According to observers at the American magazine Military Watch Magazine, the Russian Navy appears to be placing its main bet on the development of its nuclear submarine fleet rather than on large surface ships such as the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov.
The authors noted that the ship, with a displacement of about 28,000 tons, is among the largest combat vessels in the world. In size, it exceeds Japan’s Izumo-class helicopter carriers and the U. S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The cruiser also carries a powerful missile arsenal that has few equivalents among modern surface ships.
At the same time, the magazine drew attention to the high cost of repairing, maintaining and operating Admiral Nakhimov in the years ahead. Its observers argue that the usefulness of such vessels in modern conflicts is increasingly open to question, especially as many of the ship’s systems were developed during the Soviet period.
Military Watch said Russia’s focus on nuclear submarines is largely tied to the way these vessels are viewed as asymmetric assets. Their low visibility allows them to choose the time and place of combat, creating a threat even to larger and more powerful fleets.
The magazine also believes Admiral Nakhimov could still play a useful role in the Arctic, where NATO activity is increasing. In that setting, the cruiser could help protect the Northern Sea Route.