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| UMK Varan |
Militarymedia.net - The Russian design bureau, Nevskoe (PKB) which is a member of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), recently released a lightweight aircraft carrier concept called "UMK (Universal Maritime Complex) Varan."
Varan MSEs will be built with high degree of automation characteristics and the possibility of adopting robotic systems. From the same source it said the aircraft carrier could later carry 24 fighter jets, six helicopters and 20 reconnaissance/combatant drones. Varan's UMK weight is estimated to reach 40,000 tons, while the length of the ship is 250 meters and the width is 65 meters.
Unlike previous Russian aircraft carriers that used ski-jump models, VARAN's MSEs adopted a catapult system to aid the fighter's takeoff process, while to assist landing used aerofiner cables. To support helicopter operations, overall on the deck there are seven helicopter landing sites.
UMK Varan is powered by 4 x GTU, 20 MW/Electric propulsion 2 x GED 40 MW. The aircraft carrier's maximum speed can reach 29 knots. As an element of protection, in its design, UMK Varan will be fitted with 16 hanud missiles.
Apart from all that, what's interesting about Varan's UMK design is the tower design which is a superstructure minimum and is designed to lead to the front. With this model of revolutionary tower, make the deck area seem more spacious. Another source mentioned that UMK Varan is not just an ordinary aircraft carrier, but also has a role as a Landing Platform Dock (LPD), because the aircraft carrier is equipped with a wet dock to in and out of amphibious vehicles on the stern.
The Nevskoe PKB is the only aircraft carrier designer in Russia, and Russia's only current aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, suffered a crane accident and a fire, the aircraft carrier is planned to be re-tested in 2022. This means, for a country as big as Russia in an aircraft carrier emergency.
