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Kuznetsov’s Retrofit: Carrier Gets New Fire Detection System

Rubric: Russia, Industry

The Russian company named Krizo will replace the fire detection system on the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. Expected supply cost of the Crab-M equipment set is about 500 mln rubles, an informed source told Mil.Press Today. These are the first details disclosed about the ship’s repair and modernization project that starts at the 35th Ship Repair Plant.

According to the interviewee, apart from the Krizo’s offer, the client considered mounting on the carrier of a version of the Gamma system designed and produced by NPO PAS. However, the latter offer is twice cheaper, about 200 mln rubles. Both companies submitted their offers to the Nevskoye Design Bureau, an insider told Mil.Press Today.

Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the dock

Being asked to tell about the supplies, the Krizo’s representative recommended to send an official request. The NPO PAS spokesman answering the question about the differences between Crab-M and Gamma systems said the latter was developed earlier and distinguished with complexity, and that its different versions were used on dozens of the Russian Navy’s ships.
The decisions to supply a certain system on the Russian warships are often made solely by a customer, being influenced by own considerations, another industry-involved insider told Mil.Press Today. So, in this case the price issue is not the crucial one, summed up the source.
In August 2017, Mil.Press Today posted an article titled "How to Speed Up Ship Fire Detection from 15 to 5 Minutes Without False Alarms". The material contained descriptions of new solutions reducing time for searching of hot spots.

The Gamma system provides control of modular and centralized gas fire-extinguishing units. According to designers, NPO PAS was the first Russian company presenting such kind of a system. The Gamma-01 system is compatible with all types of call points. Also, NPO PAS produces gas firefighting modules offering to use integrated systems, both in fire alarm and fire extinguishing.

The Crab-M is designed for control of fire hazards onboard the ship, generation of signals to activate firefighting facilities, flame and smoke alarm in protected premises, and humidity monitoring. The system provides the core device or a higher level system with the data on current values of controlled parameters, temperature rise, a fire site, and the system’s technical conditions.

For reference


Admiral Kuznetsov is the Project 11435 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, the only ship of the kind in Russia. Launched in December 1985, operated since December 1990. Length is 306 meters, max beam is 72 meters, displacement is 59,000 tons.

Except for the air component (Su-33 and MiG-29K fighters; Ka-52, Ka-29 and Ka-27 helicopters), the carrier is armed with antiship cruise missiles P-700 Granit, air defense systems Klinok and Kashtan.