United States Nuclear Powered Surface Combatants

USS Long Beach (CGN 9) (ex-CGN 160, CLGN 160)



USS Long Beach (CGN-9) was the first nuclear powered surface warship in the world and the first large combatant in the US Navy with its main battery consisting of guided missiles. The Long Beach was dubbed "The Pig" by enlisted crewmembers. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Long Beach)

USS Truxtun (CGN 35) (ex-DLGN 35)



USS Truxtun was the first and only ship in the TRUXTUN class and the fourth nuclear powered surface vessel commissioned by the United States Navy. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Truxton)

USS Arkansas - CGN 41



USS Arkansas was the last ship of four VIRGINIA class nuclear powered guided missile cruisers ordered by the United States Navy. The Arkansas was the last nuclear powered cruiser built by the United States. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Arkansas)

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)



The USS Enterprise was the Navy's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier and from 1961 to 1972 she was the biggest warship in the world. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Enterprise)

USS Nimitz (CVN-68)



USS Nimitz is the first ship in the NIMITZ class of aircraft carriers. The Nimitz Class aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Nimitz)

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)



USS Carl Vinson is the third ship in the NIMITZ class. The Vinson was affectionally dubbed the "Carla V" during the early 1990s when Navy anti-gay purges attempted to track down the purported large number of gay sailors aboard the ship. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Carl Vison)

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)



USS Ronald Reagan is the ninth ship in the NIMITZ class of nuclear powered aircraft carriers. In a move considered to be a political maneuver by a Republican controlled congress, the Reagan was the first nuclear powered carrier to be named after a living president.. (Click here for detailed information about the USS Ronald Reagan)

United States - Civilian Nuclear Powered Ships

Russian and Former Soviet Union Nuclear Powered Surface Combatants

Admiral Ushakov (Project 1144 (Orlan) - Kirov Class)

(until April 22, 1992 known as Kirov).

Status: Inactive, inoperable, likely to be scrapped.

Keel laid down on March 27, 1974. Launched on December 27, 1977, and commissioned by the Navy on December 30, 1980. Based at Severomorsk. Inactive since 1990 when there was an accident in the ship's machinery (some reports indicate this was a nuclear accident). Some sourced indicate the Ushakov is lkely to be scrapped, however ITAR-TASS reported in 2000 the Ushakov would be repaired at Zvezdochka and returned to service. TASS reported the Russian Duma raised $400,000 of the $160 million needed for repairs. Length: 251.2 m Displacement: 28000 tons

Beam: 28.5 m Crew: 610

Draught: 9.1 m Speed: 30 knots The Russian Heavy Missile Cruise Ship, Project 1144.2 Kirov Class was built by the Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg. The Kirov Class provides the capability to engage large surface ships and to defend the fleet against air and submarine attack. Four cruisers were built but as of 2001 only Admiral Nakhimov (commissioned in 1988) and Pyotr Velikhiy (commissioned in 1995) remain active. The ship's propulsion system is based on a combination of nuclear power and steam turbine, with four nuclear reactors and two auxiliary boilers. The four steam turbines deliver 28,000 horsepower. Two shafts drive two 5-bladed fixed pitch propellers. The propulsion system provides a full speed of 31 knots." Armaments:

Granit (Nato designation SS-N-19 Shipwreck) long range anti-ship missile system with 20 missiles, S-300F Air Defence Missile Complex with 12 launchers and 96 vertical launch air defence missiles, 130 mm AK-130 multipurpose twin-barrel gun, 10 torpedo tubes for 20 Vodopad-NK anti-submarine missiles or torpedoes, two anti-submarine and anti-torpedo rocket systems (the Udav-1 with 40 anti-submarine rockets and the RBU-1000), two RBU-1000 six-tube launcher, with 102 rockets, and three Kamov Ka-27PL or Ka-25RT helicopters.

Admiral Lasarev (Project 1144 (Orlan) - Kirov Class)

Status: Inactive, inoperable, likely to be scrapped.

(until 1992 known as Frunze). Laid down on July 27, 1978. Launched on May 26, 1981, and commissioned on October 31, 1984. The ship is based at Severomorsk, but has been laid up over the last few years. It is expected that the vessel will be decommissioned and scrapped.

Length: 251.2 m Displacement: 28000 tons

Beam: 28.5 m Crew: 610

Draught: 9.1 m Speed: 30 knots More detail on the Project 1144 ships.

