Career
Designer:	Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau
Shipyard:	Nikolayev South
Ordered:	Unknown
Laid down:	December 6, 1985
Launched:	December 4, 1988
Commissioned:	Never Completed,construction stopped in 1992 with 60% done
Fate:	In storage
General Characteristics
Displacement:	33 000 tonnes currently 53 000-55 000 tonnes standard 66 600-67 500 tonnes full load
Length:	300 metres overall 270 metres at waterline
Beam:	73 metres overall 38 metres at waterline
Draft:	11 metres
Powerplant	Steam turbines, 8 boilers, 4 shafts, 149 MW 2×37MW turbines 9×1500 kW turbogenerators 6×1500 kW diesel generators. Currently no engines were installed
Propellers:	4 with fixed pitch
Speed:	32 knots
Endurance:	45 days 7100 km at 32 knots
Complement:	1960 crew 626 air group 40 flag staff 3857 rooms
Armament: Guns 8 × AK-630 AA guns (6×30 mm, 6,000 round/min/mount, 24,000 rounds) 8 × CADS-1 CIWS (each 2 × 30 mm gatling AA plus 16 3K87 Kortik SAM) Kashtan CIWS gun and missile system (256 missiles, 48,000 rounds; range: 0.5 to 1.5 km) Missiles 12× P-700 Granit SSM 18× 8-cell 3K95 Kinzhal SAM VLS (192 vertical launch missiles; 1 missile per 3 seconds) ASW 2 × RBU-12000 UDAV-1 ASW rocket launchers (60 rockets)
Aircraft: Fixed-wing 12× Su-33 5× Su-25UTG/UBP Helicopters 4× Kamov Ka-27LD32 18× Kamov Ka-27PLO 2× Kamov Ka-27S

Varyag was to be an Admiral Kuznetsov class multirole aircraft carrier. She was known as Riga^[1] when her keel was laid down at Nikolayev South (formerly Shipyard 444) in Nikolayev December 6, 1985,^[2] and she was launched December 4, 1988, but she was renamed Varyag (Varangian) in late 1990, after a famous Russian cruiser. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x686, 183 KB)Obtained from the U.S. Naval War College report Chinas Aircraft Carrier Ambitions: Seeking Truth from Rumors. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China. ... Location Map of Ukraine with Mykolaiv highlighted. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 4th redirects here. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A AK-630 installation aboard a Soviet built Tarantul I class missile boat. ... Phalanx CIWS A Close-in weapon system (CIWS) is a naval shipboard weapon system for detecting and destroying incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft at short range (the threat(s) having penetrated the ships available outer defences). ... The Tunguska Integrated Air Defence System. ... A Kashtan Combat Module with All Weather Integrated Control System Kashtan CIWS is the newest addition to the Russian naval air-defense inventory. ... The P-700 Granit (NATO reporting name SS-N-19 Shipwreck) is a Russian naval anti-ship missile. ... A 9K330 TELAR. Photo from Field Artillery Magazine. ... Anti-submarine warfare (ASW or in older forms A/S) is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft or other submarines to find, track and then damage or destroy enemy submarines. ... The UDAV-1 system is a submarine defense system designed to use different types of rockets for highly efficient multi-layer defence of surface ships against torpedoes. ... An Su-33 preparing for take-off from the deck of the aircraft carrierKuznetsov To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Su-25 of the Russian Air Force The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a battlefield attack, close air support, and anti-tank aircraft designed by the Soviet Union. ... The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name Helix) is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy and currently in service in Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, South Korea, China and India. ... Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov (originally named Tbilisi and then Leonid Brezhnev[1]) is an aircraft carrier (heavy aircraft carrying cruiser (TAVKR) in Russian classification) serving as the flagship of the Russian Navy. ... Four aircraft carriers, (front-to-back) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences. ... Location Map of Ukraine with Mykolaiv highlighted. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 4th redirects here. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Varangians (Russian: Variags, Варяги) were Scandinavians who travelled eastwards, mainly from Jutland and Sweden. ... Cruiser Varyag (also spelled Variag; see Varangian for the meaning of the name) (Russian: ) was a Russian protected cruiser gone down to the military history of Russia. ...

Construction stopped by 1992 with the ship structurally complete but without electronics. Ownership was transferred to the Ukraine as the Soviet Union broke up and the ship was laid up unmaintained, then stripped. In early 1998, she lacked engines, a rudder, and much of her operating systems. She was put up for auction.

