This permanant article from Strategey Page doesn't really alarm me.
Even though the Kirov is a huge ship with lots of anti shipping cruise missiles, it isn't that great, for a few reasons. First, the SS-N-19 "Shipwrecks" with their enormous range, have an issue, being targeting data. You also have the issue that you aren't as sure of your target. How do you know the big radar contact isn't an aircraft carrier, but a supertanker or a hospital ship? Also, Global Security.org says that unlike our Tacatical Tomahawks (Block IV), there is no ability to change target. The range also means it's kind of bad. The AGM-84 Harpoon missile, and similar ones, are far better.
Second, they're Russian Technology. That means radiation leaks, breakage of electronics, worse crew acomadations, although the size means they will be better than most. I don't think they'll work.
Posted by thomp356 at April 10, 2005 4:18 PM | TrackBack