#

​russia’s Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser’s Reactor Was Launched While Its Repair Completion Deadline Was Postponed Again

30252
russian Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruiser during repairs and modernization at SevMash shipbuilding enterprise / Opren source photo
russian Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruiser during repairs and modernization at SevMash shipbuilding enterprise / Opren source photo

More than $ 5 billion has already been spent on the modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered missile cruiser, which was launched in 1986, and they are not going to stop

In the epic called the repair and modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov Kirov-class battlecruiser, which has been under permanent repair and modernization since 1997, the reactor was launched. This event happened back in the 20s of December 2024, but the russian state media reported about it only a few days ago.

At the same time, it was immediately emphasized that the physical launch of the reactor does not mean the completion of the repair and modernization of the cruiser, but only that "the nuclear power plant is ready to operate at maximum power."

Read more: Five Billion Dollars Spent on a Broken Nuclear Ship Even Before Power Plant Tests, or How russia Tries to Save Admiral Nakhimov Cruiser

It should be noted that the power plant on the Kirov-class battlecruiser is two KN-3 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 150 MW each. This reactor was developed in the 70s of the last century specifically for battlecruisers of this class, while its version KN-3-43 was intended for the first Soviet Ulyanovsk nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The NK-3 nuclear reactor and its place on the the Kirov-class battlecruiser, russia’s Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser’s Reactor Was Launched While Its Repair Completion Deadline Was Postponed Again
The NK-3 nuclear reactor and its place on the the Kirov-class battlecruiser

But despite the launch of the reactor, the deadlines for completing the work and commissioning the ship were again postponed. If we take only the dates for the last period, then at first it was supposed to be 2018, then 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and now, as confirmed by russian sources, 2026, which was discussed last summer.

It was then, according to the plan, that the ship's tests should be completed and the transfer to the russian navy should take place, or another notification would be made about the postponement of the repair completion dates.

At the same time, the cost of work on the Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser as of August 2023 exceeded 200 billion rubles. Taking into account the change in the ruble exchange rate and inflation in the russian federation, this could amount to $ 5 billion.

russia’s Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser’s Reactor Was Launched While Its Repair Completion Deadline Was Postponed Again, The Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser was called
The Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser was called "Kalinin" in Soviet times / Open source photo

For comparison: even the revolutionary USS Zumwalt destroyer cost the United States "mere" 4.4 bln, and a new Arleigh Burke destroyer will likely take two to three times less than has been spent on Admiral Nakhimov's repair and modernization.

According to the russian plans, the refurbished and upgraded nuclear cruiser would receive 80 versatile vertical launch silos for Kalibr LACMs, Oniks ASCMs, and even Zircon hypersonic missiles.

Read more: ​"Admiral Kuznetsov" Aircraft Carrier and "Admiral Nakhimov" Nuclear-Powered Cruiser of russian Fleet Are Done For – Even Without Ukraine's "Help"