Admiral Nakhimov (Project 1144 (Orlan) - Kirov Class)

(until 1992 known as Kalinin.) Keel laid down on May 17, 1983. Launched on April 25, 1986, and commissioned on December 30, 1988. As of 1997, the Admiral Nakhimov was the only Project 1144 ship still operating.

Length: 251.2 m Displacement: 28000 tons

Beam: 28.5 m Crew: 610

Draught: 9.1 m Speed: 30 knots More detail on the Project 1144 ships.

Pyotr Veliky (Project 1144 (Orlan) - Kirov Class)

(until 1992 known as Yury Andropov). Keel laid down on April 25, 1986. Launched on April 25, 1989, and first sea trial completed in autumn 1995. Suffered a turbine explosion during sea trials. Currently inoperable while awaiting repairs, completion and acceptance testing.

Length: 251.2 m Displacement: 28000 tons

Beam: 28.5 m Crew: 610

Draught: 9.1 m Speed: 30 knots More detail on the Project 1144 ships.

Ural (Project 1941 (Titan) - Kapusta Class)

Built at Baltisky Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The keel was laid down on July 25, 1981. It was launched in May 1983 and commissioned on December 30, 1988. The vessel was taken out of use a short time later, and as of 2001 was in use as a power plant on the Pacific Coast. There are now plans to either sell or decommission the ship.

Length: 265 m Displacement: 34 640 tons

Beam: 29.9 m Crew: 923

Draught: 7.81 m Speed: 21.6 knots

Reactors

Two pressurised water reactors, model KN-3 (OK-900) with a VM-16 type reactor core generating 171 MWt. The reactors are used in tandem with an oil turbine and together generate 66 500 hp. Originally designed as Project 1153 - a new nuclear powered full -deck aircraft carrier - construction was suspended in 1983 when 50% completed and put aside for 5 years when when it was decided the hull was too small to launch aircraft and the catapult system designed for the ship failed. The hull was then used for the Ural Project #1941 "Titan" (Nato Codename "Kapusta" ). Officially designated 'Sudno Suyazyy' (Communications Vessel). She has since been laid up and is in used as a powerplant on the Pacific coast.

French Nuclear Powered Surface Combatants

FS Charles De Gaulle (R91) The FS Charles De Gaulle (R91) is the largest and only nuclear powered aircraft carrier in Europe. It is also the only aircraft carrier with conventional take off and landing capabilities. The Charles De Gaulle is perhaps the ugliest nuclear powered ship ever built, although a face lift before entering service makes it a slightly less obnoxious eyesore. Originally named the Richelieu, the ship was renamed Charles De Gaulle during construction. The Charles De Gaulle took more than 12 years to complete and enter service, largely due to engineering difficulties and budgetary constraints. The ship suffered difficulties during its sea trials including a propulsion failure and abnormal vibration in the main engines. In 1998, engineering spaces were retrofitting to reduce excessive radiation doses during normal operation. The French Government initially ordered a second nuclear aircraft carrier (also named the Richelieu) which was later canceled. The French Navy attempted to have the programme revived but the Richelieu remains unbuilt. Builder: DCN International, Brest, Germany

Keel Laid: April 1989

Launched: July 1994

Entered Service: May 2001

Dimensions

Length: 261.5 m

Width: 64.36 m

Displacement: 40,600 tons

Maximum speed : 27 knots

Reactors: 2 GEC Alsthom PWR Type K15, 76,200 shaft horsepower

Core endurance: 5 years

Aicraft: 40

Crew: 1,950

Accomodations for 800 additional troops

Non-Military Nuclear Powered Ships

United States

NS Savannah

Nuclear powered cargo and passenger liner. One of only three nuclear powered cargo vessels ever built. Decomissioned in 1972. [More information]

Germany

NS Otto Hahn

Nuclear powered ore and passenger carrier. One of only three nuclear powered cargo vessels ever built. Converted to diesel power in 1982. [More information]

Japan

NS Mutsu

Nuclear powered research vessel. Suffered a radiation leak during maiden voyage. [More information]

Russia and former Soviet Union

Sevmorput

Container ship with reinforced hull for sailing through ice.

Length: 260 meters Displacement: 61,000 tons

Beam: 32 meters Draft: 10.68 meters

Service speed: 20 knots

Yamal

Artika-Class Icebreaker

Sovetsky Souz

Artika-Class Icebreaker

Rossia

Artika-Class Icebreaker

Lenin

Lenin-Class Icebreaker

Sibir

Artika-Class Icebreaker

Arktika

Artika-Class Icebreaker

Taymyr

Taymyr- Class Icebreaker