By the early 1980s, the USSR had a solid "mosquito fleet". It included missile boats of projects 205 and 206MR, which were replaced by large missile boats of project 12411. They were supplemented by small missile ships of projects 1234 and 1234.1.
The latter were considered very modern ships and were built until the collapse of the USSR. However, back in the 1970s, work began on a replacement for project 1234 RTOs. Naval sailors sought to get a ship built according to the most advanced technologies and has high speed and seaworthiness. This required a transition from traditional displacement structures to ships with dynamic support principles. Initially, they relied on deep-submerged hydrofoils. In 1981, an experimental small rocket ship MRK-5 (project 1240) was built, using this principle. But for a number of reasons, he did not go into the series. The concept of a skeg hovercraft (KVP) was recognized as more promising. Such a ship is a kind of catamaran, the hulls of which serve as a barrier for an air cushion created by superchargers. Front and rear airbag retention is provided by a flexible guard. Unlike amphibious STOLs with a soft air cushion guard, which slide above the water on the move, in skeg STOLs, the lower part of the side hulls remains immersed in water during movement. This makes it possible to use conventional propellers, rather than air propellers (as in amphibious STOLs).
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
The order for the creation of a strike ship of the near sea zone according to the skeg KVP scheme was issued in 1972 to the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau. The project received the number 1239 and the code "Sivuch". L. Yelsky was appointed chief designer. In a tactical sense, it was a development of the RTOs of projects 1234 and 1234.1, but differed from them in a number of ways. technical features. In particular, feature the catamaran became a large deck area, which made it possible to avoid the restrictions in the placement of weapons inherent in traditional single-hull ships, and create more comfortable conditions for the crew. The designers who created the 1239 project had to solve a number of problems that first confronted shipbuilders. Including the development of propulsion and injection systems, which ensured high survivability and efficiency. Create a device for cleaning flexible air cushion barriers when the ship is moving in a displacement mode. Provide multi-mode movement (from low speeds in displacement mode to full speed on an air cushion when launching a missile attack).
For a comprehensive development of design solutions, small experimental boats "Strepet" and "Ikar" were built, which differed in the contours of the side hulls-skeg. "Strepet" showed the best hydrodynamic qualities, but "Icarus" turned out to be more seaworthy. As a result, it was he who was chosen as a model for "Sivuch".
In parallel, the development of the main power plant was underway. After evaluating several options, the choice was made on the diesel-gas turbine plant of the CODAG scheme (with the joint operation of diesel engines and gas turbines at full speed). For high-speed mode, rotary lowering columns were provided with propellers driven by gas turbines. Their design is similar to the corresponding units of the MRK-5 (project 1240), also developed at the Almaz design bureau.
DESIGN FEATURES
MRK project 1239 is a displacement catamaran with aerostatic unloading - that is, the air cushion created by superchargers does not completely unload the hull, lifting it out of the water. In the bow and stern, the air cushion is held by an inflatable flexible guard. The ships are two narrow hulls covered by a platform 64 meters long and 18 meters wide. The ship has a shallow draft only at high speed, but even in this case columns with coaxial propellers are submerged several meters into the water. If a high-speed spurt is needed, the gap between the hulls in the bow and stern is closed with inflatable barriers, side columns with propellers are lowered into working position, diesel superchargers installed on the upper deck are started. Due to air blowing into the space between the shells, the sediment decreases from 3.3 to 1.5 m and, accordingly, the wave resistance and frictional resistance of water are sharply reduced. Having risen on an air cushion, the ship can accelerate to a speed of 55 knots and travel 500 miles in this position.
Project 1239 ships are equipped with a combined power plant. It includes two cruising diesel engines (working and at full speed), two full speed gas turbines and two diesel superchargers for creating an air cushion.
Under diesel engines, the ship is capable of accelerating to 27 knots, but the cruising speed is 12 knots. At this speed, RTOs can travel up to 2,500 miles. Even if both main engines and gas turbines fail, the ship will be able to move on diesel superchargers at speeds of up to three knots due to the expiration of air from the air cushion into the stern.
