Brief Operational History

The original specification for the Kirov battlecruiser came in 1971 as an effort to counter the carrier task forces operated by NATO nations.  To accomplish this mission the ship would have to incorporate a variety of revolutionary features.  It would also be fitted with a large number of long range anti-ship missiles.  For defense the vessel would also possess extensive anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capability.

One of the more unusual features of the ship was its hybrid engine which used a nuclear reactor working in conjunction with powerful steam turbines.  This enabled the ship to travel over large distances at relatively high speeds.

The ship's primary armament was positioned forward of the superstructure.  It consisted of a battery of 20 SS-N-19 'Shipwreck' missiles and gave the ship the ability to devastate any surface task force by itself.

The air-defense system of the Kirov is extensive.  Area defense is handled by vertical launch SA-N-6 missiles.  These can engage sea-skimming threats as well as those operating at high altitude.  Close air defense is the responsibility of SA-N-4 'Gecko' missiles and 30mm gatling guns.  The dual purpose 100mm guns on the rear of the ship can also be used against aircraft.

Anti-submarine armament was also a major consideration when the Kirov was designed.  Long range ASW capability comes in the form of an anti-submarine rocket known as the RPK-5.  While ten 21 inch torpedoes and a pair of RBU-1000's form a final layer of defense.

To control this vast array of weapons, the Kirov was equipped with more electronic systems than any other Soviet warship.  These systems assisted in target acquisition, fire control, electronic warfare, as wall as routine command and control functions.

The after section of the ship mounted the ship's dual purpose guns, but was also devoted to operating three Ka-25 (later Ka-27 helicopters).  These helicopters were used in the anti-submarine role and as missile guidance platforms depending on the tactical situation.

Originally five Kirov class battlecruisers were planned.  The first was launched in 1977 at the Baltic shipyard in Leningrad.  It was named after the Soviet hero Sergei Kirov.  In 1980 the ship entered fleet service.  It was assigned to the Northern Fleet where it could assist the navy in combating NATO forces and gain control of the North Atlantic.  It participated in many naval exercises throughout the 1980's.

In 1984 the second Kirov called the Frunze was completed.  It was assigned to the Pacific Fleet in 1985 where it could challenge NATO dominance in the Asia-Pacific theatre of operations.  The Frunze was the only ship of the class to be assigned to the Pacific Fleet.  The Kalinin was the third Kirov class battlecruiser to enter service when it was completed in 1988.  It was also assigned to the Northern Fleet.  

The Kirov suffered an accident involving its reactor while serving in the Mediterranean Sea.  It returned to port to undergo repairs.  The planned repairs were never carried out due to the impending collapse of the Soviet Union, and the ship never returned to active service.  To make matters worse, construction of the fourth ship (the Yuri Andropov) was encountering many delays.  The fifth ship to be known as the Dzerzhinsky also ran into political as well as construction delays.  Its name was soon changed to October Revolution, then to Admiral of the Fleet Kuznetsov.  None of this made any difference as the ship was scrapped shortly after the keel was laid.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 it was decided that all of the ships were to be renamed to reflect the political views of the new Russian Republic.  In 1992 this was completed.  The Kirov (still in port) was renamed the Admiral Ushakov.  The Kalinin became the Admiral Nakhimov, while the Frunze had its name changed to the Admiral Lazarev.  The Yuri Andropov had its name changed to Pyotr Velikhy while still under construction.

The defense cutbacks of the 1990's hit the Kirov class particularly hard.  The Admiral Lazarev in the Pacific became inactive in 1994 and was decommissioned four years later.  In 1998 the Admiral Ushakov was striken from the list to be used as a source of spare parts for the other ships.  It was later reinstated by the Duma, but was striken again since the Duma failed to allocate the money to maintain and operate the ship.

In 1998 the Pyotr Velikhy was finally completed (after thirteen years).  It was assigned to the Northern Fleet, but has not participated in any major exercises.  The Admiral Nakhimov continued to serve with the Northern Fleet until 1999.  That was when the ship entered port to be refitted, but it has not returned to sea as of 2002.  None of these ships were ever exported.

Tactical Use and Limitations

The Kirov battlecruiser was a marvel of Soviet design.  In wartime the ship was intended to attack and destroy NATO carrier groups.  Its advanced command and control systems also enable it to command large task forces of any type.

The ship has a number of significant advantages.  The first being its tremendous firepower which makes it one of the most powerful ships in the world (excluding aircraft carriers).  It has a well balanced array of weapons that allow it to engage all forms of attackers.  The combination nuclear/steam power also gave the ship great speed and range.  Its three helicopters also enhanced the ship's capabilities as they can be used to hunt submarines or find surface targets for the Kirov's missile batteries.

Perhaps its only real disadvantage was that it could easily run out of offensive anti-ship missiles, unless continually re-supplied.  The ship was also very expensive to build and maintain.

Deployment Chronology

Here you can see what warships the Kirov replaced and what ships evolved later to fill the missile cruiser role.  You can find out more about these ships if we have them on our site by clicking on the links below.

Sources Cited

Here are some of the most informative sources that we have used in compiling this information for you.  We hope you can find them as useful as we have.

• The Illustrated Directory of Warships from 1860 to the Present, by David Miller, published by Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 2001

• The Encyclopedia of World Sea Power, Edited by Chris Bishop, published by Crescent Books, New York, 1988