Admiral Nakhimov (nuclear cruiser)

History

2025: Over ₽200 billion upgrade completed

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov completed a long-term modernization worth over ₽200 billion and entered factory sea trials in the White Sea. Work on the restoration of the warship lasted 26 years at the Northern Machine-Building Enterprise Production Association JSC. Information about the cruiser's departure from Severodvinsk was received on August 18, 2025.

According to Kommersant, the modernization was carried out at the enterprise, which is part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC. The cruiser has been under repair since 1998, making it one of the longest-running warship recovery projects in Russian history.

𝓲

Фото: Wikipedia

The ship belongs to the project 1144 Orlan - a series of Soviet and Russian multi-purpose nuclear missile cruisers of the far sea zone. With a total displacement of 25,860 tons, these vessels are the world's largest operating non-avian strike warships.

From 1973 to 1996, four cruisers of this project were built. "Kirov" and "Admiral Lazarev" were decommissioned in the late 1990s and early 2000s. "Peter the Great" continues to serve in the fleet, but expects planned repairs after the return of "Admiral Nakhimov" to the Northern Fleet.

The main result of the modernization was a radical strengthening of the ship's shock power. Instead of outdated launchers SM-233 with missiles P-700 Granit, the cruiser received ten unified 3S14 launchers. Each unit holds eight different types of missiles.

The new weapons allow you to launch:

• missiles of the Caliber family of various modifications;
• supersonic medium-range Onyx anti-ship missiles;
• promising Zircon hypersonic missiles.

The ship's air defense system is strengthened by the Fort-M and Pantsir-M complexes. Anti-submarine defense is provided by the "Packet-NK" and "Answer" systems. The upgrade also included the installation of modern digital communication and control systems.^[1]

Notes