Baku is considered a separate class due to her improvements including a phased array radar, extensive electronic warfare installations, and an enlarged command and control suite.

On 20 January 2004, Russia agreed to sell Admiral Gorshkov to India after an extensive upgrade at Sevmash Enterprise.

[7] The fourth of the Project 1143 aircraft carrying cruisers, Baku had many differences from the rest of the class, trialing technologies to be used on the Admiral Kuznetsov.

This was the phased array antenna for the Mars-Passat ("Sky Watch") 3D air search radar.

Flight operations were assisted by the distinctive new "Cake Stand" tactical air navigation system.