Aircraft carriers have always been at the core of naval strength for decades – they are basically airbases on water, which can extend their power by far beyond the ports they come from. Russia was not just aiming at creating a supercarrier model that would be outright better than the rest. It was rather a matter of pride, presenting itself as a rival to the big carrier fleets of the planet.
That dream turned into the Ulyanovsk-bodied ship in the late 80s, which was meant not only to take the Soviet Navy to the level of global sea powers but also to be the most powerful sea navy. Instead, it became one of the greatest “what-ifs” in history.
A year later, the construction of Ulyanovsk was launched at the Mykolaiv shipyard. It was defined as Project 1143.7 and was imagined as the very first exceptional supercarrier of the Soviet Union—not only designed to keep pace with the competition but also to equalize it in all aspects. Compared to the previous one, Admiral Kuznetsov, which was only allowed to take off from the ski-jump ramp, Ulyanovsk was going to be providewithby an aircraft catapult, so it was possible to launch fully loaded planes similar to its American counterparts.
The dimensions of the ship were staggering. Almost 324 meters in length and weighing close to 80,000 tons, it would have been one of the biggest carriers in the world. In addition to the four nuclear reactors that fueled four turbines, the Ulyanovsk project was supposed to leave the sea up to 30 knots and stay at sea for as long as the crew was tired.
The flight deck was to serve as a powerful combination of up to 70 aircraft, such as Su-33 fighter aircraft, Yak-44 early warning planes, and Ka-27 helicopters. Besides, compared to pure aviation-oriented carriers, Ulyanovsk would also have been crowded with heavy arms: P-700 Granit missiles, S-300 surface-to-air missiles, and a variety of close-in defense systems. It was not a vessel, but a limiting factor of the Soviet Navy was about to show its power by implementing a carrier strike force.
But the wheel of history had a different turn. As the Soviet system was breaking apart, the naval ambitions of the Soviet Union died along with it. By 1992, only one part of Ulyanovsk was half-finished, and both governments that had just separated were short of money and did not have the political will to go on.
The blank hull was already ordered to be disassembled because of the soaring costs that had reached billions, and with economic survival taking precedence. The unboxing of the supercarriers’ dream ended at the shipyard on February 4, 1992.
The effect of that decision is still present today. The only aircraft carrier in Russia, Admiral Kuznetsov, is no longer celebrated for its major capabilities but rather for its frequent malfunctions. It has been a victim of fire during repair work, a crane accident that has done a lot of damage, and engine problems that are ongoing.
Even when it is on an assignment, it goes accompanied by a tugboat—just in case it cannot return by itself. For a lot of people who work on Kuznetsov, it is more of a tough time rather than a joyous one.
Ulyanovsk was never entirely out of the picture. The design of the planned nuclear-powered Shtorm reemerged periodically, promising up-to-date substitutes. However, those are still far from being citizens and are only regarded as projects constrained by the budget cut and changing priorities. More than the things that could be built, Ulyanovsk is about the things that were lost the most.
The lesson is still valid. No matter how daring, even the most impressive military endeavors can wither under the juggernaut of political unrest and economic hardship. The Ulyanovsk project, which was never actually built, remains as one of the most impressive missed opportunities in history and serves as a reminder of the precariousness of naval supremacy.