Key Points and Summary on Kirov-Class – Russia is attempting to modernize and return to service one of its massive, Soviet-era Kirov-class nuclear-powered battlecruisers, the Admiral Nakhimov.
-These warships were originally designed as heavily-armed “carrier killers,” equipped with long-range anti-ship and air-defense missiles.
-However, the modernization effort is plagued by delays and budget constraints due to sanctions.
-Furthermore, the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the extreme vulnerability of large Russian naval assets to modern anti-ship missiles, raising serious doubts about whether the resurrected Kirov-Class battlecruiser would be a formidable weapon or simply a giant, slow-moving target in a future conflict.
Russia is Bringing Back its Giant ‘Carrier-Killer’ Kirov-Class
Russia’s Kirov-class battlecruisers entered into service with the Soviet Navy in the 1980s, during the waning stages of the Cold War.
The massive ships were nuclear-powered, giving them a virtually unlimited range that was tempered only by the crew’s food and water requirements, as well as by maintenance needs. The ships were not only enormous – they were also heavily armed.
The Kirov ships were designed from the start to close with and destroy NATO ships, and especially the U.S. Navy’s carrier strike groups. Equipped with S-300FM air defense systems as well as P-700 Granit anti-ship cruise missiles, the Kirov-class wielded powerful offensive and defensive capabilities that, in theory, should have been a match for NATO ships.
Like the Soviet Army, the Soviet Navy was technologically overmatched – by the U.S. Navy, but also by some of the other navies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. To compensate for their qualitative disadvantage, both the Soviet Army and Navy turned to quantity. Moscow hoped that vast amounts of firepower would obliterate enough of their enemies to even the odds in battle.
Each Kirov-class battlecruiser sported five P-700 missiles on the port and starboard sides, and each of these munitions could be equipped with a conventional high-explosive or thermobaric warhead. Further, they could also be outfitted with a nuclear warhead.
Kirov-Class: Plans for Modernization and the War in Ukraine
Although Russia’s military power has historically leaned heavily toward its army, rather than favoring its navy – a characteristic that still holds true today – Moscow appears to have an interest in refurbishing one of its old decommissioned Kirov-class battlecruisers, the Admiral Nakhimov.
“With both reactors started up and active, the modernization and recommissioning of the RFS Admiral Nakhimov has passed another important milestone. Activation of both reactors means that the vessel can now start to operate under her own power and become less depended on external electric power supplies,” Naval News wrote earlier this year.
“The next steps will now most likely include testing all the onboard electronics to see if they are powered correctly by the ship’s own power generators. At the same time, reactor crews can be trained on how to manage the daily reactor operations and react to shifting needs in electric power consumption and reactor output.”
But given the sanctions imposed on Russia following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as a tightly squeezed defense budget, it is unclear whether that goal can be realized.
“Sevmash shipyard does find itself in a relatively comfortable position compared to other shipyards,” Naval News again writes. “It is the only shipyard in Russia that specializes in the construction and maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines, both attack and ballistic-missile submarines, and as such is directly linked to Russia’s strategic deterrence. This direct link to Russia’s strategic maritime deterrence ensures that funding and support for Sevmash is assured.”
“Even though the shipyard has been reporting delays in most of its projects in recent years, likely a result of the effects of the war in Ukraine, it nevertheless has a solid track record in delivering ships,” Naval News explained. “Though modernization of the RFS Admiral Nakhimov took a long time, it went smoother than the modernization of the aircraft carrier RFS Admiral Kuznetsov, which was plagued by several accidents and whose return to active service seems very questionable.”
Whether Russia is able to revive the Admiral Nakhimov to a reliable and seaworthy state is very much under question. But even if the project is feasible, there is reason to doubt the battlecruiser would be effective at sea.
Ukrainian forces have proven highly adept at pushing back Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, holding its assets deep into that sea and away from Russian-occupied Crimea and the Ukrainian coastline. In addition to the high-profile sinking of the Moskva, the Black Sea Fleet flagship, by indigenously designed Neptune anti-ship missiles, the Ukrainians have also managed to sink numerous other Russian Navy ships of varying sizes. A target the size of the Admiral Nakhimov could prove to be more of a liability than an asset.
Kir0v-Class in 4 Words: A Waste of Money?
Ships such as the Admiral Nakhimov or the Russian Navy’s carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, allow Russia to claim membership in the very exclusive club of nations that field large capital ships such as battlecruisers and aircraft carriers. However, given the difficulties Russia has faced with its sole aircraft carrier, and considering the effectiveness of Ukrainian defenses, it seems unlikely that the Admiral Nakhimov will make a significant difference in the balance of power at sea.
About the Author: Caleb Larson
Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.
Russia’s Bomber Forces
Tu-22M3: The Bomber Ukraine Hit With Drones
