Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:03:49-1:04:13

Why the Yak-38 adds little to the Kiev strike group

The Kiev class matters in this scenario for its heavy missiles, while the flawed Yak-38 contributes little against NATO carrier aviation.

Kiev Class Aircraft CarriersSoviet Naval AviationVTOL AircraftYak 38 Forger
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Question

How much would the Yak-38 air group add to a Kiev-class ship in this campaign?

Short answer

Very little; the Yak-38 is treated as flawed and barely operational, leaving the ship's heavy missiles as its main contribution.

Notes

The Kiev-class ship carries aircraft, but the scenario's force assessment deliberately leaves them out. The Yak-38 is described as flawed and barely operational compared with NATO naval fighters. Its limited contribution means the ship's P-500 missile battery supplies most of its offensive weight in the modeled strike. This distinction helps explain why counting a flight deck does not automatically produce useful carrier air power.