Russia's 26‑year struggle to revive $5‑billion warship

The Russian defence industry has been struggling for years with issues related to repairing the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov." The ship, which was supposed to be ready for sea trials by November 2024, still has not left the shipyard. Moreover, as Defense Express reports, it is still unknown when the tests will take place.

The cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" of Project 1144 "Orlan" has been under repair since 1997. Despite massive financial investments, amounting to at least five billion dollars, the unit is still not ready for service. Russian media attempts to explain the delays with difficult weather conditions in the White Sea, where the ship's sea trials were supposed to take place.

Other explanations suggest that Russia is focusing on building new units, such as missile corvettes and nuclear submarines, which have a higher priority than the repair of "Admiral Nakhimov." Defense Express emphasizes that the situation is problematic for the Russian Navy, as "it’s better not to rush an unprepared nuclear ship to sea."

The cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" was to be equipped with 80 missile launchers for "Oniks," "Kalibr," and "Tsirkon." However, its modernization is still ongoing. Russia cannot withdraw "Pyotr Velikiy" from service until "Admiral Nakhimov" is completed.

Russian media attempts to justify the delays by pointing to the ice season on the White Sea and the need to thoroughly prepare the unit before its deployment. Defense Express points out that the situation with "Admiral Nakhimov" symbolizes the problems of the Russian shipbuilding industry.

Let us recall that the mentioned missiles intended for the "Admiral Nakhimov" are a powerful set of armament. "Oniks" has a range of approximately 595 kilometres with a maximum speed of nearly 3,218 km/h. "Kalibr" missiles reach around 299 kilometres and accelerate to 998 km/h. "Tsirkon" has a range of about 595 kilometres and reaches a maximum of 8,000 km/h.