ADMIRAL USHAKOV (EX-KIROV)

Admiral Ushakov (formerly Kirov) was a Soviet, and later a Russian, nuclear-powered missile cruiser, the keel of which was laid in June 1974, launched in December 1977, and commissioned in 1980. The total length of the ship was 252 meters and a width of 28.5 meters. Full displacement reached 28,000 tons and maximum speed - 31 knots. The cruiser was armed with: two single 100 mm cannons, eight 30 mm AK-630 sets, 20 SS-N-19 rocket launchers (P-700 Granit), 96 SA-N-6 rocket launchers ( S-300F) or 14 SS-N-14 rocket launchers. The ship could also operate three Kamow Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopters. Admiral Ushakov (ex-Kirov) was the first of four ships of the class named Kirov. The Kirov-class ships were designed and built to be powerful ships designed to combat enemy surface and underwater navigation. Later, extensive possibilities of countering air targets were also added. Upon entering service, Admiral Ushakov was the largest warship in the world, other than aircraft carriers. Units of this type were instrumental in reactivating the Iowa-class battleships in the US Navy. Kirov, shortly after entering service, was assigned to the Northern Fleet, and initially in NATO it was called BALCOM I. In 1990, during a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea, Kirov suffered a reactor failure, which led to its transfer to the reserve. Two years later (1992), after the collapse of the USSR, the ship changed its name to Admiral Ushakov. In 1999, an attempt was made to overhaul the still defective unit, but for financial reasons the work was stopped, and in 2001 a decision was made to withdraw the unit from service.