Nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great. Nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great": technical characteristics

Domestic cruisers of Project 1144 "Orlan" are a series of four heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers (TARK), which were designed in the USSR and built at the Baltic Shipyard from 1973 to 1998. They became the only surface ships in the Russian Navy equipped with a nuclear power plant. 18 September 2015, 09:25

Domestic cruisers of Project 1144 Orlan, according to NATO codification, received the designation Kirov-class battlecruiser, after the name of the first ship of the Kirov cruiser series (since 1992, Admiral Ushakov). In the West, they were classified as battlecruisers due to the exceptional size and armament of the ships. The chief designer of Project 1144 nuclear cruisers was Boris Izrailevich Kupensky, the deputy chief designer was Vladimir Evgenievich Yudin.

The Kirov cruisers have no analogues in the world shipbuilding industry. These ships could effectively carry out combat missions to destroy enemy surface ships and their submarines. The missile weapons installed on the ships made it possible to ensure, with a high degree of probability, the defeat of large enemy surface strike groups. The ships of the series were the world's largest non-vehicular attack warships. For example, the American Virginia-class nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers were 2.5 times smaller in displacement. Project 1144 Orlan cruisers were designed to engage large surface targets and protect fleet formations from air and submarine attacks in remote areas of the world's oceans. These ships were armed with almost all types of combat and technical means, which were just created for surface ships in the USSR. The main strike missile armament of the cruisers was anti-ship missile system"Granite".

On March 26, 1973, the first lead ship of Project 1144, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Kirov (since 1992, Admiral Ushakov), was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard; on December 27, 1977, the ship was launched, and on December 30, 1980, the TARK was transferred to the fleet. On October 31, 1984, the second ship of the series, the TARK Frunze (since 1992 - Admiral Lazarev), entered service. On December 30, 1988, the third ship was transferred to the fleet - TARK Kalinin (since 1992 Admiral Nakhimov). And in 1986, the plant began building the last ship of this series - TARK "Peter the Great" (initially they wanted to call it "Kuibyshev" and "Yuri Andropov"). The construction of the ship took place during a difficult period in the country's history. The collapse of the USSR led to the fact that construction was completed only in 1996, and testing in 1998. Thus, the ship was accepted into the fleet 10 years after its keel.

Heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Frunze" in the Indian Ocean during the transition to Vladivostok

The first cruiser of project 1144 Orlan (Kalinin)

Today, of the four, only the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great" is in service, which is the most powerful attack warship not only in the Russian Navy, but throughout the world. The first ship of the Admiral Ushakov series has been in storage since 1991, and was withdrawn from the fleet in 2002. Its fate has already been decided - the ship will be disposed of at the Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center defense shipyard in Severodvinsk. According to experts, dismantling this TARK will cost approximately 10 times more than dismantling the largest nuclear submarine, since Russia simply does not have the technology and experience in dismantling such warships. With a high degree of probability, the same fate will befall the second ship of the series - the cruiser "Admiral Lazarev", the ship is laid up at Far East since 1999. But the third cruiser of Project 11442 Orlan, Admiral Nakhimov, is currently undergoing repairs and modernization at Sevmash. It will be returned to the fleet at the turn of 2017-2018, previously called 2019. At the same time, according to general director"Sevmash" Mikhail Budnichenko, the cruiser's service life after completion of repairs will be extended by 35 years. It is assumed that the repaired TARK Admiral Nakhimov will continue to serve as part of the Russian Pacific Fleet, and Peter the Great will remain the flagship of the Russian Northern Fleet.

Project 11442 TARK "Admiral Nakhimov" under repair

The Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers did not have and do not have direct analogues abroad. Written off to this moment nuclear-powered American cruisers of the Long Beach type (17,500 tons) were 1.5 times smaller, and Virginia (11,500 tons) were 2.5 times smaller and had much weaker weapons both qualitatively and quantitatively. This could be explained by the different tasks that the ships faced. If in the American fleet they were only escorts for multi-purpose aircraft carriers, then as part of Soviet fleet nuclear surface ships were created as independent combat units that could form the basis of the ocean-going combat forces of the fleet. The varied armament of Project 1144 TARK made these ships multi-purpose, but at the same time complicated their maintenance and created some problems with determining their tactical and technical niche.

History of the creation of Project 1144 cruisers

In 1961, the first US Navy entered service. nuclear cruiser URO "Long Beach", this event became the impetus for the resumption of theoretical work on the development of a nuclear surface combat ship in the Soviet Union. But even without taking into account the Americans, the USSR Navy, which was entering a period of rapid development in those years, objectively needed ocean-going ships that could operate for a long time in isolation from coastal bases, solving this problem the best way contributed to atomic power plant. Already in 1964, research began again in the USSR to determine the appearance of the country's first combat nuclear surface ship. Initially, the research ended with the creation of tactical and technical specifications for the development of a project for a large anti-submarine ship with a nuclear power plant and a displacement of 8 thousand tons.

