"Peter the Great" - nuclear cruiser. Nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great": description

Armament

Built ships

Project 1144 and 11442 cruisers are a series of four highly autonomous heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers built at the Baltic Shipyard for the Soviet Navy. Since the lead ship entered service in 1980, they have remained the largest and most powerfully armed missile cruisers in the world to this day. Currently, it is the only type of surface ship in the Russian Navy with a nuclear power plant.

General information

In essence, Project 1144 represents a revival of the idea of ​​a battleship in the nuclear missile era. According to NATO classification, ships of this type are designated as “Kirov-class battlecruisers”, which emphasizes their exceptional size and powerful strike weapons. These cruisers became the first and only nuclear-powered surface combatants in the Soviet fleet, as well as the largest warships in the world after aircraft carriers.

As of 2012, only one of the four cruisers built, the Peter the Great TARKR, was in service. In 2013, the Sevmash enterprise began work on the overhaul and modernization of another cruiser, the Admiral Nakhimov (until 1992, it served in the Northern Fleet under the name Kalinin).

History of creation

Predecessors

Missile cruiser "Vladivostok" of the "Admiral Zozulya" type (project 1134)

By the early 1960s, in addition to aging artillery cruisers, the Soviet Navy had only four small Grozny-class guided missile cruisers. The main task of the surface forces was then considered to be the fight against enemy submarines, so destroyers and large anti-submarine ships (BODs) were built most massively for the fleet. However, the need to create attack ships- focused on solving anti-ship tasks - was also recognized by the fleet leadership. It was for this purpose that a series of four BODs of the Admiral Zozulya type (project) were armed with P-35 anti-ship cruise missiles, which gave reason to subsequently reclassify them into missile cruisers. The first surface nuclear-powered ships, which began to be developed for the USSR Navy shortly after the laying of a series of ships of Project 1134, were also initially classified as BODs - however, as the project developed, having received powerful strike weapons, nuclear-powered ships were transferred to the class of cruisers. The new project received code 1144.

Prerequisites for creation

Nuclear-powered cruiser Long Beach (USA)

The first studies of nuclear-powered surface combat ships were carried out in the USSR back in the 1950s. Several options for preliminary designs of a nuclear cruiser under code 63 were proposed. However, due to the great complexity and cost of development, project 63 was closed by 1959.

In 1961, the first nuclear-powered cruiser Long Beach entered service with the US Navy. Perhaps this event served as an impetus for the resumption of theoretical work justifying the creation of a combat nuclear-powered surface ship in the USSR. In any case, the Soviet navy, then entering a period of rapid development, objectively needed ocean-going ships capable of operating for a long time in isolation from coastal bases - and the nuclear power plant met such tasks in the best possible way. For these or other reasons, but in 1964, research began again to determine the appearance of the first nuclear-powered combat surface vessel in the Soviet Union. The research culminated in a tactical and technical assignment for the development of a design for a large nuclear-powered anti-submarine ship with a displacement of 8,000 tons.

Design

An early version of the large nuclear-powered anti-submarine ship Project 1144

When designing, we proceeded from the fact that the ship’s solution to the main task would be ensured only if it had sufficient combat stability. There was no doubt that aviation posed the greatest danger to it, therefore provision was made for echeloning of the ship's air defense systems along its entire depth, elements, construction principles, calibers and rate of fire. At an early stage of development, it was believed that combining all the necessary weapons and equipment in one body would be too difficult, so it was planned to create a pair of two nuclear ships: BOD project 1144 and missile cruiser project 1165 . The first carried anti-submarine weapons, the second - anti-ship cruise missiles, and they had to operate as part of a formation, covering each other from threats from the water and from under the water; Both nuclear-powered ships were equipped with anti-aircraft systems approximately equally, creating together a powerful layered air defense.

Atomic missile cruiser Project 1165, which was supposed to cover the BOD Project 1144 from enemy surface ships

Anti-ship missiles in Project 1144 did not appear immediately. It was taken into account that the United States has already begun intensive development of its own anti-ship missiles, and in the near future the US Navy will receive them for service. As the project of the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine developed, it was decided that it would be more rational not to separate the anti-ship and anti-submarine functions, but to combine them in one ship. Thus, the design of the Project 1165 nuclear cruiser was discontinued and the developers’ efforts were focused on the now universal Project 1144.