Currently the ship is being examined and repaired by China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) after purchasing it at auction^{[citation needed]}. It was widely reported that the ship would become a casino in the Chinese SAR of Macau. This has been proven incorrect as the ship is in a PLAN drydock in Dalian. It has been painted PLAN grey. Many analysts believe that the ship will be used for training as China builds an indigenous aircraft carrier with greater capability. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Special administrative region may be: Peoples Republic of China Special administrative regions, present-day administrative divisions (as of 2006) set up by the Peoples Republic of China to administer Hong Kong (since 1997) and Macau (since 1999) Republic of China Special administrative regions, also translated as special administrative... Dalian (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Dàlián; Japanese: Dairen; Russian: Далянь, Dalian or Дальний, Dalny) is the governing sub-provincial city in the eastern Liaoning Province of Northeast China. ...

Role

Su-33 'Flanker-D' on board Admiral Kuznetsov

While designated an aircraft carrier by the West, the design of the Admiral Kuznetsov class implies a mission different from that of either the United States Navy’s carriers or those of the French Navy. The term used by her builders to describe the Russian ships is tyazholiy avianesushchiy kreyser (TAKR or TAVKR)—“heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser”—intended to support and defend strategic missile-carrying submarines, surface ships, and maritime missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian fleet. This designation allows the Soviet/Russian Navy to circumvent the refusal by Turkey to let aircraft carriers pass the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Image File history File links Su27K_(Su33)_DD-SD-99-06153. ... Image File history File links Su27K_(Su33)_DD-SD-99-06153. ... An Su-33 preparing for take-off from the deck of the aircraft carrierKuznetsov To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Four aircraft carriers, (front-to-back) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser (really an uprated guided missile destroyer), launched in 1992. ... The Soviet Navy (Russian: Военно-морской флот СССР, Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR, literally Naval military forces of the USSR) was the naval arm of the Soviet armed forces. ... The Russian Navy (Russian: Военно-Морской Флот (ВМФ) - Voyenno- Morskoy Flot (VMF) or Military Maritime Fleet) is the naval arm of the Russian armed forces. ... Four aircraft carriers, (front-to-back) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences. ... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale BoÄŸazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as the Hellespont (Greek: Eλλήσποντος, Hellespontos), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. ... Bosphorus - photo taken from International Space Station. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ... NASA satellite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Fixed-wing aircraft on Admiral Kuznetsovs are essentially constrained to air superiority operations. Were Varyag to become operational, it would have also carried for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, as well as anti-ship missiles. Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ... Anti-submarine warfare (ASW or in older forms A/S) is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft or other submarines to find, track and then damage or destroy enemy submarines. ... RBS-15 missile launched from a Sisu missile carriage. ...

Sold at auction

In April 1998, Ukrainian Trade Minister Roman Shpek announced the winning bid—$20 million USD from a small Hong Kong company called the Chong Lot Travel Agency Ltd. Chong Lot proposed to tow Varyag out of the Black Sea, through the Suez Canal and around southern Asia to Macau, where they would moor the ship and convert it into a floating hotel and gambling parlor.^[2] It would be similar to the attractions Kiev in Tianjin and Minsk at Minsk World in Shenzhen. ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Indian Ocean Territory,[1] the British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 2. ... NASA satellite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Suez Canal, seen from Earth orbit, NASA. Ships moored at El Ballah during transit The Suez Canal (Arabic: , transliteration: ), is a large artificial canal in Egypt west of the Sinai Peninsula. ... Aircraft carrier Kiev, USSR, 1975-1996 The aircraft carrier at Tianjin Binhai aircraft carrier theme park on 2004 May 1 The heavy aircraft carrying cruiser[1] Kiev served the Soviet and Russian navies from 1975 to 1996. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: TiānjÄ«n; Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is one of the four municipalities of the Peoples Republic of China. ... USS Elliot (DD-967) conducting surveillance operations against the Soviet aircraft carrier Minsk. ... Minsk World is a military theme park located in Dapeng Bay, Shatoujiao, Shenzhen, China. ... Shenzhen is a sub-provincial city of Guangdong province in southern China, located at the border with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. ...

However, considerable evidence suggested that the future of Varyag is linked to the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and its program to develop an aircraft carrier. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Four aircraft carriers, (front-to-back) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences. ...

