28.03.2011
Text:
Photo:
Admiral Nakhimov.
Other two ships of Project 1144 –
Admiral Ushakov and
Admiral Lazarev – will undergo repair and upgrade right after
Admiral Nakhimov. It is planned to replace obsolete analog radio-electronics with digital ones, and rearm the cruisers with new weapons. According to a source in
United Shipbuilding Corporation, dismantling of arms and equipment has been already started on
Admiral Nakhimov.
As was previously declared by
Sevmash shipyard, modernization of the missile cruisers will be carried out in the manner of
Petr Veliky which is the only operable
Orlan-class ship in Russian Navy. Funds for repairs of
Admiral Nakhimov have been already appropriated, but exact sum is still uncertain. Earlier on, director general of
Sevmash shipyard Nikolai Kalistratov stated the works were not sufficiently financed.
Russian Navy Main HQ reported in July 2010 that
Orlan class missile cruisers would return to the Navy within the nearest 10 years.
Admiral Nakhimov was built under Project 1144.2 by
Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in 1988 and had a name of
Kalinin till 1992. In all, four ships were built under Project 1144.
Admiral Lazarev and
Admiral Ushakov were decommissioned in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
Admiral Nakhimov is still in inventory of Northern Fleet.
Displacement of
Admiral Nakhimov is 26,200 tons; max speed is 32 knots. The cruiser is armed with
Granit antiship missiles, ASW systems
Vodopad-NK, antisubmarine rocket launchers
Smerch-3 and
Udav-1, gun mount
AK-130, air defense systems
Fort and
Osa-MA, 533-mm torpedo tubes. Air wing includes three
Ka-27PL helicopters.
