How the West might answer twelve Project 23560 destroyers

How would Western navies respond if Russia completed all twelve Project 23560 Leader-class destroyers?

In this counterfactual, Western navies would track their worldwide deployments, while additional Zumwalts and a change in the Type 83 debate are considered possible responses.

A completed force of twelve nuclear-powered Lider-class destroyers would give Russia conspicuous ships for worldwide presence deployments, creating more vessels for Western navies to track. Their appearance and nuclear propulsion could encourage further American Zumwalt construction even before a detailed comparison of combat capability. Within the Russian fleet, they would replace Slava-class cruisers and Udaloy- and Sovremenny-class destroyers, while the larger Kirovs would probably remain. Their proposed 19,000-ton displacement would also change the context of Britain's Type 83 debate. That hypothetical response is separate from the uncertainty over what Russia would actually build: its capable Project 22350 frigates demonstrate an ability to produce useful warships, but the eventual large surface combatant is expected to differ from the Lider proposal.