Kiev, 1972 Kiev-class aircraft carrier
The Kiev is a former Soviet aircraft cruiser now resting on land in Tianjin. The vessel spans 273 meters in length and combines anti-ship firepower with a flight platform for aircraft and helicopters stored in a hangar below deck.
Construction of the Kiev began in 1970 in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, with its launch in 1972 and official service entry in 1975. The ship served the Soviet and Russian navies during the Cold War, was retired in 1993, and was later sold to China where it opened as a museum in 2004.
The Kiev bears the name of a Soviet naval vessel and stands as a symbol of Cold War maritime power projection. Visitors can walk the decks and grasp the scale needed to operate aircraft and helicopters from a combat ship at sea.
The ship is located in the Zhongxin Tianjin Ecological City park, where visitors can explore multiple decks and compartments to understand shipboard life. The vessel's size means walking through various levels takes time, so comfortable footwear is advisable.
The ship featured a ski-jump ramp instead of catapults, allowing aircraft to take off from a short runway with less assistance. This design approach was adopted by later Soviet carriers and represented an innovative solution to carrier aviation challenges.
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