Before the auction was closed, officials in Macau had warned Chong Lot that they would not be permitted to berth Varyag in the harbor. The sale was carried out anyway. Chong Lot is owned by a Hong Kong firm called Chin Luck (Holdings) Company. Four of Chin Luck's six board members live in Yantai, China where a major Chinese Navy shipyard is located. Chin Luck's chairman is a former career military officer with the People's Liberation Army.^[2] However, the large involvement of former PLA officers is not necessarily a sign that the firm is a cover organization, because, for historical reasons, it is not unusual in mainland China for a company that actually is involved in tourism or travel to be controlled by former PLA officers. Yantai (Simplified Chinese: 烟台, Traditional Chinese: 煙台; pinyin: Yāntái) is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, Peoples Republic of China. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

However, the People's Republic of China's interest in Varyag is puzzling. Due to the poor condition of the hulk, it is thought highly unlikely that the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will commission the carrier; rather, many analysts suggest that the PLAN intends to examine the carrier as a model for an indigenous carrier to be built later. Others counter that the carrier does not represent modern technology; the PLAN could probably have learned all they needed from Varyag without towing it all the way to China.^[2] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Towed to China

Varyag under tow.

In mid-2000, the Dutch ITC tugboat Suhaili with a Filipino crew was hired to take Varyag under tow. However, Chong Lot could not get permission from Turkey to transit the dangerous Bosporus strait—in addition to safety issues, the Montreux Treaty of 1936 does not allow aircraft carriers to pass the Dardanelles—and the hulk spent 16 months circling in the Black Sea. High-level PRC government ministers conducted negotiations in Ankara on Chong Lot's behalf, offering to allow Chinese tourists to visit cash-strapped Turkey if the travel agency's ship were allowed to pass through the straits. On 1 November 2001, Turkey finally relented from its position that the vessel posed too great of a danger to the bridges of Istanbul, and allowed the transit. Image File history File linksMetadata USNWC_Varyag01. ... Image File history File linksMetadata USNWC_Varyag01. ... The Le Four manoeuvering in Brest harbour A tugboat, or tug, is a boat used to manoeuvre, primarily by towing or pushing other vessels (see shipping) in harbours, over the open sea or through rivers and canals. ... Bosporus - photo taken from International Space Station. ... Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits was a 1936 agreement that gives Turkey control over the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. ... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale BoÄŸazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as the Hellespont (Greek: Eλλήσποντος, Hellespontos), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. ... NASA satellite image of the Black Sea Map of the Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the countrys second largest city after Ä°stanbul. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

Escorted by 27 vessels including 11 tug boats and three pilot boats, Varyag took six hours to transit the strait; most large ships take an hour and a half. The Russian press reported that 16 pilots and 250 seamen were involved. At 11:45am on 2 November, she completed her passage and made for Gallipoli and Çanakkale at 5.8 knots. She passed through the Dardanelles without incident. November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... Gallipoli peninsula (Turkish: , Greek: ) is located in Turkish Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. ... The Çanakkale seafront, with the wooden horse from the 2004 film Troy Çanakkale, pronounced , is a town and seaport in Turkey, in Çanakkale Province, on the southern (Asiatic) coast of the Dardanelles (or Hellespont). ... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale BoÄŸazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as the Hellespont (Greek: Eλλήσποντος, Hellespontos), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. ...

On November 3, Varyag was caught in a force 9 gale and broke adrift while passing the Greek island of Skyros. Sea rescue workers tried to re-capture the hulk, which was drifting toward the island of Evia. The seven-member crew (three Russians, three Ukrainians and one Filipino) remained on board as six tugboats tried to reestablish their tow. However, after many failed attempts to reattach the lines, a Greek coast guard rescue helicopter landed on Varyag and picked up four of the seven crew. One tug managed to make a line fast to the ship later in the day, but high winds severely hampered efforts by two other tugs to secure the ship. On 6 November, Aries Lima (reported as both Dutch and Portuguese), a sailor from the tug Haliva Champion, died after a fall while attempting to reattach the tow lines. On 7 November, the hulk was taken back under tow and progress resumed at some three knots. November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... ... Skyros (Greek: Σκύρος) is the southernmost island of the Sporades, a Greek archipelago in the Aegean Sea. ... Euboea or Negropont or Negroponte (Modern Greek: Εύβοια Evia, Ancient Greek Εúβοια Eúboia; see also List of traditional Greek place names), is the largest island of the Greek archipelago. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ...