Heavy nuclear missile cruisers "Peter the Great", "Admiral Ushakov", winter 1996-1997

When designing the ship, the designers proceeded from the fact that the solution main task can be achieved only if sufficient combat stability is ensured. Even then, no one doubted that the main danger to the ship would be aviation, so the creation of a layered air defense system for the ship was initially envisaged. At the initial stage of development, the designers believed that combining everything necessary equipment and weapons in one hull would be very difficult, so the option of creating a pair of two nuclear-powered surface ships was considered: the Project 1144 BOD and the Project 1165 missile cruiser. The first ship was supposed to carry anti-submarine weapons, the second - anti-ship cruise missiles (ASC). These two ships were supposed to operate as part of a formation, covering each other from various threats; they were equipped with anti-aircraft weapons approximately equally, which was supposed to contribute to the creation of strong layered air defense. However, as the project developed, it was decided that it would be most rational not to separate anti-submarine and anti-ship functions, but to combine them in one cruiser. After this, work on the design of the Project 1165 nuclear cruiser was stopped and all the development efforts were transferred to the Project 1144 ship, which had become universal.

As work progressed, increasing demands on the project led to the ship receiving an ever-increasing range of weapons and various equipment - which, in turn, was reflected in an increase in displacement. As a result, the project of the first Soviet nuclear-powered surface combat ship quickly moved away from narrow anti-submarine functions, acquiring a multi-purpose focus, and its standard displacement exceeded 20 thousand tons. The cruiser was supposed to carry all the most modern types of combat and technical equipment that were created in the Soviet Union for surface combat ships. This evolution was also reflected by the new classification of the ship - “heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser”, which was assigned in June 1977, already during the construction of the lead ship of the series, which was laid down as a “nuclear-powered anti-submarine cruiser”.

In its final form, the technical design of the new nuclear surface ship was approved in 1972 and received the code 1144 “Orlan”. The project of the first Soviet surface combat nuclear-powered vessel was developed at the Northern Design Bureau in Leningrad. The chief designer of Project 1144 was B.I. Kupensky, and from the USSR Navy, the main supervisor of the design and construction of the cruiser from the very beginning until the transfer of the ship to the fleet was Captain 2nd Rank A.A. Savin.

The lead ship of the series, the Project 1144 cruiser "Kirov".

From the very beginning, the new nuclear-powered submarine became the favorite brainchild of S.G. Gorshkov, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy. Despite this, the design of the ship was difficult and quite slow. The increase in the cruiser's displacement as the requirements for the project were revised and made forced the designers to look for more and more new options for the ship's main power plant - first of all, its steam-producing part. At the same time, Gorshkov demanded that a backup power plant be placed on the cruiser, which would run on organic fuel. The fears of the military of those years could be understood: Soviet and world experience in operating nuclear-powered ships in those years was not extensive enough, and even today accidents with reactor failures occur from time to time. At the same time, a surface combat ship, unlike a submarine, can afford to switch from a nuclear reactor to burning ordinary fuel in furnaces - it was decided to take full advantage of this advantage. It was assumed that the reserve boiler could also help ensure the ship's parking. Insufficiently developed system for basing large warships in the Soviet Union long time was a sore spot for the Navy.

While the lead ship of the series was still on the slipway, an improved project had already been created for the next cruiser, which received the index 11442. It provided for the replacement of some types of weapons and equipment with the latest systems at that time: the Kortik anti-aircraft artillery complex (ZRAK) instead of the turret 30- mm six-barreled machine guns; The Kinzhal air defense system instead of the Osa-MA air defense system, the universal twin 130-mm AK-130 installation instead of the two single-gun 100-mm AK-100 turrets on the Kirov, the Vodopad anti-submarine complex instead of the Metel, RBU- rocket launchers 12000 instead of RBU-6000, etc. It was planned that all the ships in the series following the Kirov cruiser would be built according to an improved design, but in fact, due to the unavailability of all planned weapons for serial production, they were added to the ships under construction as development was completed. Ultimately, only the last ship, the Pyotr Velikiy, could correspond to Project 11442, but this too had reservations, and the second and third ships, Frunze and Kalinin, in terms of armament, occupied an intermediate position between the first and last ships of the series.

Description of the design of Project 1144 cruisers

All Project 1144 Orlan cruisers had a hull with an extended forecastle (by more than 2/3 of the total length). The hull is divided into 16 main compartments using waterproof bulkheads. There are 5 decks along the entire length of the TARK hull. In the bow of the ship, under the bulb fairing, there is a fixed antenna of the Polynom hydroacoustic complex. At the stern of the ship there is an under-deck hangar, which is designed for the permanent deployment of 3 Ka-27 helicopters, as well as storage facilities for fuel reserves and a lift designed to transport helicopters to the upper deck. Here, in the aft part of the ship, there is a compartment with a lifting and lowering device for the towed antenna of the Polynom hydroacoustic complex. The developed superstructures of the heavy cruiser are made with widespread use aluminum-magnesium alloys. The main part of the ship's armament is concentrated at the stern and bow.

Heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Peter the Great"

Project 1144 cruisers are protected from combat damage by anti-torpedo protection, a double bottom along the entire length of the hull, as well as local armoring of vital parts of the TARK. As such, on the Project 1144 Orlan cruisers there is no belt armor - the armor protection is located deep in the hull - however, along the waterline from the bow of the ship to its stern, a thickened skin belt with a height of 3.5 meters was laid (of which 2.5 meters above the waterline and 1 meter below the waterline), playing an important role in the structural protection of the cruiser.

TARK Project 1144 "Orlan" became the first warships after World War II, the design of which included fairly advanced armor. Thus, engine rooms, missile magazines of the Granit complexes and reactor compartments are protected on the sides by 100 mm (below the waterline - 70 mm) and on the deck by 70 mm armor. The premises of the ship's combat information post and the main command post, which are located inside its hull at the waterline level, also received armor protection: they are covered with 100 mm side walls with a 75 mm roof and traverses. In addition, in the stern of the cruiser there is armor along the sides (70 mm) and on the roof (50 mm) of the helicopter hangar, as well as around the ammunition and aviation fuel storage. There is also local armor above the tiller compartments.

A nuclear power plant with KN-3 reactors (VM-16 type core), although based on OK-900 type icebreaker reactors, has significant differences from them. The main thing is in fuel assemblies, which contain uranium with a high degree of enrichment (approximately 70%). The service life of such an active zone until the next recharge is 10-11 years. The reactors installed on the cruiser are double-circuit, thermal neutron, water-cooled. They use bidistillate as a coolant and moderator - high-purity water, which circulates through the reactor core under high pressure (about 200 atmospheres), ensuring boiling of the secondary circuit, which ultimately goes to the turbines in the form of steam.

The developers paid special attention to the possibility of using the cruiser's twin-shaft power plant, the power on each shaft of which is 70,000 hp. The complex-automated nuclear power plant was located in 3 compartments and included 2 nuclear reactors with a total thermal power of 342 MW, 2 turbo-gear units (located forward and aft of the reactor compartment), as well as 2 backup automated boilers KVG-2, mounted in turbine compartments. When operating only a backup power plant - without using nuclear reactors- the Project 1144 cruiser "Orlan" is able to reach a speed of 17 knots, the fuel reserves are enough to travel at this speed of 1300 nautical miles. The use of nuclear reactors provides the cruiser with a full speed of 31 knots and an unlimited cruising range. Installed on ships of this project the power plant would be able to provide heat and electricity to a city with a population of 100-150 thousand inhabitants. And the well-thought-out hull contours and large displacement provide the Project 1144 Orlan TARK with excellent seaworthiness, which is especially important for warships in the ocean zone.

The crew of Project 1144/11442 TARK consists of 759 people (including 120 officers). To accommodate the crew on board the ship, there are 1,600 rooms, including 140 single and double cabins, which are intended for officers and midshipmen, 30 cabins for sailors and petty officers for 8-30 people each, 15 showers, two baths, a sauna with a 6x2 swimming pool .5 meters, a two-level medical block (outpatient room, operating room, isolation hospitals, X-ray room, dental office, pharmacy), a gym with exercise equipment, 3 wardrooms for midshipmen, officers and admirals, as well as a lounge for relaxation and even its own cable TV studio.

Armament of Project 1144 Orlan cruisers

The main weapons of these cruisers were the P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles - third-generation supersonic cruise missiles with a low profile flight path to the target. With a launch weight of 7 tons, these missiles developed a speed of up to 2.5 M and could carry conventional combat unit weighing 750 kg or a monoblock nuclear charge with a power of up to 500 kt at a distance of up to 625 km. The length of the rocket is 10 meters, diameter is 0.85 meters. 20 Granit anti-ship cruise missiles were installed under the upper deck of the cruiser, with an elevation angle of 60 degrees. SM-233 launchers for these missiles were produced at the Leningrad Metal Plant. Due to the fact that Granit missiles were originally intended for submarines, the installation must be filled with sea water before launching the missile. Based on the experience of operational and combat training of the Navy, it is very difficult to shoot down a Granit. Even if an anti-missile missile is hit by an anti-ship missile, it, due to its enormous speed and mass, can retain sufficient momentum to “reach” the target ship.

Launcher shipborne air defense system"Fort-M"

The basis of the anti-aircraft missile armament of the Project 1144 Orlan cruisers was the S-300F (Fort) missile system, which was placed on rotating drums below the deck. The full ammunition load of the complex consisted of 96 anti-aircraft missiles. On the only ship of the Petra the Great series (instead of one S-300F complex), a unique S-300FM Fort-M bow complex appeared, which was produced in one copy. Each such complex is capable of simultaneously firing at up to 6 maneuvering small targets (accompanying up to 12 targets) and simultaneously directing 12 missiles at them in conditions of active and passive jamming by the enemy. Due to the design features of the S-300FM missiles, the ammunition load of the Peter the Great was reduced by 2 missiles. Thus, the Peter the Great TARK is armed with one S-300FM complex with 46 48N6E2 missiles and one S-300F complex with 48 48N6E missiles, the full ammunition load consists of 94 missiles. "Fort-M" was created on the basis army complex Air defense S-Z00PMU2 “Favorite”. This complex, unlike its predecessor - anti-aircraft complex“Fort” is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 120 km and successfully combating enemy anti-ship missiles at altitudes of up to 10 meters. The expansion of the affected area of ​​the complex was achieved by improving the sensitivity of the receiving channels and the energy characteristics of the transmitter.

