View source for Russian battlecruiser Kirov

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{short description|Kirov-class battlecruiser}}
{{other ships|Soviet ship Kirov|Russian ship Admiral Ushakov}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = BCGN Kirov 1983.JPG
| Ship caption = ''Kirov'' c.1983
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = Soviet Union → Russia
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}} → {{shipboxflag|Russia|navy}}
| Ship name = ''Kirov''
| Ship renamed = ''Admiral Ushakov'', 1992
| Ship namesake = *{{ship|Soviet cruiser|Kirov}}
* [[Sergei Kirov]]
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship builder = [[Baltic Shipyard|Baltiysky Naval Shipyard]], [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]]
| Ship laid down = 27 March 1974
| Ship launched = 26 December 1977
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 30 December 1980
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = In reserve, 1990
| Ship struck = 
| Ship reinstated = 
| Ship honours = 
| Ship fate = 
| Ship status = Laid-up, to be scrapped.
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Kirov|battlecruiser}}
| Ship displacement = 24,300&nbsp;tons Standard, 28,000 (Full load)
| Ship length = *{{convert|252|m|ft|abbr=on}}
* {{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}} (Waterline)
| Ship beam = {{convert|28.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|9.1|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *2-shaft CONAS, Nuclear propulsion with steam turbine boost
* 140,000&nbsp;shp
| Ship speed = {{convert|32|kn|km/h|0}}
| Ship range = *{{convert|1000|nmi|km|-3}} at {{convert|30|kn|km/h}} (combined propulsion),
* Essentially unlimited with nuclear power at {{convert|20|kn|km/h}}
| Ship boats = 
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship complement = *727
* Aircrew: 18
* Flag staff: 15
| Ship sensors = *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-630 CIWS System fire control
* 2 × Eye Bowl for SA-N-4 fire control
* Horse Jaw LF hull sonar
* Horse Tail VDS (Variable Depth Sonar)
| Ship armament = *20 [[P-700 Granit]] ([[SS-N-19 Shipwreck]]) [[anti-ship missile|AShM]]
* 1 x 2 (14) [[SS-N-14 Silex]] ASW cruise missiles
* 12 × 8 (96) [[SA-N-6 Grumble]] [[surface-to-air]] missiles
* 2 x 2 (44) OSA-MA (SA-N-4 Gecko) PD SAM
* 2 × RBU-1000 305&nbsp;mm ASW rocket launchers
* 1 × RBU-6000 213&nbsp;mm ASW rocket launchers
* 2 × AK-100 100&nbsp;mm/L60 DP guns
* 10 533&nbsp;mm ASW/ASuW [[torpedo]] tubes, Type 53 torpedo
* 8 × AK-630 hex gatling 30&nbsp;mm/L60 PD guns
| Ship armour = 76&nbsp;mm plating around reactor compartment, light splinter protection
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = 3 [[Kamov]] [[Kamov Ka-27|Ka-27 "Helix"]] or [[Kamov Ka-25|Ka-25 "Hormone"]]
| Ship aircraft facilities = Below-deck hangar
}}
|}

'''''Kirov''''' is the [[lead ship]] of the {{sclass|Kirov|battlecruiser|4}} of nuclear-powered [[guided missile cruiser]]s. Originally built for the [[Soviet Navy]] and passed onto the succeeding [[Russian Navy]], she and her three sister ships are the largest and heaviest [[surface combatant]] warships (i.e. not an [[aircraft carrier]] or [[amphibious assault ship]]) built by them. The Soviet classification of the ship-type is "heavy nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser" ({{langx|ru|тяжёлый атомный ракетный крейсер}}), nonetheless ''Kirov''{{'}}s size and weapons complement have earned her the unofficial designation of a [[battlecruiser]] throughout much of the world, as her size and displacement is similar to a typical [[World War I]] [[battleship]]. The appearance of the ''Kirov'' class was a significant factor in the U.S. Navy recommissioning the {{sclass|Iowa|battleship|4}}.<ref>{{cite news |last=Middleton |first=Drew |title=Pentagon likes budget proposal, but questions specifics |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=13 March 1981 |page=A14}}</ref> She was named after a [[Soviet cruiser Kirov|Project 26 cruiser]] (named after [[Sergey Kirov]], a Bolshevik hero).

==History==
She was laid down on 27 March 1974, at the [[Baltic Shipyard|Baltiysky Naval Shipyard]] in [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]], launched on 26 December 1977, and commissioned on 30 December 1980, part of [[Soviet Northern Fleet]]. 

When she appeared for the first time in 1981, [[NATO]] observers called her BALCOM I (Baltic Combatant I). Her first major deployment was in 1984 where she undertook a voyage to the [[Mediterranean Sea]].

