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California vs Kirov

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Specifications
California Kirov
Origin 🇺🇸 United States 🇷🇺 Ex-USSR
Category Cruiser Cruiser
Type Guided-missile cruiser Heavy guided-missile cruiser / battlecruiser
Manufacturer Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Baltic Shipyard
Year introduced 1974 1980
Number built 2 units 4 units
Estimated unit price NA NA
Displacement 10,600 tons 28,000 tons
Maximum speed 30.0 knots 32.0 knots
Range Unlimited Unlimited
Length 179.0 m 252.0 m
Beam 19.0 m 28.5 m
Crew 584 710
Performance Radar Chart
Armament & Systems
California Kirov
Armament
  • 2 × Mk 141 Harpoon missile launchers
  • 2 × 5 inch/54 caliber Mk 45 lightweight guns
  • 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
  • 1 × ASROC missile launcher
  • 2 × Mk 13 missile launchers for RIM-66D Standard missiles (MR)
  • 6 × 12.75" torpedo tubes for Mark 46 torpedoes
  • 4 × .50 caliber machine guns
  • 20 × P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) AShM
  • 96 × S-300F Fort (SA-N-6 Grumble) surface-to-air missiles
  • 48 × S-300F Fort and 48 S-300FM Fort-M (SA-N-20 Gargoyle) long-range SAM
  • 64 × 3K95 Kinzhal (SA-N-9 Gauntlet) point defense SAM
  • 40 × OSA-MA (SA-N-4 Gecko) PD SAM
  • 1 × twin AK-130 130 mm/L70 dual-purpose gun
  • 8 × AK-630 six-barreled Gatling 30 mm/L60 PD guns
  • 6 × CADS-N-1 Kortik gun/missile system
  • 2 × 6 RBU-1000 305 mm ASW rocket launchers
  • 1 × 10 (Udav-1) 254 mm ASW rocket launchers
  • 10 × 533 mm ASW/ASuW torpedo tubes
Propulsion 2 × General Electric D2G reactors generating 60,000 shp (45,000 kW) 2-shaft CONAS, 2× KN-3 nuclear marine propulsion with 2× GT3A-688 steam turbines 140,000 shp (100,000 kW)

Overview

The California and the Kirov are both Cruiser classes.

The Kirov displaces 28,000 tons — 2.6x the California's 10,600 tons. The California reaches 30 knots vs 32 knots for the Kirov. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the California vs 99,999 for the Kirov. The California carries a crew of 584 vs 710 for the Kirov.

The California was produced in 2 units vs 4 for the Kirov. The California was commissioned in 1974, 6 years before the Kirov (1980).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the California-class or Kirov-class?
The Kirov-class has greater displacement at 28,000 tons compared to the California-class's 10,600 tons.
Which is faster, the California-class or Kirov-class?
The Kirov-class is faster with a maximum speed of 32 knots compared to the California-class's 30 knots.
Which has longer range, the California-class or Kirov-class?
Both the California-class and Kirov-class are nuclear-powered and have unlimited range, limited only by food supplies and crew endurance.
Which is longer, the California-class or Kirov-class?
The Kirov-class is longer at 252.0 meters compared to the California-class's 179.0 meters.
How many crew members do the California-class and Kirov-class have?
The Kirov-class has a larger crew complement of 710 compared to the California-class's 584 crew members.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the California-class or Kirov-class?
The Kirov-class has been built in greater numbers with 4 vessels compared to 2 vessels of the California-class.