Putin's beast: Russia to build 100,000-ton aircraft carrier 'Storm II' to counter West
Putin's beast: Russia to build 100,000-ton aircraft carrier 'Storm II' to counter West
Vladimir Putin plans to construct a colossal 100,000-ton aircraft carrier in an attempt to compete with Western powers, according to retired vice admiral Vladimir Pepelayev, who previously served as the deputy chief of the main staff of the Russian Navy.
Pepelayev, who was responsible for developing a promising aircraft carrier at the Krylov Research Institute, disclosed that the envisioned vessel should have a displacement ranging from 70,000 to 90,000 tons and be equipped with a nuclear reactor. The enormous carrier would also have the capability to deploy stealth fighter jets, specifically the Su-57, reported The Sun.
In an interview with Russian news agency RIA, Pepelayev stated, "Our promising aircraft carrier should have a displacement of 70 to 90 thousand tons, but the most important thing is not the displacement, not air drones, but aircraft. Today, we have Su-33 and MiG-29K/Cube. In the future, our aircraft carrier should be armed with Su-57." He further added that Russia would require a minimum of four such carriers to match the capabilities of Western nations.
Russia's fleet currently trails behind its competitors, as both the United States and China have already commissioned impressive aircraft carriers. However, the ambitious project may never progress beyond the conceptual stage, as previous attempts have encountered significant setbacks.
The most recent carrier design, known as the Storm, was intended to be laid down between 2025 and 2030, but the $5 billion project has made no substantial progress since its introduction in 2017. The immense costs associated with constructing a carrier of such magnitude have proven to be an overwhelming burden for Russia's economy, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Furthermore, nearly half of Russia's Black Sea Fleet has already been targeted by Ukrainian drone or missile strikes since Putin initiated his full-scale invasion in 2022.
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