The Russian heavy nuclear missile cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" continues to pass its factory tests, in preparation for entering service in the Russian Navy before the end of 2026.
The Admiral Nakhimov is the world's largest surface warship. According to the American magazine Military Watch Magazine, the cruiser boasts a massive arsenal including 80 launchers for various types of cruise missiles, among them the hypersonic Zircon missiles, 96 launchers for the S-400 air defense system, six Pantsir air defense systems, anti-submarine guns, and a number of conventional guns.
According to the magazine, the cruiser's armament capabilities are unmatched in terms of range, and it is only rivaled in this area by nuclear submarines equipped with strategic missiles, although they belong to a completely different class of naval vessels.
In addition, the Admiral Nakhimov has an air wing that is the largest of its kind on a warship, with the exception of aircraft carriers, as it includes three helicopters, among them the Ka-31 early warning and radar detection helicopter.
The Ka-31 is one of the rare specialized helicopters for early warning and air command missions, and it was designed to monitor naval formations at long distances, beyond the range of direct vision.
One of its most notable features is the Oko airborne radar, mounted beneath the helicopter's fuselage. During flight, the antenna rotates to a vertical position, and the landing gear is raised to avoid interfering with radar performance. The Oko can detect a target the size of a fighter jet at a range of up to 150 kilometers and track up to 20 targets simultaneously. The helicopters operating the Admiral Nakhimov are expected to be equipped with an upgraded version of this radar, offering enhanced capabilities compared to previous versions.
Experts point out that operating three Ka-31 helicopters simultaneously gives the cruiser a high level of maritime situational awareness, as these "flying radars" take on the task of early warning for the ship's air defense systems. The "Oko" radar can also automatically exchange data, not only with the cruiser, but also with the MiG-31 interceptor fighters.
It is reported that the “Admiral Nakhimov” is a heavy nuclear missile cruiser of Project “1144.2 Orlan”, and is currently undergoing modernization at the “Sevmash” plant in northwestern Russia. This process is expected to significantly enhance its combat capabilities.
The cruiser has a displacement of 26,190 tons, a length of 251 meters, a width of 28.5 meters, a draft of 9.1 meters, and a maximum speed of 32 knots (about 59 km/h).