WEAPONS AND RADIO-ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
The main armament of the Sea Sivuch is the Moskit anti-ship missile system with 3M80 missiles (or their improved modifications). Eight anti-ship missiles are located in two four-shot launchers located on the sides of the superstructure. Target designation for missiles is provided by the MR-144 "Monolith" radar with an antenna mounted on the roof of the wheelhouse under a large fairing. All other armament of a small missile ship is intended mainly for self-defense.
In the aft part of the superstructure, the Osa-MA2 air defense system with a lowered twin launcher is located. Its ammunition load includes 20 missiles. The main caliber of the Sivuch artillery armament is the 76-mm AK-176 gun mount, located in front of the superstructure (316 rounds of ammunition). The MR-123-01 Vympel-A radar is used to control its fire. For self-defense against low-flying anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft, two 30-mm six-barreled AK-630M artillery mounts are used, located at the ends of the ship (ammunition load of 3 thousand shells). They receive target designation from the Vympel-A radar, there are also backup sighting devices - sighting columns.
Detection of air and surface targets is provided by the MP-352 "Positive" radar. There is also a short-range navigation radar MR-244-1 Ekran, which was replaced in 2008 by a more advanced radar MR-231-1 Pal. The ship is equipped with the Pritok navigation system, the Vympel-R2 electronic warfare system, and the Buran-7 radio communications system.
CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE
The construction of the ships of project 1239 was carried out at the shipyard named after. M. Gorky in Zelenodolka. The lead ship, initially designated MRK-27, and in 1992 named Bora, was accepted into trial operation December 30, 1989 and became part of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1991, during the next exit to the sea, MRK-27 got into a severe storm in Kerch Strait. Waves tore off the cover of the bow guard, and water began to flow into the hull. To save the ship, the commander had to turn it around and slowly return to the base astern. The following year, MRK-27 was repaired using parts from the unfinished third unit of the project. In subsequent years, Bora remained part of the Black Sea Fleet.
The second MRK-17 ship (renamed Samum in March 1992) arrived in the Black Sea for testing in November 1992. In 1993-1994, he was transferred in several stages by inland waterways to the Baltic. For some time he was laid up in St. Petersburg, and in December 1996 he began state tests. They ended only in February 2000, when the ship was officially commissioned into the fleet. In July 2002, Samum returned to the Black Sea. Currently, both RTOs are part of the 166th division of small missile ships of the 41st brigade of missile boats of the Black Sea Fleet. In addition to combat training in the Black Sea, since 2014, they have alternately made trips to the Mediterranean Sea.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Despite their unique characteristics, Project 1239 ships were not massively built - the series was limited to only two units. There are several reasons for this, and one of them is the colossal cost of the ship, which is 5.5 times higher than the price of the Project 12411 missile boat. The “Achilles heel” of the Sea Sivuch was its technical complexity. Although the hovercraft is capable of accelerating to 55 knots (more than 100 km / h), the process of transition from the displacement mode to the pillow can take tens of minutes. Special requirements are imposed by the body material - aluminum-magnesium alloy, which is subject to corrosion. The passport service life of the hull is 15 years (although at present both Sea Stellers have significantly exceeded this limit). The autonomy of the ship is also considered insufficient. Therefore, the construction of RTOs of project 1239 for the Navy Russian Federation stopped. Failed to interest the project and foreign customers.
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The administration of the Zelenodolsk plant named after Gorky announced that for the period from 2019 to 2021, the enterprise planned the construction of five small missile ships of the project 22800 Karakurt corvette type. Three more ships are supposed to be produced at the Pella Leningrad shipbuilding plant, and at the facilities of Feodosia shipyard"Sea" will build another one. Three more small missile ships will be built by the Pella and More enterprises.
