Russia’s Once Powerful Nuclear Powered Battlecruiser, Pyotr Veliky Is Closer to the Boneyard

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Russian Navy has cancelled its plans to modernize and upgrade its nuclear-powered battlecruiser, Pyotr Veliky, which Moscow claimed to be the world’s most powerful surface warship.

The Kirov-class battlecruiser displaces 28,000 tons, comparable to the weight of Japan’s amphibious assault ships, JS Izumo and JS Kaga, both of which are currently being modified into light aircraft carriers.

With the decommissioning of Pyotr Veliky, the Russian Navy will be left with only one Kirov-class battlecruiser, Admiral Nakhimov, which is currently undergoing modernization and upgrades at a domestic shipyard.

Admiral Nakhimov, which began its upgrade in 1999, is expected to return to active service by 2025-2026 following sea trials.

Once Admiral Nakhimov is operational, Pyotr Veliky will be formally retired and probably would spend its “retirement” at an undisclosed boneyard.

At 28,000 tons, both the Pyotr Veliky and Admiral Nakhimov are the largest surface combatants in the world, aside from aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.

In comparison, the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers displace over 7,000 tons, while the Ticonderoga-class cruisers weigh over 9,000 tons. China’s Type 055 destroyers, meanwhile, have a displacement of over 11,000 tons.

During the Soviet era, the communist government constructed four Kirov-class battlecruisers, with Pyotr Veliky being the most recent, commissioned in 1989, and Admiral Nakhimov a year earlier in 1988.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, two Kirov-class battlecruisers were left to deteriorate at their bases due to a lack of funding for operations, leaving only Pyotr Veliky and Admiral Nakhimov active in the fleet.

With this latest decision, Russia will possess only one operational battlecruiser in its naval arsenal.

This move aligns with the Russian Navy’s broader strategy to reduce its fleet of massive Soviet-era warships, which are not only challenging to operate but also costly to maintain.

Instead, the Russian Navy appears to be focusing on constructing smaller warships such as frigates and corvettes.

Defense experts interpret Russia’s decision to retire Pyotr Velikiy as part of a broader shift toward a more agile and technologically advanced fleet.

Emphasis is moving toward frigates, corvettes, and submarines equipped with modern weapons like Tsirkon hypersonic missiles.

Analysts argue that the vast resources required to sustain a battlecruiser could be better invested in modernizing other fleet components or expanding Russia’s submarine capabilities, which offer stealth and strategic deterrence.

Advancements in technology have enabled these vessels to carry a diverse array of weapon systems, including hypersonic Tsirkon missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles capable of striking targets thousands of kilometers away.

Additionally, the Russian Navy is bolstering its submarine fleet, making it an increasingly formidable threat to its adversaries.

While Pyotr Velikiy was once a cornerstone of Soviet and Russian naval dominance, analysts largely agree that its strategic relevance has diminished in today’s evolving naval warfare landscape.

Modern naval strategy prioritizes stealth, speed, and multi-role capabilities over sheer size and firepower, leading many to view the ship’s decommissioning as a pragmatic, albeit symbolic, step in Russia’s naval evolution.

Some experts also viewed the retirement of Pyotr Velikiy as a symbolic decline in Russia’s surface fleet prestige, reducing its ability to project power globally.

Technical Specifications of Pyotr Veliky (Russia):

Dimensions and Displacement:

• Length: 252 meters

• Beam: 28.5 meters

• Draft: 9.1 meters

• Displacement: 24,300 tons (standard), 28,000 tons (full load)

Propulsion System:

• Type: Two KN-3 nuclear reactors driving two GT3A-688 steam turbines

• Power Output: 140,000 horsepower

• Maximum Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)

• Operational Range: Unlimited with nuclear power at 20 knots (37 km/h); 1,000 nautical miles (1,850 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h) with combined propulsion

Crew:

• Total Personnel: 727

• Air Crew: 18

• Command Staff: 15

Sensors and Detection Systems:

• Voskhod MR-800 3D search radar (Top Pair)

• Fregat MR-710 3D search radar (Top Plate)

• Palm Frond navigation radar

• Horse Jaw LF and Horse Tail VDS (Variable Depth Sonar)

Armament:

• 20 P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) anti-ship missiles

• 64 3K95 Kinzhal (SA-N-9 Gauntlet) surface-to-air missiles

• 48 S-300FM Fort-M (SA-N-20 Gargoyle) surface-to-air missiles

• 48 S-300F Fort (SA-N-6 Grumble) surface-to-air missiles

• 2 RBU-1000 (Smerch-3) 305 mm anti-submarine rocket launchers

• 2 RBU-12000 (Udav-1) 254 mm anti-submarine rocket launchers

• 1 twin AK-130 130 mm/L70 naval gun

• 10 533 mm torpedo tubes for Type 53 torpedoes or SS-N-15 anti-submarine missiles

• 6 Kashtan (CADS-N-1) close-in weapon systems

Protection:

• 76 mm steel armor surrounding the reactor compartment

• Light protection against shrapnel

Aviation Capability:

• Below-deck hangar accommodating up to three Kamov Ka-27 Helix or Ka-25 Hormone helicopters