The Moskva class had a spacious helicopter hangar but is judged poorly as a ship design. Helicopters were becoming increasingly useful in anti-submarine warfare, while many Soviet ASW escorts lacked hangars and some lacked landing spots. A larger aviation ship could carry and support the helicopters those escorts could not embark. That made the concept understandable as a shared resource for the fleet, despite its disappointing execution.
Notable Point · 21:12-22:09
Why the Moskva class carried so many helicopters
Moskva's large helicopter hangar addressed a fleet-wide anti-submarine need, even though the ship's overall design receives a poor assessment.