The construction sites for another six ships have not yet been decided. Thus, the Black Sea, Baltic and Pacific fleets will receive a worthy replenishment of eighteen small missile ships of the Karakurt type. The first one, patrol ship with the name "Hurricane", it is possible that it will appear in service with the Black Sea Fleet within the next year. Subsequent ships have also already been called no less formidable names - "Typhoon", "Squall" and "Storm"
Project 22800 small rocket ship "Karakurt"
Small missile ships of the Karakurt type were developed by the St. Petersburg Almaz Design Bureau - the Central Marine Design Bureau as an alternative version of the ships in the Buyan-M project 21631. This project was created only five years earlier by the Zelenodolsk design bureau. Accordingly, the construction of these Buyans is also carried out by the Zelenodolsk enterprise. Caspian flotilla and Black Sea Fleet already have five such ships. In addition, four more are under construction. It was planned that the Buyans would be built in quantities of up to ten units. Due to the fact that Karakurt was preferred, the last ninth small missile ship of project 21631 began to be assembled in April 2019. Eight months later, Karakurt was also put into production.
Unique RTOs of the new generation of project 22800
As for the strike weapons of these two boats, they are approximately the same. The patrol ship of the same class "Hurricane" has almost the same characteristics. The displacement of both boats is not too large, however, "Buyan-M" is considered a ship of the "river-sea" class. He feels confident both in the Volga mouths and in the waters of the Caspian Sea. However, with its low seaworthiness, even the expanses of the relatively small Black Sea will turn out to be too big. "Karakurt" was designed as a ship for operations in open maritime theaters.
How a disadvantage became an advantage of Russian industry
Not so long ago, another flaw was added to this project. Due to the imposition of sanctions against the Russian state by Western countries, the German manufacturer of engines for Buyans decided to stop further cooperation and refused to provide us with engines. But they quickly found a replacement. Zelenodolsk shipbuilders began to purchase similar 16-cylinder engines from the Kolomna enterprise and the St. Petersburg plant Zvezda.
The glory of Russian weapons swept around the world
In the fall of 2017, Buranam-M managed to make a splash all over the world. Four ships from the Caspian flotilla - small missile ships "Uglich", "Grad Sviyazhsky" and "Veliky Ustyug", as well as the missile cruiser "Dagestan" fired at targets with the help of cruise missiles "Caliber". A massive missile attack was carried out on the positions of the ISIS terrorist organization (banned in the Russian Federation), which were located at a distance of approximately one and a half thousand kilometers from the starting point.
The range and accuracy of live firing fired by Russian ships was discussed in the world media for almost a week. However, this is not all that missiles of this class are capable of, because the maximum range of their flight can reach more than two and a half thousand kilometers.
The small missile ship, Karakurt, is armed with the same missiles, namely Caliber-NK. In addition, supersonic Onyx anti-ship missiles are also used, the firing range of which is equal to five hundred kilometers. The ship is also armed with an automatic artillery installation of 100 mm or 76 mm caliber. The air defense facilities are equipped with the 3M89 "Broadsword" anti-aircraft missile and artillery system.
All-perspective multifunctional radar station, which has four fixed phased array antennas, as well as a highly efficient optical-location station, provide the Broadsword with the possibility of all-weather and round-the-clock detection of any targets that could somehow threaten the ship. These can be, for example, airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, even drones. Opening fire to defeat these targets can be carried out at a distance of up to ten kilometers and at an altitude of up to five kilometers. The mode of operation of the entire complex is automatic.
Equipping ships with electronic warfare stations
RTOs "Karakurt", ships of project 22800, are ships for operations in the near sea zone with a cruising range of up to 2500 miles and an autonomy of up to fifteen days. A boat with a displacement of eight hundred tons has a length of sixty meters, a width of ten meters, a draft of four meters. The speed reaches thirty knots.
"Karakurts", as well as "Buyans-M", were created in order to replace the small missile ships "Gadfly" of project 1234. Their most diverse modifications were released in 1967-92. A total of forty-seven ships were built, but now only twelve remain.