The cruiser's second echelon of air defense is the Kinzhal air defense system, which was included in Project 11442, but in fact appeared only on the last ship of the series. The main task of this complex is to defeat air targets that have broken through the cruiser’s first air defense line (Fort air defense system). The Kinzhal is based on solid-fuel, single-stage, remote-controlled missiles 9M330, which are unified with the air defense system ground forces"Tor-M1". The rockets take off vertically with the engine not running under the influence of a catapult. The missiles are reloaded automatically, the launch interval is 3 seconds. The target detection range in automatic mode is 45 km, the number of simultaneously fired targets is 4, the reaction time is 8 seconds. The Kinzhal air defense system operates autonomously (without the participation of personnel). According to the specification, each Project 11442 cruiser was to have 128 such missiles in 16x8 installations.

The third line of air defense is the Kortik air defense system, which is a close-in defense complex. It is intended to replace the conventional 30-mm six-barreled AK-630 artillery systems. ZRAK "Kortik" in television-optical and radar modes is able to provide full automation of combat control from target detection to its destruction. Each installation consists of two 30-mm six-barreled AO-18 assault rifles, the total rate of fire of which is 10,000 rounds per minute, and two blocks of 4 two-stage 9M311 rockets. These missiles have a fragmentation rod warhead and a proximity fuse. In the turret compartment of each installation there are 32 such missiles in transport and launch containers. 9M311 missiles are unified with the 2S6 Tunguska land complex and are able to fight anti-ship missiles, guided bombs, helicopters and enemy aircraft. The range of action of the ZRAK "Kortik" missile unit is 1.5-8 km, fired from 30 mm artillery installations is carried out at a distance of 1500-50 meters. The height of the air targets hit is 5-4000 meters. In total, each of the three Project 11442 cruisers was supposed to carry 6 such complexes, the ammunition of which consisted of 192 missiles and 36,000 shells.

The anti-submarine weapons of the Project 1144 cruiser were represented by the Metel complex, which in Project 11442 was replaced by the more modern Vodopad anti-submarine complex. Unlike the Metel, the Vodopad does not need a separate launcher - the missile-torpedoes of the complex are loaded into standard torpedo tubes. A model 83RN rocket (or 84RN with a nuclear warhead), like an ordinary torpedo, is fired from a torpedo tube with compressed air and dives into the water. Then, upon reaching a certain depth, it starts rocket engine and the missile-torpedo takes off from under the water and delivers the warhead by air to the target area - up to 60 kilometers from the carrier ship - after which the warhead is separated. The UMGT-1, a 400-mm small-sized homing torpedo, can be used as a warhead. The range of the UMGT-1 torpedo, which can be mounted on missile torpedoes, is 8 km, the speed is 41 knots, and the depth is 500 meters. The cruiser's ammunition load includes up to 30 of these missile-torpedoes.

Submarines, nuclear and diesel-electric are considered. They are the ones who carry out difficult service far from their native shores, unobtrusively demonstrating the vulnerability of potential opponents, from time to time deliberately allowing themselves to be “detected.” Appearing from the depths of the sea at the most unexpected moments, near the maneuver zones of foreign fleets, they show the commanders of their ships that, despite their invisibility, they still exist. In peacetime, this practice is considered normal, but in case of war, the presence of submarines manifests itself differently. But submariners have their own tactics, and it is almost impossible to hide the movement of surface ships, especially such as large aircraft carriers or nuclear-powered cruisers. It seems that these giants are not afraid of anyone.

Is there a need for this giant?

This is exactly how the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy behaves at sea. "Military Review" is a site dedicated to domestic and foreign systems weapons - introduces its visitors to many technical details of the design of this ship, its performance characteristics, but refrains from analyzing its combat effectiveness in the event of a serious maritime or global conflict. At the same time, the cruiser, laid down in 1986, may no longer meet the requirements of the new millennium; it was designed without taking into account low-visibility technologies and is a large, brightly shining target. It has advantages, but it also has a number of disadvantages, and the maintenance of such a combat unit costs the Russian treasury a tidy sum every year. So, does our fleet need the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great, or is it better and cheaper to make do with traditional submarines? missile systems and naval aviation? How successfully will he be able to defend Russia's maritime borders in the event of special foreign policy circumstances? What rivals does he have in the ocean?

These questions require extensive and detailed answers.

