Kiev-class aircraft carrier

	Novorossiysk in 1986
Class overview
Name	Kiev class
Builders	Chernomorsky Shipyard 444
Operators	Soviet Navy; Russian Navy; Indian Navy;
Preceded by	Moskva class
Succeeded by	Kuznetsov class (Russian Navy); Vikrant class (Indian Navy);
Subclasses	Baku class
Built	1970–1987
In service	1975–1996; 2013–present;
Completed	4
Active	1
Preserved	2
General characteristics
Type	Aircraft cruiser/Aircraft carrier
Displacement	42,000–45,000 tons full load
Length	273 m (895 ft 8 in)
Beam	53 m (173 ft 11 in) o/a; 31 m (101 ft 8 in) w/l;
Draught	10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	8 turbopressurized boilers, 4 steam turbines (200,000 shp (150,000 kW)), four shafts
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Complement	1,200 to 1,600
Sensors &; processing systems	MR-600 'Voskhod' air-search radar; MR-710 'Fregat' air/surface radar; Privod-SV radiolocation system ; MG-342 Orion active bow sonar; MGK-355 Platina passive sonar system;
Electronic warfare; & decoys	MRP-150 Gurzuf A; MRP-152 Gurzuf B;
Armament	See article for variations; 80 to 200 surface-to-air missiles; 2 dual-purpose guns; 8 close-in weapons systems; 10 torpedo tubes;
Aircraft carried	Up to 30, including:; 12 × Yak-38 aircraft; 16 × Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopters;
Aviation facilities	Abbreviated angled aft flight deck

The Kiev class, Soviet designation Project 1143 Krechyet (gyrfalcon), was the first class of fixed-wing aircraft carriers (heavy aviation cruiser in Soviet classification) built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. In addition to its aviation capabilities, the Kiev-class incorporated a large armament of anti-ship cruise missiles, surface to air missile systems, and sonar equipment, making it an aircraft cruiser.

The Soviet Union built and commissioned a total of four Kiev-class carriers, which served in the Soviet then Russian navies between 1975 and 1996. Kiev and Minsk were sold to China as museum ships, while Novorossiysk was scrapped. The fourth ship, Baku, was sold to the Indian Navy as Admiral Gorshkov in 2004, and after years of extensive modifications and refurbishment, is in active service as the INS Vikramaditya.

Class overview
Novorossiysk in 1986
Name	Kiev class
Builders	Chernomorsky Shipyard 444
Operators	Soviet Navy Russian Navy Indian Navy
Preceded by	Moskva class
Succeeded by	Kuznetsov class (Russian Navy) Vikrant class (Indian Navy)
Subclasses	Baku class
Built	1970–1987
In service	1975–1996 2013–present
Completed	4
Active	1
Preserved	2
General characteristics
Type	Aircraft cruiser/Aircraft carrier
Displacement	42,000–45,000 tons full load
Length	273 m (895 ft 8 in)
Beam	53 m (173 ft 11 in) o/a 31 m (101 ft 8 in) w/l
Draught	10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	8 turbopressurized boilers, 4 steam turbines (200,000 shp (150,000 kW)), four shafts
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Complement	1,200 to 1,600
Sensors & processing systems	MR-600 'Voskhod' air-search radar MR-710 'Fregat' air/surface radar Privod-SV radiolocation system MG-342 Orion active bow sonar MGK-355 Platina passive sonar system
Electronic warfare & decoys	MRP-150 Gurzuf A MRP-152 Gurzuf B
Armament	See article for variations 80 to 200 surface-to-air missiles 2 dual-purpose guns 8 close-in weapons systems 10 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried	Up to 30, including: 12 × Yak-38 aircraft 16 × Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopters
Aviation facilities	Abbreviated angled aft flight deck