"Gadflies", developed by "Almaz", looked much more solid than "Karakurt" in terms of their driving performance. So, the speed of the "Gadfly" reached up to 35 knots, and the range - up to 4000 miles. However, morally and physically obsolete weapons reduce all these advantages to zero. The Gadfly is armed with Malachite, six P-120 anti-ship missiles with a maximum range of up to one hundred and twenty kilometers, and this is significantly inferior to eight Caliber-NK or Onyxes.
The uniqueness of the new small rocket ship
Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov, when laying the fourth small missile ship under project 22800 on the slipway of the Pella shipyard at the end of July last year, said: “ships with a similar classification simply do not exist in the world.” The designers of the Almaz design bureau managed to place a lot of formidable weapons in the small space of the Karakurt. By the way, this weapon can be called strategic, because any Kalibr missile can be equipped with a nuclear warhead.
Radius of action missile weapons"Karakurt" as part of the Black Sea and Baltic fleets, as well as representing the Caspian flotilla, covers the Middle East region and almost the entire European continent. If a decision is made to place these ships at the disposal of the Pacific Fleet, then almost the entire eastern hemisphere will be blocked in its northern half.
Who in the class can be compared with "Karakurt": Western models of ships
According to many military experts, the Karakurts are ahead of all modern counterparts with their strike power.
Only one corvette on the planet can be compared with the Karakurts - moreover, it has been released so far in a single copy. This last ship a series of multi-purpose Swedish corvettes of the Visby type. It was adopted by the Swedish Navy in the spring of 2013.
Its displacement is six hundred and forty tons, its length is seventy-one meters, and its width is almost ten and a half meters. At thirty-five knots, her range is two thousand three hundred miles. The ship was built taking into account the requirements of stealth technologies. The first four serial corvettes were designed primarily as anti-submarine ships. The fifth has eight subsonic anti-ship missiles with a range of up to two hundred kilometers.
Israeli counterpart - "Eilat"
There is also an Israeli analogy, but also released in a single copy. We are talking about "Eilat", a missile corvette. The Israeli Navy took it into service back in the nineties. It has a displacement of one thousand two hundred and seventy-five tons, a length of eighty-five meters, and a width of almost twelve meters. With a range in economy mode, it can go three and a half thousand miles, and its maximum speed equals thirty-three knots.
The armament of "Eilat" also does not reach the level of "Karakurt". Israeli designers managed to place on board the corvette American Harpoon anti-ship missiles with a range of up to one hundred and thirty kilometers and a warhead mass of two hundred and twenty-seven kilograms, while the ship also has additional anti-ship weapons.
The air defense is equipped with the Barak anti-aircraft missile system with 32 missiles in the ammunition load, their range reaches ten kilometers. "Eilat" has at its disposal a 20-mm rapid-fire cannon for firing at distances up to one and a half kilometers.
Project 22800 - economic component
Rocket ships with a displacement of less than 1,000 tons are almost a unique Russian feature. As a result, it is possible to compare "Karakurt" only with more solid equipment. In terms of functionality and range, it surpasses our corvettes, but in terms of strike weapons and power it falls short of Russian ships. At the same time, anti-submarine weapons, as well as helicopters or drones, increase the survivability of ships with a more substantial displacement.
However, there is also the other side of the coin - the cost of their construction and operation, which is extremely relevant to the current Russian reality. Be that as it may, but according to the classical parameters of “price and quality”, the Karakurt turned out to be excellent missile ships, perhaps even world leaders.
German corvette "Braunschweig"
More solid in terms of mass is the German corvette of the K130 project. The launch of the Braunschweig in 2013, the fifth ship of this series of corvettes, marked the completion of its production. The ships of the series have a displacement of one thousand eight hundred and forty tons, a length of up to ninety meters, and are equipped with a helicopter on board. The corvette has anti-submarine torpedoes, an anti-aircraft missile system, a twin 27 mm anti-aircraft gun, and a 76 mm artillery mount.
The main strike weapon, like the Swedes, is the RBS 15M Mk3 anti-ship missiles. However, there are half as many missile units - only four. The Brunswick has the same range as the Karakurt, up to two and a half thousand miles, but it has a lower speed, twenty-five knots.
