Russian battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov

Admiral Nakhimov (Russian: Адмирал Нахимов) is the third battlecruiser of the Russian Navy's Kirov class. The ship was originally commissioned into service with the Soviet Navy in 1988, known back then as Kalinin (Калинин), a name the ship kept until 1992 when it was renamed for Pavel Nakhimov. From 1997 Admiral Nakhimov is undergoing a repair and a refit to receive new and improved weaponry and had been scheduled to re-enter service with the Russian Navy in around 2022.[1][2][3] The date for the ship's return to service is uncertain. In 2021 it was reported that the ship's return to service would be delayed until "at least" 2023[4] while in February 2022 it was reported that Sevmash CEO Mikhail Budnichenko noted that the warship was planned for delivery in 2022.[5] Later in the year it was again reported that the vessel's return to service might be delayed as late as 2024, with this being eventually confirmed by the head of United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov.[6][7][8]

For other ships with the same name, see Russian ship Admiral Nakhimov and Soviet ship Kalinin.

Kalinin c. 1991
History
→ Soviet Union → Russia
NameKalinin
NamesakeMikhail Kalinin (in Soviet service)
BuilderBaltiysky Naval Shipyard, Leningrad
Laid down17 May 1983
Launched25 April 1986
Commissioned30 December 1988
IdentificationPennant number: 180 (1988) → 064 (1989) → 085 (since 1990)
NamesakePavel Nakhimov (in Russian service)
RenamedAdmiral Nakhimov (since 22 April 1992)
IdentificationPennant number: 080 (1994)
StatusUndergoing refit
General characteristics
Class and typeKirov-class battlecruiser
Displacement24,300 tons Standard, 28,000 (Full Load)
Length
  • 252 m (827 ft)
  • 230 m (750 ft) (Waterline)
Beam28.5 m (94 ft)
Draft9.1 m (30 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2-shaft CONAS, Nuclear propulsion with steam turbine boost
  • 100,000 kW (140,000 shp)
Speed32 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
  • 2 × Eye Bowl for SA-N-4 fire control
  • Horse Jaw LF hull sonar
  • Horse Tail VDS (Variable Depth Sonar)
Armament
Armour76 mm (3 in) plating around reactor compartment, light splinter protection
Aircraft carried3 Kamov Ka-27 "Helix" or Ka-25 "Hormone"
Aviation facilitiesBelow-deck hangar

Differences from lead ship

Kalinin was constructed differently from the lead ship of the class. On the forward part of the ship, the twin SS-N-14 ASW missile launcher was replaced with eight SA-N-9 surface-to-air missile vertical launchers (not installed). The forward 30 mm CIWS cannons were replaced by CADS-N-1. On the aft part, a single twin AK-130 130 mm gun, similar to the guns used on Slava and Sovremennyy, was used instead of two 100 mm guns. Near the flight deck, the 30 mm CIWS cannons were replaced by Kashtan CIWS and moved to the aft superstructure and replaced with eight SA-N-9 vertical launchers (not installed).

History

Kalinin was laid down on 17 May 1983 at Baltiysky Naval Shipyard, Leningrad, launched on 25 April 1986, commissioned on 30 December 1988.[9] It joined the Northern Fleet on 21 April 1989[10] though GlobalSecurity noted the cruiser was a Pacific fleet unit.[9] On 4 January 1991 she went on long voyage to the Mediterranean Sea.[11] After the end of the Cold War the cruiser was rarely deployed and by 1999 it was permanently docked in Sevmash awaiting repairs.