Series "Orlan"

At the time when the USSR fleet was commanded by Admiral Gorshkov, the general ideology maritime strategy relied on large ships, both surface and submarine. The indestructible power of the Soviet Navy was symbolized by numerous nuclear-powered submarines and cruisers, bristling with launchers, radars and antennas. Diesel power plants narrowed the radius of operational use of naval forces. The “Yuri Andropov” (since 1998 “Peter the Great”), laid down at the Baltic Shipyard, was supposed to provide the possibility of a visible presence in any area of ​​the world’s oceans. The nuclear cruiser was not built alone, despite the serious economic difficulties of the perestroika era, the shipyards began a series of four ships of the 1144th project, which received the general name “Orlan”. “Andropov’s” siblings were “Kirov”, “Frunze” and “Kalinin”, also named after prominent figures of the Communist Party. Subsequent events that began to take place in the country showed that, in setting such a large-scale task of rearmament of the surface forces of the Navy, the country's leadership got a little carried away. Currently, of the entire series, only one nuclear-powered missile cruiser, the Peter the Great, is a combat-ready unit. What will happen to “Admiral Lazarev” (formerly “Frunze”) and “Admiral Nakhimov” (“Kalinin”) is already clear; they are undergoing modernization and will be in service before the end of the decade. The fate of the Admiral Ushakov (Kirov) is sad; the ship is awaiting disposal.

He can't sneak up unnoticed

This ship is not just big. Only aircraft carriers are larger than it. It can sail autonomously for years, making scheduled personnel replacements and replenishing food supplies. The team consists of 727 sailors, petty officers, midshipmen and officers, including 18 pilots and technical personnel servicing helicopters. Speed ​​32 knots. Displacement 26 thousand tons. It should be taken into account that it is almost impossible to ensure the secrecy of its appearance in any area of ​​the world's oceans. And it’s not about the size, or rather, not only about them. Passage through straits or canals also disavows small-tonnage ships, not like the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great. News that this or that aircraft carrier, destroyer or frigate has passed through Suez, the Bosphorus or the Dardanelles instantly spreads around the world. So what is the task of this giant if its location is always known, if not from television programs, then from satellite surveillance data?

Large target

It is clear that when such a thing appears off the coast powerful ship any potential enemy will become wary and declare a general alarm. The reaction of the commander of a naval unit, which for some reason will be approached by the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great, will be the same. If so the event will happen in peacetime, then everything will end with the usual “exchange of pleasantries”, the squadrons will politely bare their teeth with their strike and defense systems, “make noise” with communications and disperse “like ships at sea.” But in case of war, it's will go wherever more intense and dangerous. The enemy will immediately open fire on a large target and do everything to send the cruiser to the bottom. How will Petro the Great respond to the launches of anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, airstrikes and other hostile actions? And will he be able to launch a pre-emptive strike if necessary?

Yes. He has everything he needs for this.

Armament

It is unique not only in size. There are no non-aircraft carriers in the world as armed as the Peter the Great. The nuclear cruiser has on board a huge arsenal, including all possible means of fire and protection against air attacks, underwater attacks, mine threats and other dangers. The “main caliber” are the Granit missiles, located in twenty launchers below deck.

It is impossible to withstand an attack from a swarm of these projectiles; they have an integrated autonomous control system. The flight is coordinated by a “leader” who rises above all other missiles, and if it is hit by enemy missile defense systems, a new leader is automatically “appointed.” In combination with radio interference and decoys, the Granite strike can be considered irresistible.

The S-300F air defense system (in naval version) is supplemented with the Kinzhal and Kashtan anti-aircraft systems. These technical means protect the TARK from the effects of anti-ship missiles, including those launched from aircraft. Moreover, they are capable of hitting even ultra-precise laser-guided bombs.

A torpedo attack will also not be successful. In addition to these missile weapons, there is also 130-caliber artillery, capable of hitting at a distance of up to 22 kilometers. To combat enemy submarines, nuclear heavy cruiser"Peter the Great" is equipped with ten Vodopad launchers with four dozen RGB-40 anti-submarine guided missiles, and Ka-27 helicopters - two of them - will help detect them. And that is not all.

In general, there are a lot of weapons. There is plenty to fire both defensive and offensive fire from.

Ghost of the eighties?

However, all this does not mean at all that the TARK “Peter the Great” can be called an unsinkable ideal cruiser against which the enemy is powerless. Such weapons simply do not exist, especially since the ship was designed a long time ago, almost three decades ago. During this time, the concept of military shipbuilding changed, the silhouettes of combat ships became different, the unusual outlines of naval Stealth ships appeared, the complex interweaving of antennas disappeared, the shapes were simplified, the contour lines became broken. To some arms experts, the Peter the Great (a heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser seems like an archaic ghost of the era of the seventies and eighties. It has a lot of resonant arrays, radars and communication antennas. And such experts cite the example of the American Orly Burke, a destroyer , built taking into account all modern requirements for stealth and information support.

American rivals

Yes, the American destroyer amazes with its ultra-modern appearance. This is just some kind of transforming robot, it has no protruding parts, and the computing complex provides (according to Pentagon representatives) early detection and very fast operational decision-making. Concerns arise as to how successfully the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great will be able to operate against the Aegis system, which is equipped with Orly Burke-class destroyers.

