How Did a Russian Aircraft Carrier Catch Fire in China?

Summary and Key Points: The decommissioned Soviet aircraft carrier Minsk, once a proud member of the Soviet Pacific Fleet, caught fire while undergoing renovations in China for conversion into a military-themed tourist attraction.

-Anchored near Shanghai, Minsk had served as the centerpiece of a now-closed theme park for 16 years before the fire broke out on August 16, causing extensive damage to its superstructure.

-Despite no casualties, the fire has cast doubt on the future of the project. Minsk was a Kiev-Class carrier active from 1978 to 1994, but it now faces an uncertain future as a potential tourist attraction.

Why Was an Old Soviet Aircraft Carrier on Fire in China? 

Even decommissioned Soviet/Russian military equipment is faring poorly these days. Minsk, a decommissioned Soviet aircraft carrier that was sold to the Chinese for conversion into a tourist attraction, caught fire last weekend.

For eight years, Minsk has been anchored in a lagoon near Shanghai along the Yangtze River. The aircraft carrier was undergoing renovations for conversion into a tourist attraction that would be a part of a new military-themed park. Minsk had already spent 16 years as the central attraction at a now-closed theme park.

The fire started on August 16 and was extinguished within 24 hours, according to reports. 

“Images on social media showed thick smoke and large flames burning on the deck of the carrier,” CNN reported, “with later pictures showing extensive damage to the ship’s superstructure and charred metal on its flank below the main deck.”

According to local fire officials, the fire resulted in no casualties. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire reduces the likelihood that Minsk will become the centerpiece of a new theme park. “It’s a pity that a fire has made the prospects of this project full of too many uncertainties,” one official said.

Better Days

Before being decommissioned and sold to China, Minsk was a proud member of the Soviet Pacific Fleet. The second of four Kiev-Class carriers, Minsk served from 1978 until 1994. Unlike American aircraft carriers of the same era, Minsk was conventionally powered, with an endurance of 13,500 nautical miles. An American contemporary had an endurance of about 25 years.

Minsk was smaller than her American contemporaries, too. Measuring 896 feet long, with a 161-foot beam, Minsk displaced 41,380 pounds when fully loaded. For propulsion, the carrier relied on four shaft geared steam turbines capable of generating 140,000 horsepower and a top speed of 32 knots.

Minsk was loaded with a variety of weaponry: four twin SS-N-12 Sandbox SSM launchers; two twin SA-N-3 Shtorm SAM launchers; two twin SA-N-4 Gecko SAM launchers; two twin 76 mm guns; eight AK-630 30 mm Close In Weapons Systems; ten 533 mm torpedo tubes; one twin SUW-N-1 ASW rocket launcher; and two RBU-600 anti-submarine rocket launchers.

The carrier boarded sixteen Yak-38M fighter aircraft and eighteen Kamov-25/27 helicopters. Again, American contemporaries were more impressive, with the ability to carry more than 100 fighter jets. 

While Minsk may never recover from the fire to serve as a tourist attraction, its sister ship, Kiev, is currently an attraction at the Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park in Tianjin.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image Credit: Creative Commons.