Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:04:18-2:05:31

Russia's abandoned V/STOL carrier route

A question about Russian carrier development prompts an alternative force structure built around improved Yak-38 descendants and aviation-capable amphibious ships.

Aircraft CarriersAmphibious Assault ShipsCarrier AviationRussian NavyV/STOL AircraftYak 38 Forger
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Question

How should Russian carrier aviation have developed?

Short answer

A continued Yak-38-derived V/STOL programme could have supported both strike carriers and amphibious ships, producing a broader and more coherent aviation fleet than a single STOBAR carrier.

Notes

Ending the Yak-38 development line closed a potentially coherent path for Soviet and Russian naval aviation. Continuing with V/STOL aircraft could have let both strike carriers and large amphibious ships operate fixed-wing aviation from ski jumps. Russia instead pursued the greater prestige and performance of STOBAR and possible CATOBAR carriers while maintaining only one such carrier. Its amphibious ships were consequently left without the complementary fixed-wing capability that might have spread aviation across more hulls.