But not everything is so sad. The fact is that the newest American ships were created based on two main principles: maximum integration of control systems and minimization of costs.

Aegis system

The AN/SPY-1 radar station installed on the Orly Burke uses four phased arrays fixed to the superstructure as an antenna. The entire system is closed to a single processing center, which, of course, provides certain advantages in terms of noise immunity, but at the same time narrows the range of target detection and tracking distances. This drawback is especially evident when it is necessary to repel attacks from low-flying supersonic anti-ship missiles that the Peter the Great possesses. Due to its size, a nuclear-powered cruiser can carry many weapons, and its high-mounted antennas provide long-range detection of even such inconspicuous objects as Orly Burke-class ships (which still cannot be called invisible).

About the antennas of "Peter the Great"

Yes, there are a lot of antennas, and it is because of them that Peter the Great is so clearly visible on radar screens. The nuclear cruiser is equipped with three radar stations, each of which does its part of the job. "Voskhod" (MR-600), mounted on the foremast, performs a survey function. Below, on the mainsail, the Fregat M 2 (MR-750) radar is located; it determines all three coordinates of the target. The Podkata antenna (MR-350) is installed on the foremast; it is capable of detecting low-flying targets - this is exactly the element that is missing in the orderly chain of air defense systems American system"Aegis". The “tackle” operates in a two-coordinate system and has a high scanning frequency combined with a low elevation angle, which ensures the required performance. Thus, despite its visibility, TARK "Peter the Great" has every chance of hitting much more modern ship probable enemy, bringing down his entire rich arsenal on him. He will be able to detect the enemy in advance, and therefore he will not be threatened with a surprise attack. He is also quite capable of repelling missiles; he has everything he needs for this.

Prospects

History knows examples when warships served in the navies for many decades. Well-made hulls, good running and maneuverability and large displacement create the basis for modernizing the vessel and bringing it in line with the requirements of the current moment. There are all signs that the nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great", specifications which can certainly be called outstanding, will be in use for a long time. It has no analogues; even other similar ships with a nuclear power plant, such as the Virginia or Long Beach, are significantly inferior to our flagship ship in terms of displacement, and therefore in terms of modernization potential. Its power plant is also unique, including two and auxiliary steam boilers, increasing power to 300 megawatts.

It is significant that this miracle of domestic shipbuilding bears the name of the creator of the Russian Navy, who began this good deed with the construction of a modest boat.

It may be decades before the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great is removed from service with the Navy, to be replaced by new ships of the third millennium.

Carriers of the Granit anti-ship missile system, the only surface combatants with a nuclear power plant in the Russian fleet.

The history of Orlan was long and winding. At first, it was supposed to be a nuclear-powered BOD with great autonomy, designed to search for and destroy American missile-carrying submarines. And the actual nuclear missile cruiser with anti-ship weapons was supposed to be the Project 1165 “Fugas” ship.

However, the construction of two types of heavy ocean-going ships with a nuclear power plant was considered expensive, and the projects were combined and turned into an attack cruiser. This is how Project 1144 appeared in the form that was embodied in metal.

Developed by the Leningrad Northern Design Bureau. The lead cruiser was laid down on March 26, 1973. A total of four such ships were built: "Kirov" (now "Admiral Ushakov"), "Frunze" ("Admiral Lazarev"), "Kalinin" ("Admiral Nakhimov"), and already in Russian times, in 1996, it was completed " Peter the Great" (originally "Yuri Andropov").

Cruiser "Peter the Great" project 11442, Northern Fleet, 2010. Photo: Vitaly Ankov

The total displacement of the ship is 26,000 tons, length is 250 meters. Full speed 31 knots. The propulsion system is redundant: two steam-producing installations with water-cooled nuclear reactors and two backup diesel fuel installations. Unlimited cruising range, reserve autonomy 60 days. Crew 760 people, including 120 officers.

The main armament of the cruiser is 20 launchers of P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles. Long-range air defense is provided by 12 launchers of the S-300F Fort anti-aircraft complex (initially with 5V55R missiles, then with 48N6E). The role of self-defense air defense missile system on the first three cruisers of the series is played by the Osa-M complexes with 9M33 missiles (2×2 launchers), and on the Peter the Great by the Kinzhal (16 launchers) with 9M330 missiles.

The artillery unit of the short-range air defense is provided with four groups of two 30-mm six-barreled AK-630 M assault rifles (on the Kirov and Frunze) or the Kortik air defense system (on the Kalinin and Petra). In addition, there is traditional medium-caliber artillery - two 100mm AK-100 mounts on the Kirov and twin 130mm AK-130 mounts on three subsequent ships.

