Kirov class and a one-salvo fleet fight

Unlike a carrier, the missile cruiser could not expect straightforward rearming at sea after expending its main battery. The ship therefore carried enough defensive and offensive firepower to reach a launch position and deliver a decisive salvo against an American carrier group. Soviet aviation ships could support the approach, making the carrier an enabler for the missile cruiser rather than necessarily the force's protected centre. Kirov was coherent for an expectation of a short, violent fleet engagement rather than merely being an oversized surface combatant. The 2022 discussion of Peter the Great and Admiral Nakhimov also shows how a very large hull could absorb newer missile systems. The class's prestige in Russian service helped make retirement a political as well as a technical decision.