Realised that most modern submarines (and some aircraft carriers) use nuclear power, but destroyers and frigates don’t. I don’t imagine it’s a size thing, so I’m not sure what else it could be.
In: Engineering
The USSR, inherited by the Russian Federation, had/have a series of Heavy Missile Cruisers and Ice Breakers that are/were nuclear power.
* [Kirov-class battlecruiser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirov-class_battlecruiser?wprov=sfla1)
* [Lenin Ice Breaker, 1957](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin_%281957_icebreaker%29?wprov=sfla1)
Just curious, who told you that there weren’t any surface nuclear powered vessels other than aircraft carriers?
They are not common because the cost for civilian use is prohibitively expensive, and only major military powers are able to afford to maintain them.
The Kirov was designed to be a Carrier Strike Group killer, and were considered one of the most powerful surface combat ships built.
Side note: On paper, they are scary. In reality, knowing how Russia maintains their equipment, it might be a glass cannon if it’s weapons systems even are functional
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