Increased requirements for the project led to the fact that it received an increasing range of weapons and equipment - which, in turn, led to an increase in displacement. As a result, the design of the first Soviet nuclear ship moved away from narrow anti-submarine functions and acquired a multi-purpose focus, and the standard displacement exceeded 20,000 tons. He had to carry all the newest types of combat and technical means created in the USSR for surface combat ships. This was also reflected new classification nuclear-powered ship - "heavy nuclear missile cruiser", which was assigned to him in June 1977, already during the construction of the lead ship (it was laid down as a “nuclear anti-submarine cruiser”).

In its final form, the technical design of the new ship - approved in 1972 - was designated code 1144 and the name "Orlan". The nuclear-powered ship project was developed at the Northern Design Bureau (Leningrad). B.I. Kupensky was appointed chief designer of Project 1144, who had previously been the chief designer of the first combat gas turbine ships in the USSR - BOD Project 61 (Komsomolets of Ukraine type). From the Navy, Captain 2nd Rank A. A. Savin became the main supervisor of the design and construction of the ship from the very beginning until its final transfer to the fleet.

Features of TARKR project 11442 weapons

From the very beginning, the new nuclear ship became the favorite brainchild of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy S.G. Gorshkov. However, the design process was difficult and rather slow. The increase in displacement as the requirements for the project were revised forced the search for more and more new options for the main power plant - first of all, its steam-producing part. In the end, they decided to create a special power plant (PP). At the same time, the commander-in-chief demanded the placement of a reserve fossil fuel power plant. His fears can be understood: the Soviet (and the world in general) experience in operating nuclear-powered ships was small at that time, and even in our time, accidents with reactors happen from time to time. A surface ship, unlike a submarine, can, in principle, afford to switch from a nuclear reactor to burning conventional fuel in furnaces - and it was decided to take advantage of this advantage. After all, a warship is not an icebreaker, and besides, a reserve boiler could help ensure its parking. The insufficiently developed system for basing large ships in the USSR has long been a sore point for the fleet.

The lead ship was still on the slipway when an improved one was developed for the next one. project 11442. In it, a number of weapons and equipment were replaced by the latest systems being developed by that time: the Kinzhal air defense system instead of the Osa-MA, the Kortik anti-aircraft artillery complex instead of the turret-mounted 30-mm six-barreled machine guns, the Vodopad anti-submarine complex instead of Blizzards", twin 130-mm universal AK-130 installation instead of two single-gun 100-mm AK-100 turrets, RBU-12000 rocket launchers instead of RBU-6000. All ships of this type following after the Kirov were supposed to be built according to an improved design, but in fact, due to the unreadiness for mass production of all planned weapons, they had to be added to the cruisers under construction as development was completed. As a result, only the last ship of the series, “Peter the Great”, fully corresponds to project 11442, and then with reservations - and “Frunze” and “Kalinin” occupy intermediate levels between the “Kirov” and “Peter the Great” in terms of armament composition.

Construction and testing

From 1973 to 1996, according to project 1144/11442, four heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers (TARKR) were built at the Baltic Shipyard (Leningrad, now St. Petersburg).

March 26, 1973 The keel of the lead ship of Project 1144, a heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard "Kirov" .

During construction, the ship was assigned serial number 800. The Kirov was launched on December 27, 1977, and December 30, 1980 the cruiser was transferred to the fleet.

Even during the completion of the Kirov afloat, July 26, 1978, laid down the second ship of the series - factory “order 801”, TARKR "Frunze". Its launch took place on May 26, 1981, and October 31, 1984 the new cruiser entered service.

Close-in air defense systems on first three cruisers - 2x2 "Osa-MA" (40 missiles), on "Peter the Great" - 8x8 "Dagger" (64 missiles).

On the "Kirov" and "Frunze" the bow rocket launcher belonged to the RBU-6000 "Smerch-3" type, on the "Kalinin" and "Peter the Great" - the RBU-12000 "Udav-1".

On the Kirov and Frunze, the functions of short-range anti-aircraft artillery were performed by 8 six-barreled 30-mm AK-630 assault rifles, and on the Kalinin and Peter the Great, 6 each were installed anti-aircraft missiles but-artillery complexes (ZRAK) "Kortik".

Main strike complex

On June 13, 2013, a contract was signed for the overhaul and modernization of the cruiser between the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Sevmash enterprise, and on October 24, 2014, the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov was introduced into the Sevmash loading pool and began dismantling the equipment to be replaced. According to the work plan, the modernized cruiser should enter service in 2018.

The fate of the project ships

• Head "Kirov" was commissioned in 1980 and served in the Northern Fleet. During his service, he bore the rank of Red Banner and the Red Banner Naval Flag, earned by the cruiser of the same name in the battles of the Great Patriotic War.

He participated in several combat services, and in 1989 he took part in the rescue of the crew of the damaged submarine "Komsomolets".

