A fully illustrated study of the Soviet Navy's biggest and most powerful surface combatants of the Cold War.

Heavily armed and formidable, guided missile cruisers formed the core of the Soviet Navy during the Cold War. From the last class of conventional Sverdlov-class cruisers through to increasingly complex and formidable missile cruisers, these ships ensured that NATO took the Soviet naval threat seriously.

Soviet Cold War Guided Missile Cruisers covers all classes of these impressive warships, from the early Sverdlov through the Kynda, Kresta, Kara and Slava to the enormous Kirov classes. Together, these vessels marked the apogee of Soviet naval technology and capability and they remain today the largest non-aircraft carrier warships built since 1945.

Containing material previously only available in Russian and fully researched from specialist defence journals, this comprehensive volume examines the design, development, and intended role of these impressive, hi-tech warships, and recounts their dramatic operational history as NATO and Soviet warships faced off against each other during the long Cold War at sea.

Edward Hampshire was awarded a doctorate in War Studies at King's College London in 2008. Since 2012 he has been a Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and is currently on secondment to the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham. Dr Hampshire wrote his doctoral thesis on British naval equipment of the 1960s, and he is currently researching British defence policy of the late 1970s and 1980s, in particular the 1981 Defence Review. His publications include From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic, British Naval Policy 1964-70 and (co-authored) British Intelligence: Secrets, Spies and Sources.

Paul Wright has painted ships of all kinds for most of his career, specializing in steel and steam warships from the late 19th century to the present day. Paul's art has illustrated the works of Patrick O'Brian, Dudley Pope and C.S. Forester amongst others, and hangs in many corporate and private collections all over the world. A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, Paul lives and works in Surrey.