Commissioned into Soviet fleet service in 1980s Kirov was assigned the Raketnyy Kreyser or missile cruiser designation by the Soviets and a CGN designation by the Americans. Its powerplant is unique in being a combined nuclear and steam system. Two reactors are coupled to oil-fired boilers that superheat the steam produced in the reactor plant to increase the power output available during high-speed running. The Kirov class battlecruisers have the world's largest missile battery, at 352 missiles. The sheer size of the ships mean that they have plenty of space for a command, control and communications outfit, and could serve as effective fleet flagships. One of their intended missions was to act as a task group command escort to the aircraft carriers being planned by the Soviet navy.
