Russia’s decades-long struggle to modernize its Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser serves as a stark warning against the massive naval projects that drain budgets while delivering obsolete warships vulnerable to modern threats.
Story Snapshot
- Russia’s Admiral Nakhimov battlecruiser faces 25+ years of delays and astronomical costs in modernization efforts
- President Trump’s new battleship class mirrors Russia’s failed mega-ship approach that prioritizes prestige over practicality
- Modern naval warfare favors agile, drone-resistant vessels over massive targets requiring expensive escort fleets
- Both projects risk becoming budget black holes that weaken overall naval capabilities
Russia’s Battlecruiser Becomes Decades-Long Money Pit
Russia’s Admiral Nakhimov represents everything wrong with Putin’s military priorities. Originally commissioned in 1988, this nuclear-powered battlecruiser entered refit in 1999 and still hasn’t returned to service. What began as routine modernization has stretched over 25 years, with completion dates pushed from the mid-2010s to 2020, then 2024, and now targeting the early 2030s if ever completed.
The Kirov-class vessel was designed during the Cold War to counter American carrier groups with massive missile salvos and nuclear endurance. However, post-Soviet budget constraints mothballed most ships in the class. Putin’s decision to revive Admiral Nakhimov reflects his obsession with symbolic prestige projects rather than practical military capability.
Modern Warfare Exposes Fatal Design Flaws
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet losses during the Ukraine conflict demonstrate why massive warships have become obsolete liabilities. The sinking of the cruiser Moskva showed how large, non-stealthy vessels become sitting ducks for modern anti-ship missiles and drone swarms. These behemoths require extensive escort fleets for protection, draining resources from more versatile platforms.
Contemporary naval doctrine emphasizes distributed lethality through smaller, stealthier vessels that can operate independently. Admiral Nakhimov’s massive size and lack of stealth features make it an easy target requiring constant protection. Its nuclear propulsion and hypersonic Zircon missiles cannot compensate for fundamental vulnerability to asymmetric threats.
Trump Administration Risks Repeating Putin’s Mistakes
President Trump’s December 22, 2025 announcement of the Trump-class battleship program echoes Russia’s flawed approach to naval power. The proposed vessels, exceeding 35,000 tons and armed with nuclear cruise missiles, represent the same vanity project mentality that has trapped Russia in the Admiral Nakhimov debacle.
Military analysts warn that America’s Trump-class ships could suffer similar delays and cost overruns seen in the failed Littoral Combat Ship program. The U.S. Navy needs practical solutions to counter Chinese and Russian threats, not budget-draining symbols that take decades to build and require massive support structures to operate effectively.
Sources:
Russia’s Navy Has Its Own Version of the Trump-Class ‘Battleship,’ and It’s A Real Mess
Golden Fleet’s Battleship Will Never Sail
What We Know About the Trump Class Battleship
