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24 new fighter jets for Russian aircraft carrier

The Russian Northern fleet aircraft-carrier Admiral Kuznetsov at port in Murmansk.
Russia's only aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" at port in Murmansk.

Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the “Admiral Kuznetsov”, is strengthened
with 24 new fighter jets.

Location

The first four new aircrafts will be handed over to the Northern Fleet in 2013, while the remaining 20 will be delivered before the end of 2015, Murman.ru reports.

It is the MiG-29KUB jets, a two-seat aircraft first of all developed for training purposes, which will be handed over the Navy in 2013. The remaining aircrafts are of the model MiG-29K, a one-seat fully-fledged fighter jet developed for navy operations.

The MiG-29K (photo: migavia.ru)

The MiG-29K (Photo: migavia.ru)

The new jets means a full upgrade of the aircraft fleet of the “Admiral Kuznetsov”. Currently, the aircraft carrier has a total of ten SU-33 (Flanker-D) jets, as well as two Su-25UTG training jets.

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The MiG-29K/KUB jet is a generation 4++ fighter jet specially developed for aircraft carriers and operations at sea. Compared with previous models, the MiG-29K/KUB has twice as big air capacities and a 2,5 times cheaper flight time, aircraft manufactorer MiG informs on its website. Weapons system includes “A-A”, “A-S” missiles, guided aerial bombs, rockets, aerial bombs and built-in air-gun of 30 mm caliber, and more.