Ship AhoyConcurrent with these developments, even bigger events were taking place in the Soviet naval arena. Following the commissioning of the two Moskva class helicopter carriers, Moskva and Leningrad, in 1968 and 1969 respectively, the Soviet Navy under the guidance of Defense Minister Marshal Grechko had embarked on a program to introduce conventional carrier designs able to equal or better anything the Americans had. While the Moskvas were revolutionary in the sense that they were the first Soviet ships dedicated to carrying an air wing, it was clear that they were insufficient to fulfil the full role of aircraft carriers in fleet operations. The key problem was that they could not effectively provide the fleet with organic fighter cover. The Russian Navy now took the next step, assembling a specification for a new type of ship to carry not only helicopters, but fixed-wing fighter aircraft.
This resulted in the first ‘real’ Russian aircraft carrier to date. Named Project Orel, this nuclear-powered ship would displace 80,000 tons and carried seventy conventional (that is, non-vertical takeoff/landing) aircraft. These aircraft would serve in an American-style multipurpose air wing, capable of fulfilling the fighter, attack, and airborne early-warning roles. There were some differences between the Orel vessel and an American super carrier though, primarily in Orel's own battery of dedicated anti-ship missiles (carried in missile silos in the deck). However, the philosophies underlying both designs were very similar, a point underscored by an order reportedly from Defense Minister Grechko himself during one debate on the topic: "Why are you splitting hairs here? Make an aircraft carrier like the Americans have, with that kind of aircraft fleet."
This was not such an easy thing to do though since the Soviets did not have any aircraft that were specifically designed for carrier operations. As such a number of new and modified aircraft were developed concurrent to the new carrier:
Amongst the first considered was the new Su-19 – in the form of the Su-19K. However, despite being designed for extreme STOL type operations, this was found to be simply too heavy. In addition, the lift jets had already been found too limiting – no weapons were able to be carried under the fuselage and the jets used a lot of space that could have been better used for fuel. Moreover, the lift jets were found to be extremely damaging on runways and decks alike.
Working from data provided by the Central Aerodynamics & Hydrodynamics Institute (TsAGI), Sukhoi OKB engineers now decided to focus on a Variable Geometry (VG) modification instead, resulting in an aircraft concept very similar to the US F-111. When the prototype T6-2I performed its initial flight on 17 January 1970, once again with Vladimir Ilyushin at the controls, it was a substantially different aircraft. Along with the VG wings, it was powered by new, powerful Lyulka AL-21F afterburning turbojet engines, not the R-27F2-300 engines of the earlier Su-19. In addition, fixed ventral fins were added, the fuselage was modified, and the tailplane shape was changed to mesh more closely with the VG wings when they were fully swept. The undercarriage was also strengthened to compensate for higher takeoff weight and deck landings and a retractable in-flight refuelling probe was fitted in the nose, just ahead of the cockpit (Tanker services were often provided by a second Su-24 carrying a UPAZ-1A Sakhalin buddy tanker pod on the centerline). In service, the new aircraft would be designated the Su-24 (NATO still used the Fencer reporting name though – designating these new aircraft simply as “Fencer B” with the earlier Su-19 being the “Fencer A”). Initially two versions were developed:
• The Su-24K strike aircraft – this had essentially the same sensor fit as the earlier Su-19 but with additional maritime attack profiles and weapons; and
• The Su-24KP dedicated air defence aircraft – this was a version of the Su-24K but optimised for the Fleet Air Defence Role. Unlike the basic Su-24K, this had intakes with variable ramps, allowing a maximum speed of 2,320 km/h (1,440 mph), Mach 2.18, at altitude and a ceiling of some 17,500 m (57,400 ft). More impressive though was its sensor suite. This was centred around the new revolutionary Tikhomirov passive electronically scanned array radar, the Zaslon S-800. Its maximum range against fighter-sized targets was approximately 200 km (125 mi), and it was able to track up to 10 targets and simultaneously attack four of them. The radar was matched with an infrared search and tracking (IRST). Typical armament comprised 4 – 6 Vympel R-33 (AA-9 'Amos') missiles each with a 160km range as the primary weapon. In addition to these, both Vympel R-27 (AA-10 ‘Alamo’) and Molniya R-60 (AA-8 'Aphid') were also carried in addition to the internal Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23 six-barreled 23-millimeter Gatling-type cannon.
Complimenting the Su-24s were:
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23K Tactical Fighter –a navalised version of the MiG-23ML, this served in the tactical fighter role in support of the Su-24s, though before long was phased out in favour of a larger Su-24 compliment;
• Korchagin Kor-1 Typhoon multirole carrier-based aircraft. Although part of a proposed family of aircraft, (including ground attack aircraft, air-to-air refuelers, AEW&C and Light transports) the Kor-1 was initially only selected to operate in the dedicated antisubmarine role.
• Antonov An-71 – a variant of the Antonov An-72 transport aircraft, this fulfilled the role of organic AEW&C on the ships with up to four being carried. Its sister, the An-72K served in the COD role, though these were rarely based on ship.
• Kamov Ka-27 – developed for ferrying, search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare, multiple variants of this design were carried. Intended to replace the decade-old Ka-25, it adopted a similar configuration to its predecessor due to the requirements of fitting in the same hangar space. Like other Kamov military helicopters it has a co-axial rotor, removing the need for a tail rotor.
The first of the new carriers, Orel (Eagle) was launched in 1975. A year later it was joined by its brother (all Russian ships being considered ‘male’) Rodina (Mother Russia). The trials of the new ships went unexpectedly well with proper service entry taking place in 1977. The third and last of the original version, Varyag (Viking) was commissioned in 1979. Initially, the ships would enter service with the Northern and Pacific Fleets. Later, as more ships were added to the class (see below), this would be expanded to include the Atlantic (based in Cuba) and Mediterranean Fleets (based in Syria).
In April 1980, the Orel caused the biggest USN/USAF operation since the end of the Vietnam war and perhaps even since the Cuban Missile Crisis when the ship and its battle group, comprising of the Kirov class battlecruiser, Kirov, two Kara II class air warfare cruisers and two Kresta II class ASW cruisers along with support and supply ships made a visit to Cuba. This would also be the first of many times that the Su-24Ks and the F-14 counterparts would encounter each other. The fact that the Russians had nicknamed their mounts the Ovcharka (Russian sheep or shepherd dog) and the Americans the Tomcat was not lost on observers, with more than one comment about the ‘cat and dog’ sparing. This visit is also often credited with helping to propel Ronald Reagan into the US Presidency following his claims that under Jimmy Carter, the USN had lost naval dominance in ‘its own back yard’.