American destroyers
The American fleet does not waste time either. The smallest missile ships, built in the amount of sixty-two units, are destroyers armed with guided missile weapons of the Arleigh Burke project. These ships have a range of six thousand miles and a displacement of up to nine thousand tons. With a length of one hundred and fifty meters, a height of forty-five meters, they have a speed of up to thirty-two knots.
Anti-ship armament is equipped with 8 Harpoon missiles. The destroyers have both anti-aircraft missile systems with artillery (anti-aircraft and conventional), and anti-submarine weapons (missiles, torpedoes and mines), as well as a helicopter.
If necessary, they can be equipped with the well-known "Tomahawks", cruise missiles numbering from eight to sixty units. Of course, the weapon is solid - but subsonic, having a flight range of up to one thousand six hundred kilometers. However, it is only slightly inferior to the Caliber in terms of speed, accuracy and range, the control of these weapons is entrusted to the widely publicized Aegis system.
The launching and acceptance of a new ship into the combat structure of the Russian Fleet is always an event. The greater the displacement, the more diverse the weapon systems and the more impressive the seaworthiness, the brighter the solemn ceremony is covered by the media. In 2014, to celebrate the Day of the Navy, the delivery of two new units to the defense department, reinforcing the Caspian flotilla, was timed to coincide. Small missile ships of project 21631 "Buyan-M", named after the ancient Russian cities "Uglich" and "Grad Sviyazhsk", at first glance, do not inspire such respect as nuclear cruisers and missile submarines. But their role in Russia's defense capability has yet to be appreciated.
Ship for the closed seas
The Buyan-M project was originally conceived as a type of ship designed not for ocean expanses, but for operations in the open sea. This is known today from open sources, but it is already clear to a ship specialist that a displacement of 950 tons with rather low sides and a small draft does not imply navigation in waters with a possible wave of more than five points. There are only three closed seas washing the shores of the Russian Federation: the Caspian, Black and Azov. The last two water bodies, by the way, have recently been of little interest in terms of national security. An increase in the activity of the fleets of the NATO countries in the Black Sea basin has been observed only recently, after the start of the well-known events in Ukraine.
The situation in the Caspian
As for the flotilla responsible for the stability of the maritime situation in the region, of course, needed to be updated and strengthened. It was for this operational sector that the ships of Project 21631 Buyan-M were intended. At the same time, it was by no means the Republic of Kazakhstan, a strategic partner of Russia and pursuing a friendly foreign policy, that was considered as a potential adversary. At the moment, Azerbaijan (also not hostile) has practically no naval potential. Turkmenistan buys equipment from the Russian Federation and, pursuing an independent foreign policy line, is interested in mutually beneficial trade and economic relations and cooperation in the defense sector. These countries, which in the historically recent past were republics of the Soviet Union, pose no threat to the security of our borders. Only Iran remains. It is in economic isolation, and it is also very difficult to suspect him of aggressive inclinations towards the great northern neighbor. As they say, enough of their worries.
One could conclude that there are no regional threats to Russia in the Caspian region. So why is a Project 21631 small rocket ship needed here? To answer this question, one should study the characteristics of its weapons systems, nautical data and design features.
river-sea
A project was created and a ship was built in Tatarstan. Plant them. A. M. Gorky is located in the glorious Volga city of Zelenodolsk. This fact in itself speaks volumes. The ship's hull allows it to navigate not only the seas, but also easily travel along the blue arteries of the rivers, penetrating the entire country from North to South and from West to East. River flotillas are also theoretically important for defense, they had a chance to fight during the Great Patriotic War, but since then the military doctrine has undergone major changes. RTO project 21631 "Buyan-M" is not suitable for use as a monitor (a class of ships designed to support infantry is actually a floating artillery battery). This is also evidenced by the rather modest cannon armament: only two hundred-millimeter guns. In addition, actions in the river channels among the islands do not require such serious measures to maintain secrecy, and the speed is too big (25 knots). And the composition of missile weapons speaks eloquently in favor of a predominantly naval character. The ability for river navigation of the Buyan-M ships of project 21631 implies ample opportunities for the transfer of these combat units to almost any probable theater of military operations. If necessary, of course.
