The "Kirov" class, Soviet designation Project 1144 "Orlan" (sea eagle), is a class of nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers of the Soviet Navy and Russian Navy, the largest and heaviest surface combatant warships (i.e. not an aircraft carrier or amphibious assault ship) in operation in the world. Among modern warships, they are second in size only to large aircraft carriers, and of similar size to a World War I era battleship. The Soviet classification of the ship-type is "heavy nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser" (). The ships are often referred to as battlecruisers by Western defence commentators due to their size and general appearance.