Reactivation

In 2006, a decision was made to modernize this ship instead of completing the construction of the submarine Belgorod. Later in 2006, she was undergoing refit at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, but was reported finished ahead of schedule and was announced to again be in service with the Northern Fleet. However, later reports state that the cruiser has been docked at Sevmash since 1999 without any activity.[12] On 30 October 2008, Russian Navy representatives of the Northern Fleet announced that the first modification on Admiral Nakhimov had been started and that the ship would re-join the Russian fleet by 2012.[13][14] In November 2010 the director of Sevmash, Nikolai Kalistratov, repeated this statement confirming that the Russian government had appropriated money for Admiral Nakhimov to be repaired in 2011 (costing over 50 billion rubles.) However he also said that the funds were insufficient and more were needed to bring the ship back to active service.[15] After finishing repairs, Admiral Nakhimov was reported as likely to join the Russian Pacific Fleet.[16] However, by 2020 it was reported that she would remain with the Northern Fleet.[17]

In December 2011 the Sevmash shipyard stated that the refit of the ship would not be finished until after 2012. According to Sevmash General-Director Andrei Dyachkov the repairs were stopped because it was senseless to continue without having determined the final variant of modernization.

Work on modernizing Admiral Nakhimov was resumed in January 2014 with the vessel being projected to rejoin the Russian Navy in 2018. Admiral Nakhimov is slated to carry 60 Zircon hypersonic anti-ship cruise missiles,[18][19] Kalibr cruise missiles and a navalized variant of the S-400 (missile) SAM system, among other weapons.[20] According to Sevmash as of 2 November 2015 work on removing the battlecruiser's old equipment had been completed, and work to install its replacement was about to be commenced.[21]

In 2018, Aleksey Rakhimov, the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, stated that the end date of the reconstruction remained 2021 or 2022, but additional changes made by the Ministry of Defense had made would require an amendment to the contract or a new contract.[22] Trials are due to begin in 2020.[23] In September 2019, state news agency TASS quoted Russian deputy defense minister Alexsey Krivoruchko that "It will be the most powerful navy warship. We inspected the project, the ship is now about 50% ready. As was agreed with Sevmash shipyard, we expect to receive the ship in late 2022." as reported by Jane's.[24]

Aerial port view of the foredeck of Kalinin illustrating the differences from the lead ship of the class.
  2 CADS-N-1 point defense gun/missile system
  2 pop-up (lowered) SA-N-4 surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers (one visible)
  20 SS-N-19 cruise missile launchers
  12 SA-N-6 surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers
  place for 8 SA-N-9 surface-to-air missile (SAM) vertical launchers (not installed)

She was relaunched in August 2020 and was then expected to start sea trials in about 2023.[1][4][25] It is expected to receive 176 VLS tubes: 80 for anti-surface and 96 for anti-air warfare.[26][27] In early 2022, Sevmash CEO, Mikhail Budnichenko, noted that weapons systems for the cruiser would include: the Fort-M (NATO reporting name: SA-N-6 Grumble) and Pantsyr-M (SA-22 Greyhound) air defense systems and Paket-NK and Otvet antisubmarine warfare weapons. It was also reported that the cruiser would potentially be armed with up to 60 3M22 Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missiles.[5]

In January 2023, it was reported that the loading of fuel and work on the power supply had begun, and that ship testing would begin later in the year.[28] In February 2023, the head of United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov confirmed that testing of the ship would begin later in the year, and that the vessel is expected to return to service in 2024.[7][8] On 30 May 2023, Sergei Shoigu announced that Admiral Nakhimov would begin sea trials before the end of 2023, with modernisation expected to be completed in 2024.[29] On 13 June 2023, it was reported that the ship would begin sea trials in September 2023.[30] However on 21 June 2023, it was reported that Admiral Nakhimov would only begin sea trials in either December 2023 or May 2024, depending on how quickly modernisation work is completed.[31]

