The Russian BCVGN(X)

Back in early April, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky discussed some of the intentions behind the aviation ship project Russia will begin designing this year. Last week he confirmed several of those details, and also added that as design begins this year, construction will begin around the 2012 time frame.

As observers of the Russian Navy, we are curious of Russian ambitions to develop aviation ships, and have been researching all comments that might tip off what Russia is thinking. The following translation is by me, so it may not be perfect, but babblefish is stupid. This comment by Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky back on April 4th specifically caught our attention.

"these will be brand new ships that will carry existing aircraft, but also unmanned flying vehicles and technologies for influence towards space."

We found another discussion translated from an ITAR-TASS article from April 4th of a similar comment.

"these will be the fundamentally new ships, on which, besides usual aircraft, unmanned flying vehicles will be based, and there will also be serious strings to space".

However you want to translate Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky's comments, the last part of his discussion in April with the "space" aspect is the key clue in our opinion.

News agencies have translated the Russian aviation ship discussion as aircraft carriers, but we want to highlight the accurate translation is in fact aviation capable ships, the same words used to describe the Kiev class 20 years ago. The aviation capable ships Russia has suggested they will build have been estimated at 50,000 tons each, support for around 30 planes, helicopters, and UAVs, and it will be nuclear powered.

In following some of the discussions that have come from Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky's comments in April, we are starting to think Russia is planning to build a hybrid ship that crosses a nuclear powered ballistic missile battlecruiser and an aircraft carrier. A 50,000 Kiev II class perhaps?

It will be interesting to see more discussions on this aviation ship topic as the Russian design effort begins. If indeed the Russians are crossing a BMD cruiser and an aircraft carrier, we are observing a trend worth noting as nations look to the future.

Perhaps BAE was simply leading the way with their UXV Combatant, and the design will prove to be a trend in the 21st century instead of a novel concept.