Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:15:45-1:16:16

When power demand might revive very large combatants

Very large Kirov-like ships become more plausible when weapons such as railguns create a compelling requirement for nuclear-scale electrical power.

Naval ProcurementNuclear PropulsionRailgunsSurface Warships
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Question

Will long-range missiles bring back Kirov-like heavy surface combatants?

Short answer

Probably not yet; a return becomes more plausible when power-hungry systems such as railguns make nuclear propulsion and a large hull necessary.

Notes

Long-range missiles alone do not make the return of heavy surface combatants likely. A stronger driver would be an operational weapon whose electrical demand forces a much larger power plant. Railguns provide an example of a system that could make nuclear propulsion and a large hull useful together. That possibility lies beyond the 2030s generation, with the 2040s only a tentative opening.