Ural II
The Ural II is the Monitoring Command Ship for Bethany Base, containing its Command Center and staff. [1] It is briefly seen moored off the base during the battle between Eva-05 and the Third Angel, and more clearly seen after the Eva self-destructs. It is possible that Bethany Base, acting as a facility for the containment and study of the Third Angel, either does not need a permanent, full-time command center as part of the base, or needs a dissociated command center for safety purposes. If the latter case is true, the ship serves its purpose: it is too far to be seriously damaged when Eva-05's self-destruct demolishes the roof of Bethany Base.
The Command Ship is based on a genuine vessel, the nuclear-powered SSV-33 Ural command ship of the former Soviet Union, itself based on the powerful Kirov-class cruiser. The real Ural was put out of action after the fall of the Soviet Union due to its high operating costs and apparently was used as a floating power station for a while, although Russia now plans to either scrap or sell the vessel.[Source needed]
