Project 1144.2 Orlan Kirov class - Modernization
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.
Heavy atomic missile cruisers pr.1144 are the largest non-aircraft-carrying warships in the world. In the NATO classification, these ships are even called "battle cruisers" ("Kirov-class battlecruizer"), emphasizing their huge combat power. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union, 3 missile cruisers of this project were built and commissioned - Kirov, Frunze (Admiral Lazarev since 1992) and Kalinin (Admiral Nakhimov since 1992). At the time of entry into service, these were the most powerful ships in terms of aggregate combat capabilities.
The main armament of the lead cruiser pr.1144 Kirov consisted of 20 P-700 Granit supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, two S-300F Fort anti-aircraft missile systems, with a total of 12 drum launchers with 8 missiles in each (each SAM S-300F allows to fire 6 targets, each with two anti-aircraft missiles), Osa-MA short-range air defense systems, 6 Kortik anti-aircraft gun and missile systems, 8 AK-630 anti-aircraft guns, two 100-mm AK-100 universal gun mounts, powerful anti-submarine weapons in the form of anti-submarine missiles "Waterfall "produced through torpedo tubes and the most powerful sonar system" Polynom ".
Starting with the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, the composition of the armament was changed. The cruiser received two advanced S-300F anti-aircraft missile systems with new 48N6 missiles, a “Dagger” short-range air defense system, instead of the Osa-MA air defense system, an AK-130 double-barreled 130-mm gun mount instead of two 100-mm AK-100 anti-submarine Waterfall missiles fired through a torpedo tube, and also the radio complex and combat information and control systems of the ship underwent changes. Nevertheless, before the collapse of the USSR, Admiral Nakhimov did not manage to get part of the weapon systems, in particular, the Dagger air defense system was not delivered - only launchers were mounted under its missiles.
Unfortunately, the terrible consequences of the 1990s and the lack of funds for the maintenance of the fleet led to the rapid disruption of the cruisers pr.1144. And by the end of the 1990s, ships were actually withdrawn from the fleet. However, by 1998, it was possible to put into operation the fourth, last in the series, ship 1144 pr. Peter the Great, which is now the flagship of the Northern Fleet, and perhaps the brightest symbol of the entire Russian Navy. "Peter the Great" in comparison with previous ships also has a slightly modified composition of weapons. In particular, one S-300F air defense system was replaced by the S-300FM with a new antenna post, outwardly similar to the antenna post of the C-300PM ground-based air defense system.
The acute shortage of surface ships in the Russian Navy, and the presence, albeit in a dysfunctional state, of three heavy missile cruisers pr.1144 led to the idea of ??returning them to service, having carried out a deep modernization. Initially, it was supposed to gradually return to service and modernize all ships of pr.1144, but soon the idea of ??upgrading the lead ship, Kirov, had to be abandoned, because during the downtime, the cruiser’s designs were irreversibly damaged and as a result, in 2015, it was decided to begin work on the disposal of the cruiser. Of the cruisers pr.1144 that were in the "crap", Admiral Nakhimov had the best technical condition, from which it was decided to begin the restoration and modernization of the ships of this project.
In 2014, Admiral Nakhimov was put into the Sevmash filling pool and work began on its restoration. Modernization of the ship involves an enormous amount of work and actually building a new one in the existing hull. At the same time, most of the weapons and electronic systems planned for installation on the ship had yet to be created. The appearance of the ship after modernization, as well as the exact composition of weapons, is still unknown.
"Admiral Nakhimov" will receive a new generation of combat information management system (CMS), which will provide a single information space on the ship, and "unite" absolutely all detection and weapons, similar to the American Aegis CMS. The “core” of the new Admiral Nakhimov BIUS will be a super-computer developed by the United Instrument-Making Corporation. Among other things, this computer will be able to use various weapons in automatic mode, as well as help the crew in making decisions in various situations, predict various tactical situations, etc.
