The Yak-38 Forger was a poor choice for combat air patrol ahead of the fleet. Its more plausible defensive role was a second line of fighters immediately over the ships. The Kuznetsov class adopted STOBAR operation so it could carry a larger, more capable fighter. The Su-33, a navalised Su-27 known to NATO as Flanker D, combined stronger engines with efforts to limit weight and strengthen the airframe. That aircraft supported the attempt to operate farther into the Norwegian Sea and keep NATO forces away from the submarine bastions.
Notable Point · 1:23:29-1:25:33
From Yak-38 close cover to Su-33 fleet air defence
The Yak-38 offered limited close protection, while a navalised Su-27 promised a stronger fighter for operations beyond the bastion.