There are sixteen launchers in the traditional Soviet style down each side - Kresta Class cruiser style onwards. The launchers are totally exposed and again in the Soviet style the ships are so crammed with weapons that we used to wonder whether the systems could all be manned at the same time and if they could, where all the men lived. Anyway it would seem to be the height of folly to keep nuclear tipped cruise missiles in those launchers. If any of those missiles were nuclear tipped there would have to be a significant amount of radiation floating around now, or if the warheads are now sitting on the bottom of the Black Sea then an urgent salvage operation will be underway asap. Or the 'nuclear tipped' rumour is just that - a rumour. I see the ship was being refitted for seven years - either a complete makeover or one of the slowest refits ever.larsssnowpharter wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:14 pmOne notes the Russians are claiming a fire on board while the Ukrainians are claiming a couple of missile hits.
Of course, both might be true.
Shortly after the Berlin Wall came down, this Cold War Warrior was sitting in an office in a HQ in Germany and a translation of a paper (Bundeswher?) crossed his desk. Part of it was a report on Russian Army munitions handling. Words like lamentable, poor safety and dangerous littered the report.
If the same is true of the Russian Navy this could well have been a spectacular 'own goal'. Or, if not, a deflection.
My recollection is that the cruise missiles on this class of vessel were nuclear capable which may have consequences.
I should feel a scintilla of sympathy for them but I can't summon any for people serving that despot in Moscow in an unjust war. I hope he is eliminated or disappeared to the asylum before he's tempted to go nuclear.