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Originally Posted by unkated
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.
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That's right and you didn't hear me saying that as it would be obvious suicide for the Kirov.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unkated
The Tomahawks are LAND attack missiles, and are not that effective at sea.
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But the RGM/UGM-109B variant of the Tomahawk is a anti-ship missile.
It was developed at the same time as the BGM-109A TLAM-N and was operationally deployed first. Instead of TERCOM (which is useless over water), the TASM uses a radar guidance system similar to Harpoon, including the strapdown three-axis attitude/heading reference system and AN/DSQ-28 J-band active radar seeker. The TASM was a very agile missile capable of flying at high or low altitude trajectories, and could include sea-skimming or pop-up high-angle diving in the terminal phase. The TASM was removed from warships in 1994 and all TASM missiles were converted to TLAM, but not in the Twilight War eh!
Quote:
Originally Posted by unkated
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.
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But the Kirov also only carries 20 SS-N-19 as the size of the missile limits the platforms on which it can operate and be launched from and the number of reloads. Can all of the 20 SS-N-19 be fired at once?
Quote:
Originally Posted by unkated
Also... (from Iowa class page)
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.
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Kirov is a very lightly armoured ship compared to an Iowa Class battleship. Its side armour in the area of the nuclear reactor compartments, command operations room and above the SS-N-19 battery is 100 mm, and everywhere else it ranges from 35mm to 70mm. Even in its best protected areas it would barely withstand a hit from a 5"/38 or Harpoon or Tomahawk TASM. But there is absolutely no way it could tank the firepower of a 16"/50 caliber Mark 7. Just how much damage do you think a 2,700 pound HE or AP shell or two travelling at 820 metres per second could do to a ship as lightly armoured as a Kirov with a practically unprotected nuclear reactor?