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Warship

Russia

United Shipbuilding Corporation

Kirov-class

The largest and most heavily armed surface combatants in the world outside aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered battlecruisers built to hunt carrier battle groups with massed anti-ship missiles. Only Admiral Nakhimov remains active following a lengthy modernization.

In service since 1980 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

24,300

14,000

nmi

VLS

710

crew

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: No public modern unit cost

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Russian state channel

Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.

Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1980. Status: active · ~4 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

Mk 41 VLS-class

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the Kirov-class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

P-700 Granit S-300F Fort

Kalibr

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	130 mm AK-130 twin naval gun
VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship, a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming.	20 Stronger than 32% of warships

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	252 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Naval specifications
Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes, the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.	24,300 t
Full-load displacement Displacement fully loaded with fuel, stores and munitions.	28,000 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.	32 kn Top 8% of warships
Range Cruising range in nautical miles. Nuclear vessels are effectively unlimited (fuel-wise). Higher means more reach without replenishment.	14,000 nmi Top 1% of warships
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.	710
Aircraft carried Embarked aircraft/helicopters. Higher extends the ship’s sensor and strike reach.	3 Stronger than 64% of warships
Propulsion plant Machinery type, nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.	2x nuclear reactor (CONAS)

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors & avionics specifications
Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.	Voskhod MR-800 3D radar
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.	Top Pair air-search radar, hull-mounted sonar

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	4 Stronger than 59% of warships
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	1 Stronger than 45% of warships

Specifications compiled from public United Shipbuilding Corporation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Warship

Kirov-class Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

Naval Group Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

View Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI) ↗

Warship

Kirov-class Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

Navantia Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

View Alvaro de Bazan class (F100) ↗

Warship

Kirov-class Bonifaz class (F110)

Navantia Bonifaz class (F110)

View Bonifaz class (F110) ↗

Head-to-head comparisons

Kirov-class vs

Type 055

Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer

Type 054A

Zumwalt-class Destroyer

Type 052D

Type 45 Daring

Sachsen-class

FREMM (Aquitaine class)

Gerald R. Ford-class Aircraft Carrier

Maya-class

Frequently asked questions

What is the main armament of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class? +

The United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class's primary weapon is the 130 mm AK-130 twin naval gun.

What is the United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class used for? +

The United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class is a warship typically used for deep strike, air defense.

How many countries operate the United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class? +

The United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class cost? +

United Shipbuilding Corporation Kirov-class: No public modern unit cost. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.