Placed in reserve after an accident in 1990 requiring mid-term repairs; due to the lack of funds for restoration, repairs were never started, and by now the cruiser is scheduled for disposal.

• "Frunze" entered service in 1984 and served with the Pacific Fleet and participated in combat duties.

On May 27, 1992, it was renamed Admiral Lazarev. In 1999, it was put into reserve and mothballed; underwent dock repairs in 2014.

• "Kalinin" entered service in 1988 and served in the Northern Fleet and participated in combat services.

The ship has permanent place based in the city of Severodvinsk. Since 2013, a deep modernization of the cruiser under Project 11442M began.

• "Peter the Great" entered testing in 1996 and was accepted by the fleet on April 19, 1998.

In October 1996, "Peter the Great" was in the Baltic Sea for sea trials. We accelerated the ship to maximum speed, determined maneuvering elements - inertia, run-out, circulation diameter. During one of these maneuvers on October 27, 1996, at 21:27 Moscow time, an accident occurred in the forward engine and boiler room: high pressure of dry superheated steam ruptured the pipe that led from the steam pipeline of the main turbine to the safety valve. Hot under pressure of 35 atmospheres gas mixture(the temperature exceeded 300 degrees Celsius) burst out of a thirteen-centimeter pipe fracture and, crushing fiberglass and asbestos insulation into dust, began to fill the space of the boiler room from top to bottom. Five people died and six were burned.

The ship has a permanent base in the port of Severomorsk, participates in naval exercises and combat services, and makes long voyages.

Title, project	Pawned	Launched	Entered into service	Fleet	Further fate
"Kirov", pr.1144	21.03.1974	27.12.1977	30.12.1980	KSF	Since 1990 it has been put into reserve; in 1992 renamed “Admiral Ushakov”
"Frunze", project 11442	27.07.1978	26.05.1981	31.10.1984	KTOF	In 1992 renamed “Admiral Lazarev”; since 1998 put into reserve
"Kalinin", pr. 11442	17.05.1983	25.04.1986	30.12.1988	KSF	In 1992 renamed “Admiral Nakhimov”; since 2013 it has been modernized according to project 11442M
"Peter the Great", project 11442	25.04.1986	29.04.1989	9.04.1998	KSF	Built as "Yuri Andropov", renamed in 1992

Project evaluation

Heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Kirov" in combat service in the Mediterranean Sea, December 22, 1989

Nuclear-powered missile cruisers of the Kirov type had no direct analogues abroad and do not have them: the American nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers of the Virginia type, which have been decommissioned to date, were 2.5 times larger in displacement (11,300 tons), and Long Beach (17 500 tons) 1.5 times less, and carried much weaker weapons both quantitatively and qualitatively. This is explained by the difference in the tasks facing these ships: if in the United States nuclear cruisers were, first of all, escorts for multi-purpose nuclear aircraft carriers, then in the Soviet Navy they were created as independent combat units capable of forming the basis of formations of warships in the ocean.

The advantages of Kirov-class nuclear cruisers include:

• Excellent seaworthiness and virtually unlimited autonomy;
• Powerful strike missile weapons;
• The presence (for the first time in the world) of multi-channel and high-speed long-range air defense systems due to vertical launch, capable of covering an entire formation of ships;
• High survivability;
• High versatility of use.

Heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Frunze" in the Indian Ocean, October 1985

The disadvantages of ships of this type usually include:

• Significant size, which complicates basic maintenance and increases the cost of construction (it should be noted that this is a disadvantage only relative to other attack ships: aircraft carriers are still unrivaled in terms of the extremely high cost of construction and operation);
• Insufficiently justified tactical niche;
• The lead ship has a low efficiency of radar and air defense systems when working against low-flying stealth targets (this deficiency was corrected on the next three cruisers of the series by adding the Podkat radar, and on Kalinin and Petra the Great - also new anti-aircraft systems "Dirk" and "Dagger").

Also, the problems of the Project 1144 cruisers (which are not, in fact, shortcomings of the project) include the absence of other types of nuclear-powered surface ships in the Soviet fleet, which either forced the Project 1144 cruisers to operate alone, or did not allow them to fully realize the advantages of the nuclear power plant.

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" - a site dedicated to domestic and foreign weapons systems - introduces its visitors to many technical details of the design of this ship, its running 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 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 powerful ship appears off the coast, any potential enemy will be 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 is no one in the world so armed aircraft carriers, like "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. Besides missile weapons There is also 130-caliber artillery, capable of firing at a distance of up to 22 kilometers. To combat enemy submarines, the nuclear-powered 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 American newest 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 (MR-350) antenna 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 of the American Aegis system. 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 fleets 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.

