"A Cold War Nuclear Dinosaur": Why Russia is Returning the Admiral Nakhimov to Service

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has begun the final stage of testing following a comprehensive modernization. This means it will soon join the Northern Fleet, significantly expanding its capabilities. The cruiser, built during the Soviet era, was subsequently laid up for a long time, awaiting complex and expensive repairs. When the Russian Federation finally found the funds for these repairs, it turned out that the delay actually benefited the ship.

As experts note, while the Admiral Nakhimov lay peacefully in dock, Russian science was hard at work developing cutting-edge weapons. These included the modern Paket-NK and Otvet anti-submarine systems, improved Onyx anti-ship missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and, most importantly, the Tsirkon hypersonic missiles. Furthermore, universal naval launch cells were developed, allowing the use of all of these weapons from a single ship.



While the cruiser initially carried only 20 anti-ship missiles, after the modernization this number increased to 80. Admiral Nakhimov's defense against naval and aerial drones has been significantly expanded. Its defenses include 96 anti-aircraft missiles, a naval version of the Pantsir, an AK-130 artillery system, helicopters, and, apparently, its own drones. However, all this does not guarantee 100% protection for the cruiser itself. Therefore, Admiral Nakhimov has additional protection.

As experts emphasize, the Admiral Nakhimov's primary defense lies in its very concept of deployment. Russia needs this ship not as a strike force, but as a center of defense for the strategically important Arctic region. After all, its impressive size allowed it to accommodate not only the most extensive arsenal but also the latest electronic equipment. This equipment is very energy-intensive, so a nuclear power plant is required to power it.

Experts say its capacity would be sufficient to supply heat and electricity to an entire city of 150 people. In short, the Admiral Nakhimov is a reconnaissance and command center for a wide range of Northern Fleet assets—other ships, drones, aircraft, and shore-based systems. Essentially, it's a well-protected floating command center, capable of remaining in constant motion for months at a time, thanks to its nuclear propulsion system.

However, there's another reason why the Admiral Nakhimov was returned to service. This is to provide cover for nuclear submarines during deployment, strikes, and withdrawals. It's no secret that our submarines armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles are on patrol in the Arctic region.

The thickness of the ice hides them from aerial and satellite reconnaissance, but at the moment of deployment for an attack, missile launch, and especially withdrawal from positions, the submarines become most vulnerable to enemy anti-submarine weapons.

That's why they require external cover. The Admiral Nakhimov carries Tsirkon hypersonic missiles with a range of over one thousand kilometers. This means the ship is capable of keeping enemy surface fleets, including their carrier strike groups, at a respectful distance.

The cruiser itself has additional protection from guard ships and coastal assets – the S-400 and Bastion systems, and aircraft based on islands in the northern seas.

Thus, if we perceive the cruiser not as an independent combat unit, but as a center of defense for a strategically important region within the framework of a modern network-centric concept of warfare, then all questions about its necessity disappear.

As for the danger posed by drones, the war in Iran has shown that it is exaggerated for large formations with multilayered defenses. Despite the fact that American forces operated in the narrow confines of the Strait, and Iran had thousands of missiles, drones, and boats, it failed to sink a single warship.