In
December 2011 it was reported that the Russian Defense Ministry was planning to
refit the Admiral Nakhimov, Admiral Lazarev and Admiral Ushakov missile
cruisers by 2020 in a major boost for the Russian Navy's combat strength. The
Admiral Ushakov, which has been docked at the Zvezdochka shipyard in
Severodvinsk, has not been determined.
Russia built four Kirov class nuclear-powered cruisers in 1974-1998. One of them, the Pyotr Veliky, is still in active service as the flagship of the Northern Fleet.
Russia built four Kirov class nuclear-powered cruisers in 1974-1998. One of them, the Pyotr Veliky, is still in active service as the flagship of the Northern Fleet.
The
Russian Kirov Class Heavy Missile Cruise Ship are the world's largest
'cruisers' and might best be termed "battle cruisers". Originally
designed as a large antisubmarine warship to search for and engage enemy
ballistic missile submarines, the Kirov's role was expanded to engage large
surface targets and provide air and antisubmarine protection to naval forces
after the introduction of the Granit antiship missile system. There are substantial
differences in the equipment of each unit of this class.
The
ship is armed with the Granit long range anti-ship missile system, known in the
West as the Shipwreck missile. Twenty Granit antiship missiles are installed
under the upper deck, mounted at a 60 degree elevation. The long-range missiles
cannot be controlled once launched, but do have a multivariant target
engagement program. When ripple-fired the missiles share information while
in-flight. The lead missile assumes a high-level flight trajectory enabling it
to increase its target acquisition capacity, while the other missiles follow at
a lower level. If the lead missile is destroyed, one of the other missiles will
automatically assume the lead role.
An
S-300F Air Defence Missile Complex is installed on the ship, with 12 launchers
and 96 vertical launch air defence missiles. The S-300F is capable of engaging
both air and surface targets. The ship has two Osa-Ma double launchers and 40
air defence missiles. The ship is also fitted with a 130 mm AK-130 multipurpose
two barrel gun. The ship's 30 mm artillery system is the AK-630 used to engage
airborne targets including sea skimming anti-ship missiles, small sea vessels,
floating mines and light armoured land based targets. The ship accommodates
three Kamov Ka-27PL or Ka-25RT helicopters. The ship has ten missile or torpedo
tubes with 20 Vodopad-NK anti-submarine missiles or torpedoes. The ship has two
anti-submarine and anti-torpedo rocket systems, the Udav-1 with 40
anti-submarine rockets and the RBU-1000. The ship has two RBU-1000 six-tube
anti-submarine rocket launchers, with 102 rockets.
The
ship's propulsion system is based on a combination of nuclear power and steam
turbine, with two [four according to some sources] nuclear reactors and two
auxiliary boilers. The propulsion system provides a full speed of 31 knots.
When operating on the auxiliary boilers the ship's speed is 14 knots and the
ship has an endurance of 60 days. The selection of the machinery was determined
by the role of the cruiser and its assigned missions. The automated main
nuclear machinery comprises two reactors (to produce steam for operation), two
main geared-turbine units developing 70,000 hp each (to ensure full cruiser
speed of at least 30 knots) and two stand-by steam boilers of 115 t/h capacity.
The stand-by steam boilers provide for development of 17 knots with nuclear
reactors shut-off and ensure an operation range of up to 1,000 miles with
shipborne fuel. The main machinery is arranged in three compartments: one compartment
houses two nuclear reactors, the two others house geared-turbine units and
steam boilers, respectively.
The
Russian Navy confirmed on 09 September 2008 that a fleet of warships belonging
to the Russian Northern Fleet was preparing to cross the Atlantic Ocean and
head for the Caribbean. Washington immediately responded by mocking the Russian
move, which is widely considered a response to NATO's increased naval presence
in the Black Sea. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack jokingly said
that if Russia really intended to send ships to the Caribbean, "then they
found a few ships that can make it that far."
The
squadron, led by the Northern Fleet's flagship nuclear-powered Kirov-class battlecruiser Pyotr Veliky (named
after Peter the Great, Czar Peter I of Russia) - one of the world's largest
heavily-armed nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers - will participate with
the Venezuelan fleet in the Caribbean naval exercise in November 2008. During
the joint exercises, the Russian navy is expected to deploy Moscow's most modern destroyer, the Udaloy-class Admiral Chabanenko anti-submarine
destroyer, a rescue vessel and a tanker ship. This will be Russia's
first maneuver in the US backyard in nearly 20 years. The naval exercise will
be conducted in Venezuelan waters between the 10th and 14th of November. The
Russian and Venezuelan Navy will together perform dry runs of relief operations
and test their tactical communication systems.
The
official Russian governmental news service Russia Today stated that "The
fact that the Russian cruiser was not designed as an instrument of attack, but
instead for nuclear containment and defending nuclear submarines, this exercise
looks more like an invitation to a dialogue with America rather than a military
threat. Moreover, the fact that the American presidential campaign has entered
its final stage, it is expected that both candidates Barack Obama and John
McCain are going to exploit this naval exercise to their own benefit,
verbalizing on the "return of the Russian threat". This rhetoric may
become the decisive factor for one of them to make the White House his home for
the next four years."