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 equipment that had only been 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 in the series - the cruiser Admiral Lazarev, the ship has been laid up in the 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 nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Long Beach became part of the US Navy; this event became the impetus for the resumption of theoretical work on the development of a surface combat nuclear-powered 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; the solution to this problem was best facilitated by a nuclear 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 to the main task could be achieved only if sufficient combat stability was 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 it would be very difficult to combine all the necessary equipment and weapons in one hull, 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 surface warship Quite quickly it moved away from narrow anti-submarine functions, acquiring a multi-purpose focus, and its standard displacement exceeded 20 thousand tons. The cruiser had to carry all the most modern views combat and technical means 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. Advanced add-ons heavy cruiser made with widespread use aluminum-magnesium alloys. The main part of the ship's armament is concentrated at the stern and bow.

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 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: 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.

Special attention the developers paid 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. With only a backup power plant operating - without the use of nuclear reactors - the Project 1144 Orlan cruiser 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. The power plant installed on the ships of this project 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 anti-ship cruise missiles"Granite" 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 of the 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. Because of design features missiles of the S-300FM complex, the ammunition load of “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 of the army air defense complex 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, and the final firing from 30-mm artillery mounts 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.

ZRAK "Dirk"

As a universal artillery system, the Project 11442 Orlan cruisers received one AK-130 turret installation with two 130-mm automatic guns with a barrel length of 70 calibers. The AK-130 provides a rate of fire of 20 to 86 rounds per minute, and, in addition to air targets, can be used to fire at various sea and coastal targets and support landings with fire. Universal ammunition artillery installation consists of unitary shots of several types - for example, high-explosive fragmentation shots with remote, impact and radio fuses. The firing range of this artillery installation is 25 km,

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, the rocket engine is started and the rocket-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.

All ships of the series received a six-barrel rocket-bomb launcher RBU-6000, as well as torpedo tubes, but starting from the third, they began to be supplemented with a more modern 10-round bomb launcher of the RBU-12000 “Boa Constrictor-1” anti-torpedo complex. Each of these installations has a conveyor reloading system and is capable of both loading and firing at torpedoes heading towards the cruiser in automatic mode. Boa constrictor reaction time 15 seconds, maximum range- 3000 meters, minimum - 100 meters. The ammunition load for two such installations is 120 jet depth charges.

Heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Peter the Great"

All Project 1144 (11442) cruisers were provided with permanent deployment of up to 3 Ka-27 helicopters in the anti-submarine modification. To ensure the basing of the air group, a landing pad is equipped at the stern of the cruiser, there is a special below-deck hangar and a helicopter lift, as well as the necessary radio navigation equipment and an aviation control post. The Soviet heavy nuclear cruisers of Project 1144 "Orlan" - for the first time since the end of the era of artillery ships - during the design process received a sufficient displacement reserve in order to protect with armor and cover below deck both the Ka-27 helicopters themselves and the fuel reserves for them.

Main characteristics of TARK "Peter the Great":

Standard displacement is 23,750 tons, full displacement is 25,860 tons.

Length - 250.1 m.

Width - 28.5 m.

Height (from the main plane) - 59 m.

Draft - 10.3 m.

Powerplant - 2 nuclear reactor and 2 boilers.

Power - 140,000 hp

Speed ​​- 31 knots.

Cruising range - unlimited on a reactor, 1300 miles on boilers.

Navigation autonomy - 60 days.

Crew - 760 people.

Armament: 20 anti-ship missiles P-700 “Granit”; 48 missiles from the Fort air defense system and 46 missiles from the Fort-M air defense system; 16 launchers of the Kinzhal air defense missile system (128 missiles); 6 ZRAK "Dirk" (192 missiles); RBU-12000; 10x533 mm torpedo tubes; AK-130; 3 Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters.

Details Category: navy Published: November 07, 2013 Views: 5859

Heavy nuclear missile cruiser (TARKR) "Peter the Great" of project 1144 "Orlan". Flagship of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. The cruiser was designed by the Northern Design Bureau (PKB). The main task for which the nuclear-powered missile cruisers of the Orlan project were created was the destruction of enemy aircraft carrier groups. This is the last ship of the four Project 1144 Orlan cruisers remaining in service.

History of the creation of TARKR "Peter the Great"

In 1953-1956, the leadership of the USSR decided to create a new nuclear missile fleet. In 1964, work began on the design of a domestic surface combat ship with an almost unlimited cruising range.

