The Russian Navy’s Upcoming Assault Carriers: A Look at Their Combat Aircraft and Multiple Configurations

Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation is currently overseeing the construction of two medium sized assault carriers in Crimea, with both ships laid down in 2020 and expected to compensate the Russian Navy for the cancelled acquisition of French Mistral Class ships in 2014. The new ships are named the Ivan Rogov and the Mitrofan, and both were laid down at the Zaliv Shipyard on July 20th, 2020. Each ship is expected to carry 12-18 helicopters depending on the aircrafts’ size and configuration, and will be able to operate for medical and relief missions, anti-submarine warfare, anti-shipping and amphibious assault depending on how the ships are outfitted. Recent details regarding the new warships were revealed Russia’s the Army-2020 forum, with Corporation Chief Renat Mistakhov stating regarding the program: "The customer has set the task of ensuring the ship’s interaction with the land troops. We have been assigned the task of providing for a possibility of employing not only seaborne helicopters but also multi-purpose gunships so that they can temporarily land on the ship for the embarkation or disembarkation of a particular contingent.” 

Russia previously developed a navalised variant of the Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter, which is widely considered the most capable aircraft of its kind in the world, and although their entry into Russian service was delayed due to the cancellation of the Mistral sale in they are currently in service in the Egyptian Navy - which purchased the Mistral Class ships from France but outfitted them with Russian aircraft and subsystems. The Ka-52 provides a number of unique capabilities for the Russian Navy, and is the only attack helicopter able to deploy long range high speed anti ship missiles with it is Kh-31 able to engage warships over 300km away at Mach 3 speeds. The helicopters can also be outfitted for land attack, and carry a considerably larger payload than their most capable Western rival the Ah-64 Apache as well as much longer ranged and more sophisticated munition types. The new helicopter carriers will also be able to deploy Ka-31 and Ka-27 helicopters - the former capable of operating in an airborne early warning to provide Russian assault carriers with much greater situational awareness than their Western counterparts. The Ka-31 is currently operational on Russia’s sole heavyweight aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov, as well as carriers in the Chinese and Indian navies. The Ka-27 is a more versatile design used primarily as a transport, but also available as the Ka-27PS search and rescue platform and the Ka-27PL anti submarine warfare platform. Compatibility with multiple high end helicopter types will make the upcoming Russian carriers the most versatile in the world of any carrier from their weight range. 

Regarding the Russian Navy’s requirement to also allow its new carriers to operate as hospital ships, Corporation Chief Mistakhov stated: “"Our customer has indicated to us that today the issue of transforming this ship for a hospital vessel is being studied because a helicopter carrier has all necessary for that: cabins, cook rooms, separate premises, a helicopter hangar and a dock chamber. That is why, now at the design stage we are selecting the medical equipment that should be stationary and should always be inside the ship…Other equipment that is not required in combat operations will not be installed on multi-purpose amphibious assault ships. A place will be reserved for it and an option of accommodating it will be worked out.” Although the current ships are expected to displace around 25,000 tons each, the Russian Navy is reportedly planning to commission a heavier assault carrier class which will displace over 35,000 tons and be able to operate fixed wing aircraft. Experience developing and fielding the smaller ships will likely be relied on to subsequently pursue the larger ones.