Soviet battlecruiser Kirov
 Kirov c.1983 | |
| Career (Soviet Union) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kirov |
| Namesake: |
Sergey Kirov Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov |
| Builder: | Baltiysky Naval Shipyard, Leningrad |
| Laid down: | March 27, 1974 |
| Launched: | December 26, 1977 |
| Commissioned: | December 30, 1980 |
| Out of service: | In reserve, 1990 |
| Renamed: | Admiral Ushakov, 1992 |
| Status: | Laid-up, to be scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Kirov-class battlecruiser |
| Displacement: | 24,300 tons Standard, 28,000 (Full load) |
| Length: | 252 m (827 ft) 230 m (750 ft) (Waterline) |
| Beam: | 28.5 m (94 ft) |
| Draft: | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2-shaft CONAS, Nuclear propulsion with steam turbine boost 140,000 shp |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Range: | 1,000 nautical miles (2,000 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h) (combined propulsion), Essentially unlimited with nuclear power at 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Complement: | 727 Aircrew: 18 Flag staff: 15 |
| Sensors and processing systems: | ·Voskhod MR-800 (Top Pair) 3D search radar on foremast ·Fregat MR-710 (Top Steer) 3D search radar on main mast ·2 × Palm Frond navigation radar on foremast ·2 × Top Dome for SA-N-6 fire control ·4 × Bass Tilt for AK-360 CIWS System fire control ·2 × Eye Bowl for SA-N-4 fire control ·Horse Jaw LF hull sonar ·Horse Tail VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) |
| Armament: | 20 P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) AShM 14 SS-N-14 Silex ASW cruise missiles 12x8 (96) S-300PMU Favorit SA-N-6 Grumble surface-to-air missiles 44 OSA-MA (SA-N-4 Gecko) PD SAM 2x RBU-1000 305 mm ASW rocket launchers 2x RBU-12000 (Udav-1) 254 mm ASW rocket launchers 2x AK-100 100 mm/L60 DP guns 10 533 mm ASW/ASuW torpedo tubes, Type 53 torpedo or SS-N-15 ASW missile 8x AK-630 hex gatling 30 mm/L60 PD guns |
| Armour: | 76 mm plating around reactor compartment, light splinter protection |
| Aircraft carried: | 3 Kamov Ka-27 "Helix" or Ka-25 "Hormone" |
| Aviation facilities: | Below-deck hangar |
Kirov is the lead ship of the Kirov-class battlecruiser of nuclear-powered missile cruisers. Originally built for the Soviet Navy, it is one of the biggest and most important surface warships of the Russian Navy. It is similar in displacement to a World War I battleship. Although commissioned as a missile cruiser, Kirov 's size and weapons complement have given her the unofficial designation of a battlecruiser throughout much of the world. The appearance of the Kirov class was a significant factor in the U.S. Navy recommissioning the Iowa class.[1] She was named after Sergey Kirov, a Bolshevik hero.
History
She was laid down on March 27, 1974, at the Baltiysky Naval Shipyard in Leningrad, launched on December 26, 1977, and commissioned on December 30, 1980, part of Soviet Northern Fleet. When she appeared for the first time in 1981, NATO observers called her BALCOM I (Baltic Combatant I). She was placed in reserve in 1990 following a reactor accident.[2] For political reasons, Kirov was renamed Admiral Ushakov after the 18th-century admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov in 1992, but subsequent photos suggest that it has since reverted to its original name. An overhaul was started in 1999, but the ship was written off in 2001 and was slated to be dismantled in 2003.[2][3]
In 2010, the Russian navy again announced new plans for an overhaul of the cruiser. At the time, the plan was to modify and reactivate all of the Kirov battlecruisers by 2020.[4][5] However in 2012 it was reported that Admiral Ushakov and Admiral Lazarev would not be overhauled due to being in a state of "beyond repair".[6]
Armament
This ship had an armament of missiles and guns as well as electronics. Its largest radar antenna is mounted on its foremast and called "Top Pair" by NATO. Kirov's main weapons are 20 × P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) missiles mounted on deck, designed to engage large surface targets, and air defense is provided for with 12 × S-300F (SA-N-6) launchers with 96 missiles, two Osa-M (SA-N-4 Gecko) with 40 missiles and the Kashtan CIWS air-defence missile/gun system.
Other weapons are the automatic 130 mm AK-130 gun system, 30 mm AK-630, 10 × torpedo/missile tubes, Udav-1 (SS-N-14 Silex) with 40 anti-submarine missiles and the two RBU-1000 six-tube launchers.
Fate
Kirov suffered a reactor accident in 1990 while serving in the Mediterranean Sea. Repairs were never carried out, due to lack of funds and the changing political situation in the Soviet Union. She may have been cannibalized as a spare-parts cache for the other ships in her class.
In June 2004, the name Admiral Ushakov was transferred to the Sovremenny-class destroyer Besstrashny. In September 2004, it was revealed that the Severodvinsk-based Design Bureau Onega had been tasked with developing the dismantlement project for the cruiser, currently moored at the Severodvinsk Zvezdochka plant. According to the Zvezdochka plant, dismantlement of the former Admiral Ushakov would cost $40 million, all of which was allocated by Norway.[7] This plan was halted when the Russian navy planned to bring her back to service.[4] This now seems unlikely and Zvezdochka shipyard CEO Vladimir Nikitin foresees dangers removing the spent nuclear fuel from the vessel's two reactors, it having never been moved or changed in 34 years.[8][9]
See also
- Soviet cruiser Kirov, a Kirov-class cruiser, lead ship of a Soviet 1930-1940s class of conventional cruisers
- Admiral Ushakov (warship), for other ships named for Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov
References
- ↑ Middleton, Drew (1981-03-13). "Pentagon likes budget proposal, but questions specifics". The New York Times. p. A14.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 GlobalSecurity.org Project 1144.2 Orlan Kirov class Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear Powered) ship list
- ↑ http://www.bellona.no/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/navy/northern_fleet/vessels/9519
- ↑ http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100725/159939020.html
- ↑ Russia throw outs plan to modernize all of the country’s laid-up nuclear cruisers. Only the Northern Fleet’s “Admiral Nakhimov” will get a RUB 50 billion rebuilding, the others will be scrapped, barentsobserver.com, September 27, 2012
- ↑ GlobalSecurity.org Project 1144.2 Orlan - Kirov class - Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear Powered) - class article.
- ↑ Only one nuclear cruiser to be modernized: Russia throw outs plan to modernize all of the country’s laid-up nuclear cruisers. Only the Northern Fleet’s “Admiral Nakhimov” will get a RUB 50 billion rebuilding, the others will be scrapped. - Barents Observer, by Trude Pettersen, September 27, 2012
- ↑ Shipyard director fears radiation accident: Laid-up nuclear powered battle cruise in Severodvinsk has two reactors with spent nuclear fuel that haven’t been unloaded in 34 years. Barents Observer, by Thomas Nilsen, January 10, 2014
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