Initially, it was planned to create an 8,000-ton anti-submarine ship with a nuclear power plant. However, after the appearance of submarines in the United States in the late 60s 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 than the one that was designed. Thus was born the project of a heavy nuclear missile cruiser. A total of four Project 1144 Orlan cruisers were built.

The cruiser "Peter the Great" was laid down in 1986 on the slipway of the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad. When the ship was laid down, it was initially named “Kuibyshev”, then renamed “Yuri Andropov”.

The launch of the new cruiser took place on April 25, 1989. In 1992, by decree of President Boris Yeltsin, the ship was renamed “Peter the Great”. In 1998, the TARKR "Peter the Great" entered service with the Russian Navy. Before its renaming, the cruiser bore hull number 183, now the ship's hull number is 099.

The heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Peter the Great" is one of the most modern and powerful ships Russian fleet and one of the most powerful attack ships in the world (the largest non-aircraft carrier). The cruiser is capable of hitting large surface targets and providing protection for naval formations from attacks from the air and submarines.

Armament of TARKR "Peter the Great"

The main armament of the Peter the Great TARKR is the Granit P-700 (3M-45) anti-ship supersonic missile ("Shipwreck"). The cruiser has 20 SM-23 launchers with Granit missiles; they are installed under the upper deck, with an elevation angle of 60 degrees.

The cruiser'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.

As part of the anti-aircraft missile and artillery weapons The ship includes: Reef anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) S-300F with 48 48N6 missiles, S-300FM with 46 48N6E2 missiles, an additional S-300FM bow complex is installed. Also on the ship are the Kinzhal air defense systems and the Kortik air defense system with an AK-630 gun mount.

The cruiser is equipped with 130-mm AK-130 multi-purpose twin artillery mounts, which have a firing range of up to 25 km. Rate of fire - from 20 to 80 rounds per minute. Ready-to-fire ammunition - 180 rounds. The MP-184 fire control system allows for simultaneous tracking and firing of two targets.

The cruiser's anti-submarine weapons are equipped with the Vodopad-NK system, the Udav-1 anti-torpedo system, and RBU-1000 missile and bomb installations.

The cruiser is armed with two RPK-6M Vodopad-NK anti-submarine missile and torpedo systems, 5 launchers on each side. There are a total of 20 missile torpedoes that are capable of hitting enemy submarines at ranges of up to 60 km. The small-sized torpedo UMGT-1 is used as the warhead.

The Udav-1 anti-torpedo system is equipped with 40 anti-submarine missiles. 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 loader, RSL-10 depth charges, the Burya control 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 helicopter is equipped with anti-submarine weapons, including search radar, sonar buoys, sound system and magnetic anomaly detectors. The Ka-27 can also be armed with torpedoes, bombs, mines and anti-ship missiles.

Awards

On July 28, 2012, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great" was awarded the Order of Nakhimov "for courage, dedication and high professionalism shown by the ship's personnel when carrying out combat missions of the command."

Main tactical and technical characteristics of TARK "Peter the Great"

Length: 251.1 m.

Width: 28.5 m.

Height from the main plane: 59 m.

Draft: 10.3 m.

Standard displacement: 23,750 tons.

Total displacement: 25,860 tons.

Power plant: 2 nuclear reactors of the KN-3 type (300 MW), 2 auxiliary boilers, two turbines of 70 thousand liters each. With. (total 140 thousand hp), 4 power plants with a total capacity of 18 thousand kW, 4 steam turbine generators with a capacity of 3000 kW, 4 gas turbine generators of 1500 kW each, two propeller shafts.

Speed: 31 knots (over 57 km/h).

Navigation autonomy - 60 days for food and supplies, 3 years (at a nuclear reactor - unlimited) for fuel.

8 × AK-630 charger, or
6 × ZRAK "Dirk" Missile weapons20 PU anti-ship missiles P-700 Granite
2 × 2 "Osa-M" (40 missiles) or
8 × 8 "Dagger" (64 missiles)
1-S-300F, 1-S-300FM Anti-submarine weaponsPLUR "Blizzard" or
PLUR "Waterfall", RBU-6000 "Smerch-3" or
RBU-12000 “Boa constrictor” Images via Wikimedia Commons

Heavy nuclear missile cruisers of Project 1144(cipher "Orlan", NATO code - English Kirov class) - a series of four cruisers built at the Baltic Shipyard in the USSR from 1973 to 1989, the only surface ships in the Russian Navy with a nuclear power plant. The chief designer of the ship project is B. I. Kupensky.

On December 30, 1988, the Baltic Plant transferred the Kalinin TARKR fleet (since 1992 - Admiral Nakhimov).

