Russian pilots to train at Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

01.10.2010 Russian deck-based aircraft pilots will practice takeoffs/landings on the deck of aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in Oct, reported RIA Novosti citing a source in Northern Fleet HQ.

"The second phase of training will be held in October directly at the aircraft carrier which is to be deployed at combat training range in the Barents Sea", said the source.

He recalled that the first phase was conducted in Aug 25 – Sept 21 at aircraft simulator NITKA, Crimea. Russian pilots performed over 300 training takeoffs/landings on the imitative carrier's deck; total flight experience exceeded 200 hours.

Su-33, Su-25, and Su-27 aircrafts were involved in the training flights.

Ground-based aircraft training system NITKA is used for training of deck-based aircraft pilots. This simulator constitutes an airfield with steel ship's deck equipped with a ski-ramp and arresters. Dimensions of the airfield are equivalent to flight deck of heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov.

The only Soviet-made training system NITKA is located at Novofedorovka air base (nearby Saki, Crimea). The training system was handed over to Ukraine after breakup of the USSR.

Pilots of NF 279th deck-based fighter regiment (homebase Severomorsk-3) had regular trainings at NITKA simulator till 2008.

Currently, Russia has only one aircraft carrier in the inventory – Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov – which is in service at Northern Fleet. This ship was built in 1985 and accommodates over 50 aircrafts and helicopters. Apart from typical Su-33 multirole deck-based fighters, Admiral Kuznetsov carries Ka-29 helicopters and their modifications. The carrier's displacement is 55,000 tons; fuel range is 8,000 nautical miles; crew is 1,500 men, aircraft personnel is 650 men; max speed is 29 knots. The ship is armed with Granit antiship missile systems, SAM systems Kortik and Klinok, antisubmarine systems Udav.