RUSSIA BEGINS DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR-POWERED DESTROYERS TO FULFILL LONG-TERM PLANS
MOSCOW - The head of the Russian Navy, Admiral Viktor Chirkov, says that design work for a new nuclear-powered destroyer is underway.
"Research and development works are underway to create a next generation nuclear-powered destroyer for the Russian navy," Adm. Chirkov said.
The new class of destroyers will be larger than the current Sovremenny class which has a displacement of 7,940 tons. They will also have similar firepower to a cruiser and will feature automatic control technologies, the admiral added.
The project, code named "Leader," has been assigned to the Northern Design Bureau in St. Petersburg. Plans call for a total of 12 vessels in the class. The first ship is not expected to enter service before 2025. The ships will be divided between the Northern and Pacific fleets.
Typically, nuclear power is used for vessels that remain at sea for long periods. However, part of Russia's long-term naval plan is to strengthen capabilities far away from home with the addition of 600 surface ships, submarines, and other auxiliary ships by 2050. Due to limited refueling options abroad, Russia is pushing for more nuclear-powered vessels.
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