Russia to repair nuclear-powered missile cruiser

11.11.2010 Repair of heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov which is one of Russian Navy's largest surface ships will start in 2011, reported ITAR-TASS referring to the press-service of Sevmash shipyard (Severodvinsk). The ship has been staying idle at the yard's quayside since 1999; her repair was repeatedly postponed due to lack of financing.

According to Sevmash director Nikolai Kalistratov, Russian government appropriated money for Admiral Nakhimov to be repaired in 2011; however, those funds are insufficient. Kalistratov did not specify exact sum allocated from budget for repair works. It is expected that Admiral Nakhimov will be recommissioned into Russian Navy in 2012.

Presumably, repair and modernization program provides upgrade of the cruiser's radio electronic equipment and installation of new advanced digital systems.

Project 1144.2 Orlan cruiser was built at Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in 1988 and had been bearing the name of Kalinin up to 1992. In total, four ships of this class were built; two of them are still seaworthy – Northern Fleet (NF) cruisers Admiral Nakhimov and Petr Veliky built in 1996.

In July 2010 Navy Main HQ announced that Project 1144 missile cruisers will be modernized and recommissioned in the nearest ten years. Apart from Admiral Nakhimov, other two ships of this class laid up in 2002 and 2005 – Admiral Lazarev and Admiral Ushakov will join the Navy soon. They will be modernized in the same way as Petr Veliky.