Nevskoe bureau designs aircraft carriers and landing ships — Part 1.

Nevskoe Design Bureau informed TASS about its new Varan aircraft-carrying ship. It is a unified platform to create several types of big surface warships: aircraft carrier, universal amphibious assault ship, hospital ship and Arctic supply vessel.
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Artist rendering of new Russian aircraft carrier concept by Nevskoe Design Bureau (Picture source: MilitaryLeak)

The project currently exists only as a computer picture, however it shows the development trends of the Russian shipbuilding, TASS military writer Dmitry Litovkin said. Varan is distinguished by a modular design. It is assembled from various units. It accelerates construction and allows easily using the platform to build an aircraft carrier, an amphibious assault ship, a hospital ship or an Arctic supply vessel.

The technology is introduced by Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk, which is the main producer of nuclear submarines. The enterprise is switching to a modular-block construction method. It makes a nuclear submarine from prefabricated sections with all the equipment instead of building the hull first and then installing all machinery and equipment through special technological openings. Head of Sevmash Design Bureau Alexander Spiridonov received the top award of the Krylov Scientific-Technical Society in the Young Shipbuilder-Engineer-2017 contest for the idea.

Rubin Design Bureau is also engaged in the work. Its CEO Igor Vilnit told TASS the bureau had designed a line of modular unmanned underwater craft. “We initiated a series of autonomous unmanned underwater craft built by a modular design,” he said.

The modular scheme allows adapting the product for any specific task. Vilnit said the cost and capabilities of the design make it competitive in the world market. The technology can be used in future to design sophisticated nuclear submarines. The unification idea proposes that the subs will have similar modular blocks with technological equipment and devices, while the compartments for weapons will differ according to the missions. The military will tell shipyards whether they need an SSBN or SSGN.

Nevskoe Design Bureau has been regularly presenting projects of aircraft-carrying and amphibious assault ships of late. They include the Lamantin-class aircraft carrier of project 11430E, which was displayed at the Navy show in St. Petersburg in 2019, and Priboi-class universal amphibious assault ships.

Lamantin is a 350-meter long aircraft carrier with a displacement of 90 thousand tons. The flight deck has a bow ski-jump with two launch sites. They will have electromagnetic catapults. There is a deck with launch positions and four arresters. The warship has an island superstructure moved to the starboard. The crew comprises 2800 men and the airpower is 800-men strong. The cruising capacity is 120 days.

The nuclear reactor of the Lamantin provides high running and combat characteristics. The estimated maximum speed is 30 knots. The cruising range is practically unlimited. Maintenance and overhaul can keep it operational for half a century. The airpower has to comprise 60 various aircraft. The ski-jump and catapults are fit for light and heavy fighter jets, as well as AEW aircraft. Helicopters will also be engaged. The warship will operate up to ten drones. Some airpower will stay in a hangar.

The Priboi project exists as a mockup. There is no order from the Defense Ministry, but Nevskoe Bureau continues to design prospective warships on its own initiative. 3D computer technologies allow doing it at a low cost.