly outpaced by geopolitical necessity. "With the USS Nimitz approaching retirement and already deployed in a high-tension theater, the Navy faces a narrowing operational margin at precisely the wrong time," warned Tsukerman. Rotating Carriers To Multiple Hotspots USS Nimitz is now operating in the Red Sea to deter further aggression from Iran and its regional proxies. It isn't alone, as USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) has been in the Middle Eastern waters since early this spring, relieving CVN-75, which had been deployed to the region last November. The U.S. Navy has rotated multiple carriers to the region. Still, it has also left much of the Indo-Pacific without a carrier on station, even as China has continued to rattle sabers by deploying its two conventionally-powered flattops further into the Pacific. Tsukerman said that the U.S. Navy's growing dependency on a handful of nuclear-powered flattops reflects a kind of strategic inertia. "These ships project overwhelming force and remain indispensable to U.S. power projection, but they are also complex behemoths tethered to an industrial process that is slow, expensive, and prone to disruption," Tsukerman added. "A 20-month delay is not just a schedule slip. It is a signal flare for adversaries and an indictment of a procurement strategy that concentrates capability into a brittle few." She further compared the U.S. Navy's ability to juggle its limited carrier resources to a house of cards, as in it is "visually impressive but easily compromised." Every nuclear-powered supercarrier that is in maintenance following an extended deployment or undergoing a lengthier RCOH represents a void in the sea service's forward presence. That void is increasing measured in years, not weeks. "Operational tempo strains personnel and ships alike, while carrier availability often resembles a shell game: a high-stakes maneuver to maintain appearances without the necessary depth of capacity," Tsukerman noted. "This imbalance exposes critical seams in U.S. naval readiness, particularly in an era when pacing threats are growing more sophisticated and opportunistic." The Cost Of Power Projection It remains true that nothing can do what a carrier can do, notably in terms of moving a vast number of aircraft and personnel to hotspots. However, the most significant selling point of a nuclear-powered carrier is increasingly its greatest weakness. It may have unlimited range and endurance, but it is still dependent on a supply of food, water, and crucially, aviation fuel. Last September, that became crystal clear when the USNS Big Horn, a key oiler, ran aground and partially flooded off the coast of Oman. It briefly left the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group without its primary fuel source, exposing a significant vulnerability in the U.S. Navy's reliance on aging oilers. Moreover, China has put great effort into developing its so-called "Carrier Killer" intermediate-range ballistic missiles and, more ominously, hypersonic missiles. Such weapons raise questions about whether the U.S. should be building such massive carriers at all. "The cost-benefit calculation for these ships has shifted," said Tsukerman. "Once a cornerstone of deterrence, their price tag now invites hard questions. Are they still the most agile answer to modern threats? Or have they become gilded symbols of a bygone era, perpetually behind schedule and vulnerable to both budgetary politics and technological disruption?" It isn't just the missiles that could strike a carrier; surface and underwater drones could also pose another threat, while satellite targeting has significantly narrowed the operational sanctuary these vessels once enjoyed. "None of this renders carriers obsolete," suggested Tsukerman. "Rather, it demands a doctrinal recalibration. The U.S. Navy cannot afford to tether its global posture to a few slow-turning ships. Diversification, in platforms, propulsion, and deployment models, is no longer a theoretical consideration. It is a strategic imperative. Without it, America risks being outmaneuvered not by lack of will or ingenuity, but by its ponderous designs."