In 1986, the plant began construction of the last ship of the series - TARKR "Kuibyshev" (later renamed "Yuri Andropov", then - "Peter the Great"). Its construction was completed in 1996, after which the cruiser went on sea trials, which, in accordance with the plan, were carried out in harsh conditions Polar region. In April 1998, the nuclear-powered cruiser was transferred to the fleet. At the moment, TARKR "Peter the Great" is, according to military experts [ whom?], one of the most powerful attack ships in the world.

Design

Hull and superstructure design

The ship has about 1,600 rooms, including 140 single and double cabins for officers and midshipmen, 30 cabins for sailors and petty officers (for 6-30 people each), 220 vestibules, 49 corridors with a total length of almost 20 kilometers, 15 showers, two baths, one sauna with a 6x2.5 m swimming pool, a two-tier medical block with isolation hospitals, a pharmacy, an X-ray room, an outpatient clinic, a dental office and an operating room. The power plant of the Project 1144 cruiser could theoretically provide electricity and heat to a city with a population of 100-150 thousand inhabitants.

Basic tactical and technical elements

Displacement

• Standard: 23,750 t
• Full: 25,860 t

Dimensions

• Overall length: 250.1 m
• Overall width: 28.5 m
• Dimension draft: 10.3 m

Travel speed

• Full - 31 knots (more than 55 km/h)
• Operational and economic - 18 knots (more than 33 km/h)
• Navigation autonomy: 60 days

Crew

• 759 people (including 120 officers)

Power plant

Nuclear power plant with KN-3 reactors (English) Russian(VM-16 type core), although it was created on the basis of OK-900 type icebreaking reactors (English) Russian, has significant differences. The most important thing is that the fuel assemblies (manufactured by the machine-building plant in Elektrostal) contain uranium with a high degree of enrichment (about 70%). The service life of such a zone until the next recharge is 10-11 years. Reactors are double-circuit, water-water, thermal neutron. High-purity water (bidistillate) is used as a moderator and coolant, which circulates through the reactor core under high pressure (about 200 atmospheres), ensuring boiling of the secondary circuit, which goes to the turbines in the form of steam.

Particular attention was paid to developing a scheme for using the ship's power plant, the shaft power of which reached 70 thousand hp. With . The complex-automated nuclear power plant is located in three compartments and includes two nuclear reactors with a total thermal power of 342 MW, two turbo-gear units (located forward and aft of the reactor compartment) and two backup automated boilers KVG-2 installed in the turbine compartments. The steam supply system allows you to supply steam to any installation on any side. The main parameters of the boiler unit: temperature of superheated steam at a pressure of 66 kg/cm² - 470 degrees, boiler efficiency up to 84%, dry boiler weight 50 tons. Steam capacity is 115 t/hour.

The cruiser's power plant includes four 3 MW steam turbine generators and four 1.5 MW gas turbine generators from the Proletarsky Plant, located in four autonomous compartments. The motor life of each of them is up to 50 thousand hours.

Armament

Anti-ship missile "Granit P-700"

Over-the-horizon target designation and guidance can be carried out by the Tu-95 RC aircraft, the Ka-27 helicopter or the Legend-M space system. The missile is designed to combat aircraft carrier strike groups and is capable of operating not only against formations of ships of all classes during armed conflicts of any intensity, but also effectively hitting targets on the enemy’s coast with a conventional warhead. If necessary, ships with the Granit complex can serve as a reserve for solving the tasks of the Naval Strategic Nuclear Forces.

Twenty anti-ship missiles "Granit" are installed under the upper deck, with an elevation angle of 60°. The SM-233 launchers were manufactured at the Leningrad Metallurgical Plant. Due to the fact that Granit missiles were originally intended for submarines, the launcher is filled with sea water before launch. The modification of the Granit anti-ship missile system, installed on ships of the updated Project 1144(2) series, is not controlled after launch. In rapid fire mode, one missile, acting as a “gunner,” flies along a high trajectory to maximize the target acquisition area, while the other missiles fly along a low trajectory. During flight, the missiles exchange information about targets. If a "guider" missile is intercepted, then one of the other missiles automatically takes over its functions. Missile system resistant to enemy radio interference. According to the experience of combat and operational training of the Navy, it is almost impossible to shoot down such a missile. Even if you hit the Granit with an anti-missile missile, the missile, due to its enormous mass and speed, can maintain its initial flight speed and, as a result, reach the target.

SAM "S-300F"

Close-in air defense

SAM "Osa-M"

On the first three cruisers, close air defense was provided by two Osa-M anti-aircraft missile systems, with beam launchers. The complex is designed to destroy enemy cruise missiles and aircraft near the cruiser, and to protect the ship from air attack.

