Q&A ยท 4:10:49-4:11:23

Maintenance in a larger hypothetical Russian fleet

Kuznetsov-type carriers are judged the most vulnerable to poor maintenance within the proposed larger fleet.

Question

Which ships would be in the worst condition if Russia retained the larger carrier and Kirov-class force described in the question?

Short answer

Probably the Kuznetsov-type carriers, although none of the hypothetical fleet is expected to be in especially good condition.

Notes

The Kuznetsov-type carriers are judged the likeliest ships to suffer the worst condition. Nuclear-powered surface ships receive greater attention in this assessment because they are treated as status assets. That distinction gives the nuclear carriers and Kirov-class ships a relative advantage, although the whole hypothetical fleet is still expected to face serious maintenance problems.