Kara-class cruiser

Last updated
Kerch2007Sevastopol.jpg
Kerch in 2007
Class overview
NameKara class
Builders 61 Communards Shipyard, Mykolaiv
Operators
Preceded by Kresta II class
Succeeded by
Built1968–1979
In commission1971–2020
Completed7
Retired7
General characteristics
Type Guided missile cruiser
Displacement
  • 8,200 tons standard
  • 9,700 tons full load [1]
Length173.2 m (568 ft 3 in)
Beam18.6 m (61 ft 0 in)
Draught6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Propulsion2 shaft COGAG, 4x DN59 2x DS71 gas turbines, 120,000 hp (89,000 kW)
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range9,000  nmi (17,000 km)
Complement380
Armament
  • 2 × quad Metel Anti-Ship Complex anti-submarine missiles
  • 2 × twin M-11 Shtorm surface-to-air missile launchers (80 missiles)
  • 2 x twin 9K33 Osa surface-to-air missile launchers (40 missiles)
  • 2 × twin 76 mm (3 in) AK-726 naval guns
  • 4 × 30 mm (1 in) AK-630 CIWS
  • 2 × 5 533 mm (21 in) PTA-53-1134B torpedo tubes
  • 2 × RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 2 × RBU-1000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 24 × S-300F surface-to-air missiles (Azov)
Aircraft carried1 × Ka-25 or Ka-27 series helicopter
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

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.

Contents

Design

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.

Ships

All the ships were built by the 61 Communards Shipyard in Mykolaiv (Nikolayev).

NameRussianLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedNotes
Nikolayev Николаев25 June 196819 December 196931 December 197129 October 1992Scrapped in India, 1994
Ochakov Очаков19 December 196930 April 19714 November 197312 August 2011Purposely sunk in channel of Donuzlav Bay 6 March 2014. Later refloated and scrapped at Inkerman in 2015. [2]
Kerch Керчь30 April 197121 July 197225 December 197415 February 2020Scrapped at Inkerman, Sevastopol in 2020
Azov Азов21 July 197214 September 197325 December 197530 May 1998Scrapped at Inkerman in 1999-2000.
Petropavlovsk Петропавловск9 September 197322 November 197429 December 197626 February 1992Sold for scrap in 1996.
Tashkent Ташкент22 November 19745 November 197531 December 19773 July 1992Sold for scrap in 1994.
Vladivostok

(ex-Tallinn)

Владивосток
(Таллин)
5 November 19755 November 197631 December 19795 July 1994Sold for scrap in 1994.

See also

Citations

  1. Chant, Chris (2004). Warships Today. Summertime Publishing Ltd. p. 98. ISBN   0-7607-6700-9.
  2. Ishchenko, Sergei (13 January 2015). "Средиземноморская Цусима". svpressa.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-06-02.

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