Russia to form own groups of aircraft carriers

Vice Admiral Victor Chirkov, Commander of the Russian Naval Forces, confirmed plans to build aircraft carriers, RIA Novosti reports.

Chirkov replaces Vladimir Vysotsky on the position. The latter said in February that a new design of an aircraft carrier would be ready in 2014 and aircraft carrier built after 2020. Chirkov said in Saint-Petersburg that submarines of Project 955 Borey, Project 885 Yasen and corvettes of Projects 20380 and 20385 will join the fleet soon.

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced plans to build aircraft carriers in November 2011. The military ordered construction of ships at the United Ship-Building Corporation, but no financing was planned for 2011-2020. The design should be ready by the end of 2012.

The Russian Navy has an aircraft carrier built in the 1980s. It is called Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, part of the North Fleet.