The U.S. Navy Feared Russia’s Only Aircraft Carrier Could Sink
Story by Peter Suciu • Yesterday 3:56 PM
Russia’s Big Aircraft Carrier Mistake: So many jokes could be made about the Russian Navy’s flagship aircraft cruiser Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov – or Admiral Kuznetsov, for short – that most comedians would run out of time before they ever ran out of material.
(Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel Here) The cursed carrier has been plagued with endless problems, and it is unclear when – or even if – the Cold War-era warship will ever return to service. What wasn’t a laughing matter is that in late 2011, some United States Navy officials feared the carrier would sink in the Mediterranean Sea as she struggled during her only fourth deployment from her northern base to reach the Russian naval facilities in Syria. The concern was reportedly so great that the United States Navy’s Sixth Fleet was even tasked with maintaining contact in case the carrier floundered.
The fears were actually well-founded, as just two years earlier Admiral Kuznetsov suffered a fire at sea while deployed to the Mediterranean, resulting in the death of a sailor onboard. In addition, the flattop – which had notoriously and routinely belched black smoke – spilled hundreds of tons of fuel into the sea while refueling.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-u-s-navy-feared-russia-s-only-aircraft-carrier-could-sink/ar-AA15xu4x?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=18fc463d60a54d1cbc45eac15c2b8572