The Suez Canal does not permit passage of "dead" ships—those without power—so the hulk was towed through the Straits of Gibraltar, around the Cape of Good Hope, and through the Straits of Malacca. The tugs towing the hulk maintained an average speed of 6 knots over the 15,200 nautical mile journey, calling for bunkers and supplies at Piraeus, Greece, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Maputo, Mozambique, and Singapore en route. They entered Chinese waters on 20 February 2002, and arrived 3 March at Dalian Shipyard in northeastern China. China continued to assert that Varyag would be a casino. However, when Macau awarded new casino licenses in February 2002, Chong Lot was not among successful bidders. The hulk was tied up at Dalian and left to rust. The total cost of acquiring the hulk was over $30 million USD: $25 million to the Ukrainian government for the hull, nearly $500,000 in transit fees, and some $5 million for the towing. Suez Canal, seen from Earth orbit, NASA. Ships moored at El Ballah during transit The Suez Canal (Arabic: , transliteration: ), is a large artificial canal in Egypt west of the Sinai Peninsula. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point. ... The Straits of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ... Piraeus, or Peiraeus (Modern Greek: Πειραιά(ς) Pireá(s), Ancient Greek / Katharevousa: Πειραιεύς Pireéfs) is a city in the prefecture of Attica, Greece, located south of Athens. ... Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a Spanish city, the capital city of Gran Canaria one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, 210 kilometers located off the northwestern coast of Africa. ... Maputo is the capital of Mozambique. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (63rd in leap years). ... Dalian (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Dàlián; Japanese: Dairen; Russian: Далянь, Dalian or Дальний, Dalny) is the governing sub-provincial city in the eastern Liaoning Province of Northeast China. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Three years later

After little activity for three years, Varyag was moved in early June 2005 to a dry dock at Dalian. Her hull was sandblasted and scaffolding erected around her. The only statement that could be obtained from Chinese officials is that she is being maintained for military purposes—not entertainment or any other private enterprise. The most visible modification done to the Varyag is that her island has been painted in a red marine primer that is used to treat corroded metal. U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Dalian (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Dàlián; Japanese: Dairen; Russian: Далянь, Dalian or Дальний, Dalny) is the governing sub-provincial city in the eastern Liaoning Province of Northeast China. ... Sandblasting is a generic term for the process of smoothing, shaping and cleaning a hard surface by forcing solid particles across that surface at high speeds. ... Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–750 nm. ...

Speculation

Analysts believe that the PLAN will use Varyag as a training platform for carrier take-offs and landings. Robert Karniol, the Asia editor of Jane's Defence Weekly, said: "The Chinese haven't seen this type of carrier before and it could be very useful to them. They are trying to vacuum up as much know how as they can." Liu Huaqing, a senior admiral of the PLAN and proponent of naval modernization, has spoken of the 21st century as the "century of the sea" and called for naval modernization over several decades. At the same time, there has been resistance within the PLAN at Liu Huaqing's vision for an extensive Chinese navy, leading to constant debates between developing aircraft carriers and submarines. Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the naval arm of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), the military of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Janes Defence Weekly (abbreviated as JDW) is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs. ... Liu Huaqing (劉華清, pinyin liu2 hua2 qing1) (b. ... The 21st century is the present century of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Liu Huaqing (劉華清, pinyin liu2 hua2 qing1) (b. ... Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. ...

The United States Department of Defense's annual report on Chinese military capabilities for 2002 states that while continuing to research and discuss possibilities, China appears to have set aside indefinitely plans to acquire an aircraft carrier. This view is consistent with the statements of the Chinese government, which has publicly stated that an aircraft carrier is far too expensive for it to be considered right now. The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ...

Nevertheless, it was painted in PLAN grey in 2005.On 24 October 2006, the Kommersant online daily newspaper revealed Russia plans to sell up to 50 Su-33 fighters for in a $2.5 billion deal. The deal has gone through according to the Feb 2007 issue of AIRFORCES MONTHLY. Also recent photos in the Dalian Shipyard have shown that a yellow anti-skid primer was added to the flightdeck. Then the final flight deck turf layering was added on top of it. The vessel has also been painted in the standard PLA Naval colors for operational use. This clearly indicates that the PLA Navy intends to use the ex-Varyag as an operational carrier within the next 24 to 36 months.

The Varyag have been given a provisional name of Shi Lang with pennant number 83 by Janes Fighting Ships in January 2007 from various sources. Shi Lang is named after a Ming-Qing Dynasty admiral who retook Taiwan. Shi Lang (Chinese: ; 1621-1696) was a Ming-Qing admiral who had extensive experience in southeastern China. ... Shi Lang (Chinese: ; 1621-1696) was a Ming-Qing admiral who had extensive experience in southeastern China. ...

See also

• List of aircraft carriers
• List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union

External links

• varyagworld.com
• Varyag article on sinodefence.com