References
  1. Vavasseur, Xavier (20 August 2020). "Russian Navy Kirov-class Cruiser Admiral Nakhimov Back in the Water". Naval News.
  2. "Ремонт и модернизация тяжелого атомного ракетного крейсера "Адмирал Нахимов" идет в соответствии с графиком" [Repair and modernization of the heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" is proceeding in accordance with the schedule]. Russian Ministry of Defence (in Russian). 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017.
  3. "Ремонт атомного ракетного крейсера "Адмирал Нахимов" завершат к 2021 году" [Repair of the nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" will be completed by 2021]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017.
  4. "Handover of Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser to Russian navy postponed — source". TASS. 7 April 2021.
  5. "Russia's Sevmash Shipyard Says it Will Deliver Admiral Nakhimov in 2022". 18 February 2022.
  6. "Delivery of Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov delayed again".
  7. "Глава ОСК назвал сроки возвращения в строй крейсера "Адмирал Нахимов"". flotprom.ru (in Russian). 27 February 2023.
  8. "Атомный ракетный крейсер "Адмирал Нахимов" вернется на флот в 2024 году". RIA (in Russian). 27 February 2023.
  9. "Project 1144.2 Orlan Kirov class Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear Powered)". GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  10. "Атомные крейсера типа Киров" [Nuclear cruisers of the Kirov class]. Mreadz.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 17 January 2016.
  11. "Адмирал Нахимов (1986): История службы" [Admiral Nakhimov (1986): Service History]. Wargaming.net (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  12. "The Return of Admiral Nakhimov". The Barents Observer. 21 May 2008. Archived from the original on 26 December 2010.
  13. "Russia's Admiral Nakhimov cruiser scheduled to be back in service in 2012". Zibb.com. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  14. Pettersen, Trude (27 September 2012). "Only one nuclear cruiser to be modernized". The Barents Observer. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  15. "Russia to repair nuclear-powered missile cruiser". Rusnavy.com. 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  16. ВМФ России модернизирует атомный крейсер "Адмирал Нахимов" [The Russian Navy is modernizing the nuclear cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov"]. Lenta.ru (in Russian). 25 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  17. Axe, David (20 August 2020). "At Russia's Rusty Northern Shipyard, A Giant Battlecruiser Emerges". Forbes.
  18. Vavasseur, Xavier (24 September 2021). "Russia's Upgraded Kirov-Class Cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to Start Sea Trials in 2023". Naval News. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  19. Heavily upgraded #Kirov battlecruiser to enter service soon !. Defense Updates. 14 September 2021. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via YouTube.
  20. "Russia's Admiral Nakhimov is Making a Comeback". 26 September 2021.
  21. "Готовимся принять оборудование" [Getting ready to accept the equipment]. Sevmash (in Russian). 2 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  22. Staalesen, Atle (18 July 2018). "Most powerful Navy vessel now almost 20 years under reconstruction". The Barents Observer. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  23. International Naval & Maritime News [@NavalNews] (18 January 2019). "#RussianNavy Project 11442M Kirov-class Battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov Enters Trials in 2020, Heavily Upgraded t.co/6mSJg15skZ, Jan 18, 2019 t.co/tX4GyzWRDC t.co/aRVdnGOrPc" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. Ripley, Tim (17 September 2019). "Russian nuclear-powered cruiser to return to fleet in 2022". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  25. "Россия получит второй атомный крейсер-гигант" [Russia will receive a second nuclear-powered giant cruiser]. Yandex Zen (in Russian). 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  26. Made in Russia (25 March 2020). "Admiral Nakhimov modernization. February 2020". Facebook. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  27. "Heavy Nuclear-powered Missile Cruiser Project 1144, 11442". russianships.info. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  28. "На "Севмаше" проходит важный этап модернизации крейсера "Адмирал Нахимов"". flotprom.ru (in Russian). 18 January 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  29. "Шойгу: крейсер "Адмирал Нахимов" должны вывести на ходовые испытания до конца 2023 года". flotprom.ru (in Russian). 30 May 2023.
  30. "Названы возможные сроки начала ходовых испытаний крейсера "Адмирал Нахимов"". flotprom.ru (in Russian). 13 June 2023.
  31. ""Адмирал Нахимов" может выйти на испытания в декабре или мае". TASS (in Russian). 21 June 2023.

64.576317°N 39.816043°E / 64.576317; 39.816043

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