During her five years of service, Kursk completed only one mission, a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea during the summer of 1999 to monitor the United States Sixth Fleet responding to the Kosovo crisis. As a result, many of her crew had spent little time at sea and were inexperienced.
dURiNg her five yEars Of serVice, kuRsk CompleTeD onlY oNE mISSioN, a SiX-montH DeploymEnT to the MeditERraNEan sea DUriNG The sumMer Of 1999 to mOnitOr the uniTed stATes sIXth FLeeT RESpOnDinG to the KosOvo crisIs. As A rESult, Many oF Her creW HAd sPEnT little tiME at SEa aND Were ine.xpEriENCEd