This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(January 2013) |
Kerch in 2007 | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Kara class |
Builders | 61 Communards Shipyard, Mykolaiv |
Operators | |
Preceded by | Kresta II class |
Succeeded by | |
Built | 1968–1979 |
In commission | 1971–2020 |
Completed | 7 |
Retired | 7 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Guided missile cruiser |
Displacement |
|
Length | 173.2 m (568 ft 3 in) |
Beam | 18.6 m (61 ft 0 in) |
Draught | 6.7 m (22 ft 0 in) |
Propulsion | 2 shaft COGAG, 4x DN59 2x DS71 gas turbines, 120,000 hp (89,000 kW) |
Speed | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
Range | 9,000 nmi (17,000 km) |
Complement | 380 |
Armament |
|
Aircraft carried | 1 × Ka-25 or Ka-27 series helicopter |
Aviation facilities | Helipad |
The Kara class, Soviet designation Project 1134B Berkut B ("golden eagle"), was a class of guided missile cruisers ("large anti-submarine warfare ship," in Soviet classification) built for the Soviet Navy between 1968 and 1976 . NATO classified the type as cruisers mainly due to their size and the presence of the Metel (SS-N-14 Silex) anti-ship missile system, capable of striking both submarines and surface vessels.
These ships were enlarged versions of the Kresta II class, with gas turbine engines replacing the steam turbines. These ships were fitted as flagships with improved command, control and communications facilities. These are dedicated ASW ships with significant anti-aircraft capability including both M-11 Shtorm and 9K33 Osa surface-to-air missiles.
The specifications for the class were issued in 1964 with the design being finalised in the late 1960s. The gas turbine engine was chosen instead of steam for greater efficiency and quietness, and because the main Soviet gas turbine plant had a long association with the Nikolayev shipyards.
The cruiser Azov was constructed as a trials ship for the S-300 missile system and was also fitted with the associated Top Dome Radar. During the Cold War she was confined to the Black Sea.
All the ships were built by the 61 Communards Shipyard in Mykolaiv (Nikolayev).
Name | Russian | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nikolayev | Николаев | 25 June 1968 | 19 December 1969 | 31 December 1971 | 29 October 1992 | Scrapped in India, 1994 |
Ochakov | Очаков | 19 December 1969 | 30 April 1971 | 4 November 1973 | 12 August 2011 | Purposely sunk in channel of Donuzlav Bay 6 March 2014. Later refloated and scrapped at Inkerman in 2015. [2] |
Kerch | Керчь | 30 April 1971 | 21 July 1972 | 25 December 1974 | 15 February 2020 | Scrapped at Inkerman, Sevastopol in 2020 |
Azov | Азов | 21 July 1972 | 14 September 1973 | 25 December 1975 | 30 May 1998 | Scrapped at Inkerman in 1999-2000. |
Petropavlovsk | Петропавловск | 9 September 1973 | 22 November 1974 | 29 December 1976 | 26 February 1992 | Sold for scrap in 1996. |
Tashkent | Ташкент | 22 November 1974 | 5 November 1975 | 31 December 1977 | 3 July 1992 | Sold for scrap in 1994. |
Vladivostok (ex-Tallinn) | Владивосток (Таллин) | 5 November 1975 | 5 November 1976 | 31 December 1979 | 5 July 1994 | Sold for scrap in 1994. |
The Kiev class, Soviet designation Project 1143 Krechyet (gyrfalcon), was the first class of fixed-wing aircraft carriers built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy.
The Kashin class, Soviet designation Project 61, were series of anti-aircraft guided-missile destroyers built for the Soviet Navy since the 1960s. As of 2020, no ships remain in service with the Russian Navy, but three modified ships continue in service with the Indian Navy as Rajput-class destroyers.
The Kresta I class, Soviet designation Project 1134 Berkut, was a class of guided missile cruiser built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. The ships were designed for a surface warfare role, but Soviet priorities were changed to an anti-submarine role and only four ships were built in this configuration. They were followed by the Kresta II class, an anti-submarine warfare variant.
The Moskva class, Soviet designation Project 1123 Kondor (condor) and S-703Project 1123M Kiev, was the first class of operational aircraft carriers built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy.
The Krivak class, Soviet designation Project 1135 Burevestnik, are a series of frigates and patrol ships built in the Soviet Union primarily for the Soviet Navy since 1970. Later some sub-branches, like the Nerey (Nereus) were designed for coastal patrol by the KGB Border Troops. Until 1977, the ships in the class were considered to be large anti-submarine warfare vessels.
The Kresta II class, Soviet designation Project 1134A Berkut A, was a class of guided missile cruiser built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. The NATO lists the class as "cruisers" mainly due to the Metel anti-ship missile system capable to strike not only submarines but also surface vessels.
The Project 58 missile cruisers, known to NATO as the Kynda class and sometimes referred to as the Grozny class, from the name of the first ship of the series to be constructed, were the first generation of Soviet missile cruisers and represented a considerable advance for the Soviet Navy. Their main role was anti-surface warfare using the SS-N-3b 'Shaddock' missile. The design proved to be top-heavy and was soon succeeded by the larger Kresta I class, but the Kyndas stayed in service until the fall of the Soviet Union.
Neustrashimy was a destroyer built for the Soviet Navy in the early 1950s. She was to be the prototype for an extended production run but only one ship was built. Neustrashimy was considered too big for series production and a modified design, the Kotlin class was chosen for series production instead. The Soviet Designation was Project 41. This was the first Soviet ship to be given a NATO reporting name being called the Tallinn class.
