Naval Systems

Project 1144 Orlan / Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser

Project 1144 Orlan, better known as the Kirov class, is a Soviet-designed nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser family built around long-range anti-ship, air-defense, and anti-submarine weapons. Built by Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad and powered by combined nuclear and steam machinery, the class remains notable for its size, helicopter facilities, and Cold War-era multipurpose surface-combatant role.

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Built by
Baltic Shipyard
Type
Nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser
Service note
1974-present
Designer
Northern Design Bureau (Severnoe TsKB)
Designed
1968
Produced
1974-1998
Number built
4 completed, 1 canceled
Variants
Admiral Ushakov (ex-Kirov), Admiral Lazarev (ex-Frunze), Admiral Nakhimov (ex-Kalinin), Pyotr Velikiy (ex-Yuriy Andropov)

Also Known As

  • Project 1144 Orlan
  • Project 1144.2
  • Kirov-class
  • Kirov-class battlecruiser
  • Orlan class

Specifications

Crew
About 727-760, depending on fit and source
Displacement
About 24,300-25,860 tons standard; roughly 25,400-26,700 tons full load
Propulsion
Two KN-3 nuclear reactors with auxiliary boilers and steam turbines on two shafts
Speed
About 30-32 knots
Armament
20 P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles, S-300F/S-300FM air defense missiles, Osa-MA point defense, torpedo tubes, and RBU launchers
Aviation
Helicopter pad and hangar for up to three Ka-27/Ka-25 helicopters

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service
The class was developed in the late Soviet period for long-range fleet air defense, anti-surface, and anti-submarine work; Pyotr Velikiy entered Russian service in 1998 and later deployed with the Kuznetsov carrier group to the Mediterranean in 2016.
Used by
Soviet Navy, Russian Navy
Wars
Syrian Civil War

Conflict Usage

Side
🏳️Unspecified

A Kirov-class cruiser, Pyotr Velikiy, accompanied the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier group during the 2016 Syria deployment, but direct weapons employment by the Kirov-class ship was not found in the cited public sources.

Timeline

Project 1144 Orlan / Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser Key Events

  1. Project 1144 is developed

    The design began as a large Soviet nuclear surface combatant intended to hunt enemy ballistic-missile submarines before expanding into a heavier multipurpose cruiser.

    Sources: Project 1144 Orlan - History

  2. Lead ship construction starts

    Kirov, the lead ship of the class, was laid down at Leningrad's Baltic Shipyard.

    Sources: Russian battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy

  3. Northern Fleet deployment to Syria

    Pyotr Velikiy sailed with Admiral Kuznetsov and supporting ships toward the Eastern Mediterranean during the Russian deployment linked to Syria.

    Sources: Russian Carrier Deployment to Syria is Propaganda, not Practical, Kuznetsov Class - Project 1143.5 First Combat Deployment

Project 1144 Orlan / Kirov-class nuclear-powered guided-missile heavy cruiser Images

Related Weapon Systems

Sources