In terms of its main components, the complex is completely standardized with the army Osa air defense system. It uses radio-guided 9M33 solid-propellant missiles launched from a twin-boom launcher. The complex ensures the destruction of targets within a radius of up to 15 kilometers; the altitude range varies from 25 (60 in older models) to 5000 meters.

The disadvantages of the complex are the low rate of fire (up to 2 rounds per minute), caused by the use of a beam launcher, the inability to act on subsonic anti-ship missiles flying at an altitude of 5-10 meters, big time reactions, low fire performance. On the Project 1144.2 cruiser "Peter the Great", the Osa-M complex was replaced by the more advanced Kinzhal air defense system.

SAM "Dagger"

On the missile cruiser "Peter the Great", the close-range air defense during the design was strengthened by replacing the outdated "Osa-M" air defense systems with modern air defense system"Dagger" ("Blade", NATO code designation - "SA-N-9") - anti-aircraft missile system, whose main task is to hit targets that have broken through the first line of defense of the ship at a distance of 1.5-12 km. The missiles of this air defense system - 9M 330 - are single-stage, solid fuel, remote-controlled, unified with the ground forces missile "Tor-M1" (NATO code name "SA-15").

The rocket launch is vertical, under the influence of a catapult, that is, with the engine not running. Reloading is automatic, with a start interval of 3 seconds. On board the cruiser there are 8 eight-round launchers for a total ammunition load of 64 missiles.

The detection range of a high-flying target in automatic mode is 45 km, the number of simultaneously fired targets is 4, the reaction time is 8 seconds.

Rocket length - 2280 mm, weight - 165 kg. Flight speed - 910 m/sec. The missile has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 15 kg and a pulse radio fuse.

The range of the complex is 1.5-12 km, the target flight altitude is 10-6000 m, the target speed is up to 700 m/s. This allows the complex to effectively hit both low-flying subsonic and supersonic missiles.

Automatic small-caliber artillery

AU AK-630 ZRAK "Dirk"

The cruiser "Peter the Great" was equipped with more than modern weapons in the form of an anti-aircraft missile-artillery complex (ZRAK) "Kortik" ("Chestnut", NATO code designation - "CADS-N-1") ZRAK "Kortik" in radar and television-optical modes provide full automation of combat control from detection to destruction. The installation has two 30-mm six-barreled AO-18 assault rifles with a total rate of fire of 10 thousand rounds per minute and two blocks of 4 two-stage 9M311 (SA-N-11) missiles with a fragmentation rod warhead and a proximity fuse.

The turret compartment contains 32 missiles. The missile, located in a transport and launch container, is capable of hitting anti-ship missiles, guided bombs, small aircraft, and helicopters. The missiles are unified with the 2S6 Tunguska missile. The Kashtan air defense system control system consists of radar and television systems interconnected using elements of artificial intelligence. The entire process - from searching for targets to destroying them - is fully automated.

The range of missile weapons is 1.5-8 km, the range of artillery weapons is 1500-50 m. The height of the targets hit is 5-4000 m. Two "Kortik" air defense systems are located in the bow of the ship on both sides of the "Granit" anti-ship missile system, and four others are in the aft superstructure. In total, the ships of the project have 6 such air defense systems.

"AK-130"

AK-130 is a universal artillery system. Rate of fire from 20 to 86 rounds per minute. Its twin 130-mm artillery mount (AU) also allows it 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. Barrel length - 70 calibers. Projectile flight range - 25 km, starting speed projectile - 850 m/sec. The mass of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 27 kg. Vertical guidance angles: −10…+85°, horizontal guidance angle: +180°. Target tracking range is 40 km. All available ammunition is ready for firing. The MP-184 fire control system (developed by the Amethyst Design Bureau) allows for simultaneous tracking and firing of two targets.

RPK-6M "Waterfall"

RPK-6M "Waterfall" - anti-submarine missile and torpedo system. Its torpedo missiles are capable of hitting enemy submarines at ranges of up to 60 km. The small-sized torpedo UMGT-1 is used as the warhead (travel speed - 41 knots, range - 8 km, depth - up to 500 m). The missile dives into the water, takes off into the air and delivers the torpedo to the target area, after which the UMGT-1 warhead ends up in the water again.

RKPTZ-1 "Udav-1M"

RKPTZ-1 "Udav-1M" - anti-torpedo missile system. 10 guide tubes, automatic conveyor reloading, reaction time - 15 seconds, maximum range - 3000 m, minimum - 100 m, rocket weight - 233 kg.