The Petya class was the NATO reporting name for a class of light frigates designed in the 1950s and built for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s. The Soviet designation was "Storozhevoi Korabl`" Project 159.
Zadornyy was a Project 1135 Burevestnik-class guard ship or Krivak-class frigate that served with the Soviet and Russian Navies. Displacing 3,200 tonnes full load, the vessel was built around the Metel anti-submarine missile system. Zadornyy was launched on 25 March 1979 in Leningrad, the last of the class to be built by the A.A. Zhdanov shipyard, and served with the Northern Fleet. After taking part in exercises Avangard-81, Sever-81 and Okean-83, and cruising as far as Havana, Cuba, the vessel was upgraded between 11 June 1990 and 23 May 1995 with missiles that added anti-ship capability. While serving with the Russian Navy, the ship took part in joint exercises with frigates of the Royal Navy, including a commemoration of the first Arctic convoy of the Second World War with HMS Campbeltown. After more than twenty-five years service, the ship was decommissioned on 3 December 2005.
Marshal Voroshilov was a Project 1134A Berkut A class cruiser of the Soviet Navy, which briefly became part of the Russian Navy after being renamed Khabarovsk in 1991. The fifth ship of her class, the ship served mostly during the Cold War, from 1973 to 1992.
Admiral Oktyabrsky was a Project 1134A Berkut A -class cruiser of the Soviet Navy, which briefly became part of the Russian Navy. The sixth ship of her class, the ship served mostly during the Cold War, from 1973 to 1993.
Vasily Chapayev was a Project 1134A Berkut A class cruiser of the Soviet Navy named for the naval commander Vasily Chapayev. The Project 1134A vessels were envisaged as a counter to the attack and ballistic missile submarines operated by the members of NATO. To that end, they were equipped with two KT-106 quadruple launchers for eight 85R anti-submarine missiles in the URPK-3 Metel system. The ninth ship of the class, Vasily Chapayev was launched in 1974 and served during the Cold War with the Pacific Fleet. Based at Vladivostok, the ship travelled extensively in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, visiting a large number of friendly ports in Angola, Ethiopia, India, Mozambique and Yemen. In 1978 and 1979, the vessel formed part of a Soviet flotilla, including the Project 68bis cruiser Admiral Senyavin, that supported Vietnam in the aftermath of the Sino-Vietnamese War. In 1982, Vasily Chapayev was allocated to support the BOR-4 spaceplane programme, and two years later, the vessel participated in a search for a US Navy submarine that was suspected of being near the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. In 1985, the ship took part in a simulated joint operations attack on the US base at Pearl Harbor that involved the coordinated use of aircraft, ships and submarines. During the following year, the vessel took part in first joint exercises that involved both the Soviet and North Korean Navies. Taken out of active service in 1992, Vasily Chapayev was decommissioned and transferred to be broken up in 1993.
Sposobny was a Project 61 destroyer of the Soviet Navy, which briefly became part of the Russian Navy. The ship served during the Cold War from 1971 to 1989.
Admiral Isachenkov was a Project 1134A Berkut A large anti-submarine ship of the Soviet Navy. The seventh ship of the class, the vessel was launched in 1972 and served during the Cold War with the Northern Fleet, often operating in the Atlantic Ocean but also travelling to various ports in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship acted as flagship for the Minister of Defence, Marshal of the Soviet Union Andrei Grechko, during the exercise Okean-75 in 1975 and operated alongside the newly launched Project 1143 Krechyet aircraft carrier Kiev in 1977 and 1978. The ship also shadowed the NATO aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal, USS Independence and USS John F. Kennedy. The cruiser was taken out of service for repairs in 1981 and substantially upgraded with new weapons and communications systems, re-entering service in 1982. With the end of the Cold War, the Navy reassessed its need for large warships and, after a career stretching nearly twenty years, Admiral Isachenkov was decommissioned in 1992 and sold to be broken up.
Petropavlovsk was the fifth ship of the Kara-class cruisers of the Soviet Navy. She was launched in November 1975 and commissioned in December 1976 at the 61 Communards Shipyard. In 1996, she was scrapped in India.
Tashkent was the sixth ship of the Kara-class cruisers of the Soviet Navy. She was launched in November 1975 and commissioned in December 1977 at the 61 Communards Shipyard. After the fall of the USSR, she was scrapped in India in 1994.
Tallinn was the seventh ship of the Kara-class cruisers of the Soviet Navy. She was launched in November 1976 and commissioned in December 1979 at the 61 Communards Shipyard. She was renamed Vladivostok In 1992. After the fall of the USSR, she was scrapped in India in May 1996.
Strogy was a Kashin-class destroyer of the Soviet Navy.
Razyashchiy was a Project 1135 Burevestnik-class Large Anti-Submarine Ship or Krivak-class frigate of the Soviet Navy. Displacing 3,200 tonnes full load, the vessel was built around the Metel anti-submarine missile system. Launched on 22 July 1974, Razyashchiy joined the Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Navy. While serving in the Arabian Sea, in 1983, Razyashchiy suffered minor hull damage from colliding with the destroyer USS Fife while approaching a US fleet. The ship also undertook visits to Port Louis, Mauritius, and Danang, Vietnam, to, among other objectives, enhance the relationships between these countries and the Soviet Union. In 1991, the vessel was transferred to the newly-formed Russian Navy. After nearly twenty years of service, however, Razyashchiy was in a poor state and so was decommissioned on 29 October 1992 and sold to be broken up on 6 October 1994.