Instead of the 20 launchers of the Granit anti-ship missiles, the Admiral Nakhimov will have 10 universal firing complexes (UKKS) with 8 cells each. In each cell, one of the Caliber family of cruise missiles or the Onyx supersonic anti-ship missiles, and in the future, the promising Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missiles, can be placed in each cell. It is known that the old Granit launchers were completely dismantled and at least a new armored deck was mounted under the UKKS site, the number of “cutouts” in which confirms the initial information that the Admiral Nakhimov will be able to carry 80 different cruise missiles.
- Launchers of the Fort air defense system will not be changed, however, Nakhimov will receive a completely new modification of the Fort air defense system, which will essentially be a "sea" version of the S-400 air defense system. The complex will use new missiles - 48N6DMK and 40N6. The latter is a promising anti-aircraft missile, created (according to various sources, is currently being tested) for the S-400 air defense system with a range of destruction of targets of up to 400 km, and the first is the most advanced modification of the 48N6 family missiles used in the S-300PM and S-400 air defense systems . Both missiles will have the same guidance method - a command-inertial guidance system on the marching flight section and an active radar homing head on the final one. Using these missiles will allow you to hit planes and other means of air attack at great distances
- Existing photographs of Admiral Nakhimov on Sevmash showed open silos intended for anti-aircraft missiles of the Dagger complex. Presumably, the original aft and bow cellars with launchers and anti-aircraft missiles of the Kinzhal air defense missile system are supposed to deploy the latest 9M96 and 9M96D anti-aircraft missiles. Instead of dagger launchers, it is planned to mount 8 universal vertical launchers with 8 cells each, in which the 9M969M96D rocket of the Polyment-Redut complex can be placed. To launch missiles, the Poliment radar will be mounted (at the moment, this radar is part of the armament of the latest frigate Admiral Gorshkov).
- According to preliminary data, the Admiral Nakhimov will receive the Pantsir-M anti-aircraft gun and missile systems (the marine version of the well-known Pansir-S1 air defense system) instead of the Kortik air defense system.
- The alleged appearance of the radio-technical weapons remains unknown, but it is obvious that the ship will be equipped with the most advanced navigational surveillance and multifunctional radars.
Due to the huge amount of work, it is hardly worth expecting the completion of the modernization of the cruiser before 2022-2024. However, the output will be a real "floating fortress." "Admiral Nakhimov" will be able to launch massive missile attacks against both surface and ground targets and provide effective collective defense against all air attack weapons, reflecting even the most massive air and missile attacks. In addition, the Admiral Nakhimov air defense missile system will be able to "keep" enemy electronic warfare aircraft at a "safe" distance, and AWACS aircraft - outside the boundaries of establishing radar contact with the ship. Probably, "Admiral Nakhimov" will be the flagship of one of the largest naval strike groups of the Russian Navy.
In August 2020, the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov"transferred from the bulk pool to the outfitting embankment. The return of the ship to service was planned for 2022. In the spring of 2021r, a TASS source in the military-industrial complex said that due to problems with suppliers, the transfer of the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to the fleet was postponed at best to 2023.
In 2023, the Admiral Nakhimov heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser go out for tests at sea. This was announced on Thursday, 23 September 2021 by Vladimir Korolev, Deputy Director General of the United Shipbuilding Corporation for military shipbuilding , to TASS. "We will nevertheless assume that we are on schedule. And the nuances, as usual, are there. I think the cruiser will be tested in 2023," said the former commander-in-chief of the Navy, answering a question about the timing of completion of work on the Admiral Nakhimov.
This will be one of the ships that will be armed with the Zircon hypersonic missiles. The general director of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Alexei Rakhmanov called the cruiser "the most powerful" ship of the Russian Navy. " “If we talk in terms of size and the ratio of tradition and innovation, then this is the Admiral Nakhimov, which is now under repair. This is the largest cruiser, which will have the greatest power among all ships of the Russian Navy, "- said the head of the USC.
After the modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov is completed, a similar modernization of the Peter the Great cruiser is planned. The fate of the cruiser Admiral Lazarev has not yet been decided. Conflicting statements appear periodically - according to one it is supposed to dispose of the cruiser, according to others - to modernize and return to service. It is worth noting that at the moment the cruiser is in a very well preserved condition and its return to service is quite possible. Whether Admiral Lazarev will return to the fleet or be disposed of - only time will tell.
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