Launch of a 3 M45 "Granit" missile by the missile cruiser "Peter the Great" during firing training, 2013. Frame from RT TV channel

Anti-submarine weapons include: on the Kirov - a twin installation of the Metel guided missile complex, a twelve-barrel RBU-6000 bomb launcher and two six-barrel RBU-1000; on other ships - 10 launch complex Vodopad guided missiles, two six-barrel RBU-1000 and either RBU-6000 (Frunze) or ten-barrel RBU-12000 (Kalinin, Peter the Great). In addition, torpedo tubes are installed. The cruiser can carry two anti-submarine helicopters of the Ka-25 or Ka-27 type.

The ship is armored (which is not often found on modern ships). Thus, the missile compartment with “Granites” and the cellar of anti-submarine missiles are armored with 70-100 mm plates, and the main command post and the combat information post are armored with 75-100 mm plates.

Currently in combat strength Of the four ships, only “Peter the Great” (the flagship of the Northern Fleet) is located. The remaining three were actually withdrawn from the fleet and have been in disrepair since the mid-2000s. At the same time, a contract has been signed until 2018 with the installation of new missile systems and the replacement of avionics. There are also plans to modernize the Admiral Lazarev, although a contract for it has not yet been signed.

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser (TARKR) "Peter the Great" is designed to destroy large surface targets, protect naval formations from attacks from the air and enemy submarines in remote areas of the seas and oceans. It is the flagship of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy.

In 1952-1954, the USSR decided to create a new nuclear missile fleet. In 1964, the design of a domestic surface combat ship with an almost unlimited cruising range began. Initially, it was planned to create an 8,000-ton anti-submarine ship with a nuclear power plant. However, after the appearance in the late 60s of US Navy submarines with intercontinental missiles and nuclear power plants, it was decided to create operational formations of anti-submarine ships to combat them. To ensure the combat stability of naval anti-submarine groups, it was necessary to create a larger multi-purpose cruiser, unlike the one previously designed. Thus, Project 1144 of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser was born.

According to Project 1144, four heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers were built at the Baltic Shipyard: "Kirov" (since 1992 - "Admiral Ushakov"), "Frunze" (since 1992 - "Admiral Lazarev"), "Kalinin" (since 1992 - " Admiral Nakhimov") and "Peter the Great". These ships are armed with almost all types of combat and technical means created for military surface ships.

The plant began construction of the last ship in the series - "Peter the Great" (when laid down it was called "Kuibyshev", then - "Yuri Andropov") - in 1986. After 10 years, the cruiser left for sea trials. In accordance with the state test plan, the running program was carried out in harsh conditions Arctic. In 1998, the nuclear-powered cruiser was transferred to the fleet.

TARKR "Peter the Great" is a further development of attack missile cruisers. Unlike its predecessors, the TARKR has increased navigation autonomy and is equipped with more effective hydroacoustic means, anti-submarine weapons and cruise missiles.

Technical data

Speed: full speed - 31 knots, economical - 18 knots

Autonomy: 60 days

Dimensions: length - 251 meters, width - 28.5 meters, draft - 10.3 meters

Crew: 760 people.

The main power plant of the cruiser is equipped with two reactors fast neutrons thermal power of 300 MW each and two auxiliary oil steam boilers. Pairing nuclear reactors with oil superheaters increases the overall power of the installation and thereby the speed of the ship. The ship is also equipped with: 8 steam and gas generators, 4 power plants with a total capacity of 18 thousand kW, 2 turbines with 75 thousand horsepower each.

The basis of the armament is the anti-ship supersonic missiles "Granit" P-700 (3M-45) ("Shipwreck"). On the cruiser, 20 Granit anti-ship missiles are installed under the upper deck, with an elevation angle of 60 degrees.

The ship's combat systems include: a combat information center; radio communication system; satellite communication system; fire control systems for anti-ship missiles, RBU-1000 and "Udav-1" complexes; radar stations: surveillance radar, radar for detecting low-flying and surface targets, fire control radar for ship air defense systems - two, fire control radar for 30-mm gun mounts - four, navigation radar - two; as well as active, passive acoustic systems and electronic measurement systems.

Anti-aircraft missile and artillery weapons"Peter the Great" consists of the S-300F air defense system with 48 48N6 missiles, the S-300FM with 46 48N6E2 missiles, the Kinzhal air defense system, the Kortik air defense system with AK-630 and the AK-130 artillery mount.

The cruiser "Peter the Great" is additionally equipped with the S-300FM "Fort-M" bow complex.

The cruiser's anti-submarine armament is equipped with the Vodopad-NK anti-submarine missile system and the Udav-1 anti-torpedo system, RBU-1000 missile and bomb launchers and Ka-27PL helicopters.

The Vodopad?NK anti-submarine missile system has 20 anti-submarine missiles or torpedoes. Firing is carried out from 10 launchers (missile and torpedo tubes).

The Udav-1 complex is equipped with 40 anti-submarine missiles. The cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov has a similar system.

RBU?1000 form the basis of the "Smerch-3" system, which has the following composition: two six-tube remotely guided anti-submarine missile launchers RBU-1000 (ammunition load of 102 missiles), a charging device, RSL-10 depth charges, the "Storm" PUSB system with the "Zummer" attachment ", controlling fire up to four RBU.

