Quote:
Originally Posted by FlameOn
Yea you're right, Russians would probably replace with the Lider-class which would probably cost $1.2B each.
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The Lider has been off and on the design board for a while. Originally a nuclear powered destroyer in name only, they cancelled it, then it came back on board with a gas turbine variant that was cancelled. Then the nuclear powered stealth version was bought back with an idea of the first one being commissioned at the end of the decade. But with the state of the Russian economy its unlikely that it see's the light of day.
There have been videos of the Moskva burning in the distance, if these are real video's it looks like a complete loss.
The loss of Moskva is devestating. They really have only three command vessels left. The two sisters of the Moskva command the Northern and Pacific Fleet. There is one Kirov in current service in the Northern Fleet. The other one Nakimov (sp?) is undergoing a refit that won't be complete til next year. The Kuznetsov, the last Russian conventionally powered Aircraft Carrier could take on a fleet command role but its in refit til next year, but is nearing end of life.
Right now the Black Sea Fleet doesn't have a ship that can really be a command and control hub. The fleet has 5 frigates, 1 missile carrying corvette, 6 improved Kilo diesel attack boats, maybe 2 out of 7 of their landing ships remain active as the others have been damaged or destroyed. There are a bunch of small auxillary boats guided missile corvettes and missile boats. But the loss of the Moskva is a big problem.
Like I said, troops can be lost, tanks can be lost. But the loss of a major naval asset like the Moskva is a huge blow to moral, as ships like this tend to be national symbols.
Imagine if the American's lost the Mt Whitney, or the Blue Ridge. even the loss of an Aegis cruiser would probably be a national tragedy.