Admiral Nakhimov's prolonged modernization

Work stopped when planners had not yet settled the final modernization standard, leaving the yard without a stable specification. The refit resumed in 2014 with another projected completion date, only for later defense-ministry changes to require an amended contract and more delay. Proposed fits repeatedly advertised the newest weapons, including Zircon and Kalibr missiles plus renewed air defenses, but the final arrangement remained uncertain while the ship was unfinished. Removing the old equipment alone took until 2015, and the ship was reported only half ready in 2019. Estimates of roughly 160 to 180 vertical-launch cells reveal both the scale of the intended transformation and the uncertainty created by constantly revised requirements.