Three Ka-27PL or Ka-25RT helicopters are also designed for anti-submarine protection.

The Ka-27 ("Helix") is equipped with anti-submarine weapons including a search radar, sonobuoys, an acoustic system and magnetic anomaly detectors. The Ka-27 can also be armed with torpedoes, bombs, mines and anti-ship missiles.

The heavy nuclear missile cruiser Project 1144.2 (code "Orlan") was developed by the Northern Design Bureau under the leadership of B.I. Kupensky, and then V.A. Perevalov and is an improved modification of TARKR pr.1144. In 1984, the second ship of Project 1144 (the first according to Project 1144.2) appeared - “Frunze (Admiral Lazarev)”, in 1988 the third - “Kalinin (Admiral Nakhimov)” and “Yuri Andropov (Peter the Great)” in 1998 - on given time flagship of the Northern Fleet.

The design of the hull and mechanisms of the ship completely replicates the prototype. All the differences concerned weapons. In accordance with the initial design, it was supposed to carry two Kinzhal air defense systems (each with two launchers, including 4 drums, instead of the Osa-MA air defense system), 6 Kortik air defense missile systems (instead of the AK-630M ZAK ), one twin 130mm AU (instead of two 100mm AU) and the Vodopad anti-aircraft missile system with RTPU (instead of the Metel anti-aircraft missile system and 533mm TA). However, due to delays in development and delivery, the weapons systems then available were installed on ships entering service. The Frunze TARKR was transferred to the fleet with the AK-630M ZAK without both Kinzhal air defense systems and six Kortik air defense missile systems. At the same time, the Osa-MA air defense system was retained. On the Kalinin TARKR, instead of the AK-630M ZAK, they installed the Kortik air defense system, and instead of the RBU-1000, they installed the Udav-1 anti-torpedo protection complex. TARKR "Yuri Andropov" was supposed to be put into operation with standard weapons. By the time it was launched, the S-300F Fort air defense system was upgraded into the S-300FM Fort-M air defense system with a new generation fire control system and missile defense system. In the mid-1990s, they decided to install this modification of the air defense system instead of the bow-mounted Fort air defense system. Also, the cruiser was armed with only one (stern) Kinzhal air defense system. Thus, at present, none of the cruisers of this type carries the weapons provided for in the original design. However, volumes and energy capacities are reserved for it on ships, so that if necessary, ships can be quickly rearmed.

The cruiser's armament is based on Granit P-700 (3M-45) anti-ship supersonic missiles. With a launch weight of 7 tons, the rocket develops a speed of 2.5 M and can deliver a high-explosive warhead weighing 750 kg or a nuclear charge with a power of up to 500 kt over a distance of 600 km. Warhead - a monoblock in nuclear, conventional (750 kg explosive) equipment or a fuel-air warhead (volume explosion). The guidance system is inertial with a radio command system for adjusting the flight path and a warhead with an active radar homing system in the final section (at a distance of 37 km from the target). Anti-aircraft rocket weapons is represented by three air defense systems: S-Z00F (S-Z00FM), “Dagger” and “Dirk”. They are creating a three-echelon air defense-missile defense system. In the near (last) air defense-missile defense zone, our ship is covered by the “barrels” of a 30-mm MZAK. In addition to anti-aircraft weapons for self-defense against low-flying anti-ship missiles, the cruiser is equipped with a universal AK-130 artillery system, providing a rate of fire from 20 to 86 rounds per minute. Its twin 130-mm artillery mount (AU) also makes it possible to fire at sea and coastal targets and support landing forces with fire. The ammunition has unitary rounds of several types, for example, high-explosive fragmentation with impact, remote and radio fuses.

In general, the domestic nuclear cruiser Project 1144.2 is significantly superior to its foreign (albeit built earlier, but designed almost simultaneously) analogues - ARKR of the "Virginia" and "California" types - absolutely in all main tactical-technical and military-economic indicators. If we exclude from consideration the completely specific NK - AB - and American battleships put into reserve at the limit of their physical age (over 50 years), then without exaggeration we can say that our TARKR pr.1144 and 1144.2 are the most powerful and protected BHK not only in the domestic navy, but also in the world. It should be added that in the series of 4 ships, Project 1144 (1144.2), “Peter the Great” is the most advanced. The uniqueness of the ship is also enhanced by the fact that it is equipped with the only S-Z00FM air defense system in the Russian Navy - there are no other ships with such an air defense system in the fleet, and their arrival is not expected in the coming years. Overall, the Peter the Great is the world's largest non-aircraft-carrying attack warship. According to the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Kuroyedov, the combat effectiveness of the Northern Fleet with the commissioning of the 21st century cruiser Peter the Great increased by 17 percent.

NATO considered the Soviet squadrons led by Project 1144.2 cruisers as very dangerous rivals for its aircraft carrier formations. During theoretical exercises, to destroy such a squadron, groups of four aircraft carriers were deployed, of which only one was supposed to remain afloat. The air groups of three aircraft carriers were expected to be almost completely lost.