A Kirov-centered surface group and Kiev-class aviation cruiser would add heavy missiles to attacks already coming from bombers and submarines. Kirov's P-700 Granits and the Kiev-class ship's P-500 Bazalts bring large supersonic weapons with warheads measured in hundreds of kilograms. The surface ships are not expected to attack alone: land batteries, bombers, submarines, and ships are meant to fire in a coordinated window. This missile-age descendant of decisive-battle doctrine aims to drown Aegis and layered defenses in simultaneous threats.
Chapter · 54:44-1:04:13
The Soviet answer to layered air defense was missile saturation
Soviet ships, submarines, aircraft, and land batteries were intended to combine their missiles in a single overwhelming strike against NATO carrier defenses.