Kirov-class battlecruiser

The Kirov-class battlecruiser is a large Soviet (later Russian) guided missile cruiser about the size of a World War I-battleship. The vessels were built from 1974-1998. The ships have thus far never seen combat, but with their armament of dozens of anti-ship missiles and over 200 surface-to-air missiles, would doubtless be a formidable opponent.

Battle vs. Iowa-class battleship (by SPARTAN 119)
Iowa-class Battleship:

Kirov-class Battlecruiser:

1980s, North Pacific Ocean, an alternate universe where the Cold War "turned hot"

Two Iowa-class battleships, the USS Iowa and USS New Jersey, newly refitted with modern electronics, upgraded systems and fitted with all-new missile and CIWS weapons sailed through the middle of the Pacific. Their mission, to eliminate a couple of Soviet Kirov-class battlecruisers before that got in missile range of a US carrier battlegroup. Both sides had a fix on the other's positions and were heading against each other; the Kirovs had decided to turn and engage the two sisters; the battleships were also quite important to the US, and it would be a major physical and psychological victory if the Soviets could destroy the battleships.

It did not take long for the 2 rival groups to get within range of each other.

The USS Iowa and New Jersey each fired off two Tomahawk cruise missiles over the horizon at the Kirov-class vessels. As the missiles closed in on the Russian warships, alarms sounded on deck. The Kirov-class battlecruisers, the Kirov and the Frunze fired off a four S-300 SAMs. Two of the missiles intercepted the Tomahawks headed for the warships, but the other two SAMs missed. The AK-630 CIWS took down the missile headed for the Kirov, the but the final Tomahawk impacted the bow VLS of the Frunze, detonating the hundreds of stored missiles in the magazine sending the entire front of the ship up in a ball of flames, blasting a gaping hole in the hull. The Frunze immediately took on water and sank with heavy losses.

The Kirov returned fire, launching several P-700 missiles at that American ships. Three of the missiles were shot down by the combined CIWS systems of the U.S battleships, but rest impacted the USS New Jersey. The first slammed into the armor, causing little damage, the second disabled the rear turret, and the final missile hit a Tomahawk missile launcher, detonating the warheads and fuel, blowing a hole in the deck and causing a large fire. Seconds later,a huge explosion occurred, the fires having reached the 5-inch ammunition magazines; the explosion knocked the New Jersey out of the battle, being damaged so much that she was nearly useless now - the crippled ship disengaged immediately, although she would remain afloat for now.

By this point, the two remaining ships were visible on the horizon. The Kirov fired a second barrage of P-700 and SS-N-14 missiles, a few of them damaging the secondary weapons systems, but otherwise, causing little damage, owing to the famously thick armor of the Iowas. At the same time, the Kirov fired a spread of torpedoes, one of them impacting below the waterline of the Iowa. The Iowa 's repair crews raced into action, sealing the hatches and starting the pumps, managing to stop the Iowa from taking on too much water

The captain of the Iowa, no doubt infuriated by the loss of USS New Jersey and the damage to his own ship, ordered the Iowa fire back with everything she had. The Iowa fired off a full broadside from its massive 16 inch main guns as well as several Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Balls of fire sprouted up all over the Kirov, setting fire to the deck and causing multiple explosions everywhere. Eventually, the fierce flames reached the magazines of the Kirov, and blew the ship in two - she then took on water and disappeared below the waves.

WINNER: Iowa-class battleship

Expert's Opinion
TBW

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.