Russia to Relaunch Soviet-era Nuclear Battlecruiser in 2018

Russia's Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruiser, currently undergoing extensive renovation and rearmament, will hit the water in 2018 as Russia's most powerful warship, Northern Design Bureau chief Vladimir Spiridopulo was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying on Thursday.

The ship went into service in 1988, but has been mothballed at the Sevmash Shipyards in Severodvinsk since 1999. After years of delays, work on her restoration began in January of this year.

"This will be a complete overhaul of the ship, [to make it] almost new. She has a good hull. But everything else, except for the hull and the [nuclear] power plant will be new," Spiridupulo said, adding that the refurbishment will allow the Nakhimov to serve another 30 to 40 years.

Read more