Russia has sent the nuclear-powered Kirov-class cruiser Admiral Nakhimov on sea trials for the first time in 28 years, marking a key milestone in one of the country’s most ambitious and long-running naval modernization programs.
The vessel, laid down in Leningrad in 1983 and launched in 1986 as “Kalinin,” was renamed in 1992 to honor the famed Russian Admiral Pavel Nakhimov. The 28,000-ton warship joined the Northern Fleet in 1988 but remained largely inactive in dry dock after its last deployment in 1997. A comprehensive modernization program began in 2014 and, after multiple delays, is now approaching completion in 2024.
A standout feature of the upgrade is the installation of 174 vertical missile launch cells, surpassing the missile capacity of China’s Type 055 destroyers and the U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Of these, 78 cells are designated for Kalibr cruise missiles, Oniks supersonic missiles, and Zircon hypersonic weapons, while the remaining cells are expected to accommodate S-300FM Fort air defense missiles and potentially upgraded S-400 systems. Overall, 80 launchers are allocated for surface targets and 96 for aerial threats.
In addition, Admiral Nakhimov has received modern radar and command-and-control systems, an upgraded AK-192M 130mm main gun, and Pantsir-M close-in defense systems. Experts, however, remain cautious about whether all systems have been fully installed and whether the ship has reached its expected combat capability.
Admiral Nakhimov is the first of four Kirov-class cruisers to undergo such an extensive modernization. With the Northern Fleet’s current flagship, Pyotr Velikiy, expected to retire, the cruiser is poised to become the new centerpiece of Russia’s surface fleet. The Kirov-class remains the world’s only nuclear-powered surface combatant in active service, as the U.S. retired its nuclear cruisers in the 1990s.
Admiral Nakhimov Technical Specifications:
- Displacement: 28,000 tons (full load)
- Length: 251.1 m | Beam: 28.5 m
- Propulsion: 2 nuclear reactors, 2 boilers, 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts
- Top Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h), nuclear speed: 25 knots (46 km/h)
- Range: Unlimited
- Crew: 710
