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Originally Posted by RN7
Kirov vs Iowa has to be the biggest mismatch in history.
In the first place the Kirov would never get within the 500km range to launch their SS-N-19 missiles due to the fact that such an important naval asset like a Iowa Class battleship would be under the air protection of a US Navy aircraft carrier.
Secondly the SS-N-19 has a maximum speed of between Mach 1.6 and 2.5 which is well within the interception velocity of US Navy air defence missiles on any number of US warships, while the Kirov only carried 20 SS-N-19.
Thirdly the Iowa Class were retrofitted with Tomahawk Cruise missiles which have a considerably longer range than the SS-N-19, and Iowa's carried 32 of them.
Fourthly the Iowa's 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 guns shot out 2,700 pound shells that travelled at 820 metres per second. I doubt any Soviet air defence missile could intercept and destroy a shell that size travelling at that speed at the time.
Fifthly the armour protection of a Kirov is wafer thin compared with an Iowa. A few direct hits by Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles would disable if not destroy it, while one 16 inch gun shell would disintegrate it.
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There is no reason for the Kirov to wait around for Battleship to get within gun range; in fact, it would be criminal; the zampolit aboard would have the captain arrested and appoint a commander to maintain range at a few hundred nautical miles.
The Tomahawks are LAND attack missiles, and are not that effective at sea. Also, more to the point is the number of
launchers available. Iowas carry 32 Tomahawks, but can only launch 8 at a time. Same for Harpoons.
Yeah, no CIWS system is going to protect against guns.
They are made to locate and target missiles, which move much slower, and have systems that can be hurt in the few seconds before the missile hits the ship. They cannot target incoming shell fire, and if they could, you have the mismatch of mv-squared - like me charging a semi-trailer to deflect it head-on.
Also... (from Iowa class page)
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Owing to the original 1938 design of the battleships, the Tomahawk missiles could not be fitted to the Iowa class unless the battleships were rebuilt in such a way as to accommodate the missile mounts that would be needed to store and launch the Tomahawks. This realization prompted the removal of the anti-aircraft guns previously installed on the Iowas and the removal of four of each of the battleships' ten 5"/38 DP mounts. The mid and aft end of the battleships were then rebuilt to accommodate the missile magazines. At one point, the NATO Sea Sparrow was to be installed on the reactivated battleships; however, it was determined that the system could not withstand the overpressure effects from firing the main battery.[79] To supplement the anti-aircraft capabilities of the Iowas, five FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile firing positions were installed. These secured the shoulder-launched weapons and their rounds for ready use by the crew
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One 16-in shell would not disintegrate the Kirov. Kirov is a decent sized ship. There's a reason that other ship combat systems were developed.
But indeed Kirov is not armored and she would being to degrade (lose systems that she needs to fight) almost immediately.