[[File:Nuclear cruiser Kirov.jpg|thumb|left|''Admiral Ushakov'' at [[Severomorsk]] in 1992]]

During her second major deployment from 1 December 1989 to 17 February 1990 to the Mediterranean, she suffered a reactor accident. Afterwards, she was placed in reserve. Repairs were never carried out, due to lack of funds and the changing [[History of the Soviet Union (1985–1991)|political situation]] in the [[Soviet Union]]. She may have been [[Cannibalization of machine parts|cannibalized]] as a spare-parts cache for the other ships in her class.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nvo.ng.ru/armament/2009-09-25/8_kreiser.html |title=Россия вернет в строй самые большие в мире крейсера |trans-title=Russia will return to service the world's largest cruisers |first=Victor |last=Myasnikov |date=25 September 2009 |newspaper=[[Nezavisimaya Gazeta]] |language=ru}}</ref><ref name="GS ship list">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1144-list.htm |title=Project 1144.2 Orlan Kirov class Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear Powered) Class Listing |website=GlobalSecurity.org |accessdate=17 July 2015}}</ref> 

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.<ref name="GS ship list"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bellona.no/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/navy/northern_fleet/vessels/9519 |title=Nuclear battle cruiser to be scrapped |first=Igor |last=Kudrik |date=3 November 1998 |website=[[Bellona Foundation]] |accessdate=18 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121203035425/http://www.bellona.no/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/navy/northern_fleet/vessels/9519 |archivedate=3 December 2012}}</ref>

In June 2004, the name ''Admiral Ushakov'' was transferred to the {{sclass|Sovremennyy|destroyer}} {{ship|Russian destroyer|Besstrashnyy||2}}. 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1144.htm |title=Project 1144.2 Orlan - Kirov class - Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear Powered) |website=GlobalSecurity.org |accessdate=17 July 2015}}</ref> This plan was halted when the Russian Navy planned to bring her back to service.<ref name="rusnavy.com"/>  

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.<ref name="rusnavy.com">{{cite web |url=http://rusnavy.com/news/navy/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=11855 |title=Russian Navy modernizes nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov |website=Rusnavy.com |date=28 March 2011 |accessdate=17 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203043127/http://rusnavy.com/news/navy/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=11855 |archive-date=February 3, 2012}}</ref> 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".<ref name=Petterson1>{{cite news |url=http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/only-one-nuclear-cruiser-be-modernized-27-09 |title=Only one nuclear cruiser to be modernized |work=The Barents Observer |date=27 September 2012 |last=Pettersen |first=Trude |accessdate=17 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116074836/http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/only-one-nuclear-cruiser-be-modernized-27-09 |archive-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref> In 2015, Zvezdochka shipyard CEO Vladimir Nikitin claimed that it was dangerous to remove the spent nuclear fuel from the vessel's two reactors given the fact the ship had been given minimum maintenance for 34 years.<ref name=Petterson1/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/2014/01/shipyard-director-fears-radiation-accident-10-01 |title=Shipyard director fears radiation accident |work=The Barents Observer |first=Thomas |last=Nilsen |date=10 January 2014 |accessdate=17 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716000446/http://barentsobserver.com/en/security/2014/01/shipyard-director-fears-radiation-accident-10-01 |archive-date=July 16, 2015}}</ref>

In April 2019, Russia decided to scrap and recycle the ''Admiral Ushakov'' in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2019/april/6991-russia-four-submarines-and-two-cruisers-to-be-scrapped-by-2021.html |title=Russia: four submarines and two cruisers to be scrapped by 2021 |date=April 2019 |website=NavyRecognition.com}}</ref>

==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-300 (missile)|S-300F]] (SA-N-6 Grumble) launchers with 96 missiles, two [[9K33 Osa|Osa-M]] (SA-N-4 Gecko) with 40 missiles and the [[Kashtan CIWS]] (CADS-N-1) air-defence missile/gun system.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Other weapons are the automatic 130&nbsp;mm AK-130 gun system, 30&nbsp;mm AK-630, 10 torpedo/missile tubes, [[Metel Anti-Ship Complex|Udav-1]] (SS-N-14 Silex) with 40 anti-submarine missiles and the two RBU-1000 six-tube launchers.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

==In popular culture==
* In the film ''[[Threads (1984 film)|Threads]]'', ''Kirov'' collides with {{USS|Callaghan|DDG-994|6}} in the [[Persian Gulf]].
* In the novel ''[[The Hunt for Red October]]'', ''Kirov'' is deployed to the North Atlantic in pursuit of the title submarine, where it has a close encounter with American aircraft.
* In Tom Clancy's ''[[Red Storm Rising]]'', ''Kirov'' is sunk by the Norwegian submarine ''Kobben''.
Featured in the 66 book Kirov alt history series by author John Schettler

==See also==
* {{ship|Soviet cruiser|Kirov}}, a ''Kirov''-class cruiser, lead ship of a Soviet 1930–1940s [[Kirov-class cruiser|class of conventional cruisers]]
* [[Russian ship Admiral Ushakov|''Admiral Ushakov'' (warship)]], for other ships named for Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/navy/kirov.htm |title=Project 1144 Kirov class |first=Michael |last=Holm |website=ww2.dk}}

{{Kirov-class battlecruiser}}
{{Nuclear surface ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirov}}
[[Category:Kirov-class battlecruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built in the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:1977 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War cruisers of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Nuclear-powered ships of the Soviet Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built at the Baltic Shipyard]]