Russia
announced in 2007 that its Navy had resumed, and would build up, its constant
presence in different regions of the world's oceans. A naval task force from
Russia's Northern Fleet, consisting of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier,
the Udaloy-Class destroyers Admiral Levchenko and Admiral Chabanenko, as well
as auxiliary vessels, conducted from December 2007 to February 2008 a two-month
tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic.
Specifications
Project 11442 - Baltiysky Zavod JSC - 3+1 units
Name
|
Yard №
|
Laid Down
|
Launched
|
Commissioned
|
Note
|
Frunze
|
№801
|
26.07.1978
|
26.05.1981
|
31.10.1984
|
from
27.05.1992 - Admiral Lazarev
|
Kalinin
|
№802
|
17.05.1983
|
25.04.1986
|
30.12.1988
|
from
27.05.1992 - Admiral Nakhimov
|
Yuri Andropov
|
№803
|
25.10.1986
|
29.04.1989
|
19.04.1998
|
from
27.05.1992 - Pyotr Veliky
|
Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetcov
|
№804
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Never
laid down
|
General characteristics - Project 11442
Displacement
(tons):
|
|
Standard:
|
24300
|
Full
load:
|
26396
|
Dimensions
(m):
|
|
Length:
|
250,1
|
Beam:
|
28,5
|
Draft:
|
7,8
|
Speed
(kts):
|
31
|
Range:
|
Unlimited
|
Autonomy
(days):
|
60
|
Propulsion:
|
2
nuclear reactors KN-3 (x300 MW, 2x70000 hp), GTZA-653, 4 steam electric
turbines (x3000 kW), 4 gas electric turbines (x1500 kW)
|
Armament:
|
20x1
launchers SM-233 anti-ship missile complex 3K45 «Granit» – 20 missiles P-50
(3M45)
12x1 launchers B-203A SAM System S-300F «Fort» (№802 – 96 missiles 48N6E, №803 – 6x1 launchers B-203A SAM System S-300F «Fort» (48 missiles 48N6E), 6x1 launchers B-203A SAM System S-300FM «Fort-M» (46 missiles 48N6E2)) 2x2 launchers ZIF-122 SAM System 4K33 «Osa-M» (40 missiles 9M33) – Fire control system 4R-33 (зав.№802 – SAM System 4K33 «Osa-MA» – Fire control system 4R-33A, not on №803) 16x1 launchers ZS-95 SAM System «Kinzhal» (128 missiles 9M330) – 2 Fire control system K-12-1 with radar ZR-95 (Project 11442, on №801 - 8x1 launchers ZS-95 SAM System «Kinzhal» (64 missiles 9M330) – Fire control system K-12-1 with radar ZR-95) 6 modules CIWS 3M87 «Kortik» – 2x(8 launchers missiles 9M311, 2x6 30 mm) – №802, 803 1x2 130 mm AK-130 – Fire control system MR-184 «Lev-218» 8x6 30 mm AK-630M (48000 rounds) – 4 Fire control system MR-123 «Vympel» (not on №802, 803) 2x1 45 mm 21KM 10x1 launchers RPK-6 «Vodopad-NK» (10 anti-ssunmarine guided missiles or torpedoes SET-65) 1x12 RBU-6000 «Smerch-2» (102 RGB-60, 20 «Magnetit») – Fire control system «Purga» (№802, 803 – RKPTZ-1 «Udav-1» (1x10 RBU-12000)) 2x6 RBU-1000 «Smerch-3» (72 RGB-10) 2x7 55 mm MRG-1 (RG-55M) 2 helicopters Ka-27 or 3 helicopters Ka-25 |
Electronics:
|
Radar
complex MR-800 «Flag» (radar MR-600 «Voskhod», radar MR-700 «Fregat-M» (№801)
or MR-750 «Fregat-MA» (№802, 803)), 2 surface radars MR-350 «Podkat» (№803),
ESM radar system «Kantata-M», 2 surface radars MR-212/201 «Vaygach-U», sonar
MGK-355 «Polinom», combat information control system «Lesorub-44»,
«Korall-BN», space communication complex «Krilstall-BK», communication
complex «Tayfun-2»
PK-2M decoy RL (2 launchers ZIF-121) – 400 rounds AZ-TST-41, AZ-PTST-41, AZ-TSP-47, AZ-TST-47, AZ-TSTV-47, AZ-TSO-47 (from 1985), AZ-TSR-47 (from 1991) – Fire control system «Tertciya» |
Crew:
|
760
(120 officers)
|
 |
| Heavy Nuclear-powered Missile Cruiser "Kirov" |
 |
| Heavy Nuclear-powered Missile Cruiser "Frunze" |
 |
| Heavy Nuclear-powered Missile Cruiser "Kalinin" |