RBU-1000 "Smerch-3"

"Smerch-3" - range - 1000 m, projectile weight - 55 kg. Installed in the aft part on the upper deck on both sides.

Additional weapons

General ship-wide countermeasures include two twin 150-mm PK-16 launchers (a complex of projectile jammers), anti-electronic decoys, decoys, as well as a towed decoy torpedo target with a powerful noise generator. The cruiser also has three navigation stations, four radio-electronic fire control systems for on-board weapons, helicopter flight controls and a “friend or foe” identification system.

Each cruiser of Project 1144 is based on two heavy multi-purpose Ka-27 helicopters in the RLD and PL modifications. The helicopters are used in the anti-submarine version and as a relay-flight spotter for the Granit anti-ship missile system. The helicopter crew is 3 people (pilot, navigator and sonar operator). Maximum take-off weight - 11 tons, flight duration - 4.5 hours, ceiling - 4300 m, maximum speed- 270 km/h, flight range - 800 km. Helicopters can have APR-2E anti-submarine missiles (diameter - 350 mm, length - 370 cm) with a solid-fuel rocket engine that provides a speed of 115 km/h under water. Rocket weight - 575 kg, b/h - 100 kg. Underwater, the missile moves for 2 minutes, surveying a space with a radius of 1500 m and determining the bearing of the target with an accuracy of 2°. The helicopters are also armed with guided depth charges weighing 94 kg and moving at a speed of 55 km/h with an active hydroacoustic guidance system. The onboard radio-electronic complex of the Ka-27 helicopter ensures flight over the sea in any weather, search and tracking of submarines at a distance of up to 200 km from the ship, automatic launch of the helicopter to the point of release of weapons, return and landing in automatic mode.

Hydroacoustic system

Includes a sonar with a hull antenna (in a bulb fairing) for searching and detecting submarines at low and medium frequencies and a towed automated hydroacoustic system with an antenna of variable immersion depth (150-200 m) - at medium frequencies.

Project representatives

Name	Commissioned into the Navy	Fleet	State	Notes
"Kirov" from 1992 to 2002 “Admiral Ushakov”	30.12.1980	Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy	Since 1990 in reserve. In a state of disrepair since 1991.	The development of a project for dismantling the cruiser is planned for 2016.
"Admiral Lazarev" until 1992 "Frunze"	31.10.1984	Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy	Out of service since 1999	Dock repairs took place in 2014. Nuclear fuel was unloaded, so the prospects for further repairs and modernization are unclear.
"Admiral Nakhimov" until 1992 "Kalinin"	30.12.1988	Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy	In repair and modernization since 1999. In fact, modernization began in 2013.	The main acquisition will be the latest universal vertical launchers ZS-14. In these same launch containers it will be possible to install 3M55 Oniks, 3K14 Caliber and 3K22 hypersonic anti-ship missiles Zircon-S (3M-22 missile), which will become the main weapon. In addition, air defense will also be strengthened: S-400 and new close-combat air defense systems. In total, taking into account anti-aircraft missiles, the cruiser will carry more than 300 missiles of various types. The repair and deep modernization of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" is planned to be completed before 2020.
"Peter the Great " until 1992 “Kuibyshev”, “Yuri Andropov”	09.04.1998	Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy	In service
"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" formerly "Dzerzhinsky"	The ship was included in the lists of the Navy, but was not laid down and was removed from construction on October 4, 1990. The name was supposed to be transferred to the future cruiser of Project 1164, but due to the refusal of its construction, the name was transferred to the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Tbilisi.

Current status

According to Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Vladimir Popovkin, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has developed a program for the restoration of heavy nuclear missile cruisers. As of September 2009, the Russian Navy had one nuclear-powered missile cruiser, the Peter the Great, in service, and the possibility of restoring and modernizing the nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, as well as the Admiral Lazarev, was discussed. “We have several such ships left from the Soviet fleet. We have developed a program to restore them,” Popovkin said. According to him, the Russian Ministry of Defense considers it expedient to have up to three such ships in the Navy, despite the fact that one of them will be in the Pacific Fleet and two in the Northern Fleet. The need to use heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers is dictated by the tasks of long-distance cruises and exercises, the Deputy Minister explained.

According to a high-ranking representative of the General Staff of the Navy: “All nuclear-powered missile cruisers of Project 1144 in reserve will be returned to the operational strength of the Russian Navy by 2020.” The work will be carried out over the next five years. Then the Admiral Nakhimov will go to the Northern Fleet.

During the ongoing repair of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles were installed instead of the previously installed P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles. Launching is planned for 2018