Artillery and air defense
The radius of combat use is relatively small. Autonomy is ten days. The Project 21631 small rocket ship can navigate no more than two and a half thousand miles. In addition to the already mentioned 100-mm guns "Universal" (A-190M), airborne artillery is represented by a twin installation "Duet" at the stern, two pedestal machine gun mounts MTPU 14.5 mm caliber and three more rapid-fire 7.62-mm barrels.
The means of naval air defense are two Gibka installations, which are based on the Igla anti-aircraft missile systems common in the ground forces and effective. This weapon may not be enough to repel a massive air attack; it is designed to deal with attack aircraft and attack helicopters. The main bet was made on other tricks to avoid an airstrike, but more on that later.
Main caliber
RTO project 21631 "Buyan-M" was created to conduct rocket fire on ships and coastal bases of a potential enemy. For this, its main armament is intended, which together constitute the UKKS (universal ship firing system). There are eight shafts in the hull, from which a vertical launch of missiles can be carried out, both subsonic (anti-ship 3M54, surface-to-land class 3M14, anti-submarine 91RT) and supersonic (Onyx 3M55). Thus, with a very modest size and a small crew (about 35 people), small missile cruisers"Buyan-M" project 21631 can be very dangerous adversaries for naval targets of much larger tonnage.
Strategic corvette
The Caliber complex, the platform for which project 21631 missile ships can become, is equipped with cruise missiles with a combat range of 2,600 km. From a geographical point of view, this means that Onyx, launched from points located in the waters of the Caspian and Black Seas, can theoretically reach targets located in the Persian Gulf, the Red and Mediterranean Seas and in other places outlined on the map of Eurasia by the circle of the indicated radius, including the strategically important Suez Canal.
Traditionally, corvettes, to which the project 21631 belongs (code "Buyan-M"), are considered combat units of the tactical level. The characteristics of the weapons of the Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich, which are currently in service with the Caspian Flotilla, subtly hint at their strategic nature.
stealth ship
The outlines of a modern small rocket ship combined with its high speed, water cannon and relatively small size (74 meters), give reason to expect that it will not be easy to detect it in waters saturated with a variety of vessels. On the radar screen, it is difficult to distinguish the Buyan-M project 21631 from a fishing seiner or even a large yacht. In addition, it, like all warships built in Russia, is equipped with a full range of electronic countermeasures capable of incapacitating communications systems and radars for weapons of destruction of a potential enemy. High-frequency radiation-absorbing coatings and slanted silhouettes further reduce the chances of detecting this fast, agile, missile-powered ship.
The situation on the Black Sea
Five Buyan-M ships of project 21631 are currently in the process of construction or sea trials. These are Veliky Ustyug, “ Vyshny Volochek”, “Serpukhov”, “Orekhovo-Zuevo” and “Green Dol”. Initially, all of them were intended for service in the Caspian, but the geopolitical picture in the Black Sea basin that has changed rapidly in the last year prompted the command of the Russian fleet to reconsider these intentions. "Serpukhov" and "Green Dol" will be sent to Sevastopol. The naval forces of the Black Sea Fleet need to be replenished with the latest units capable of countering the so-called "NATO mine-sweeping group", which constitutes a considerable force. Of course, in the event of a military conflict, Crimea would not remain defenseless, and in the current state of affairs, its cover could be provided by the Bal and Bastion complexes, capable of controlling the entire water area up to the Bosphorus Strait, but the constant presence of combat units is required to reliably ensure peace. and demonstration of their capabilities. The main burden of this task will fall on the frigates Admiral Grigorovich, Admiral Essen and RK Moskva, but there will be enough work for the Buyans.
Coastal ships with a long range sight
From the history of fleets and naval battles, a thoughtful politician can conclude that there is no universal weapon suitable for all occasions and capable of successfully operating in any scenario of conflict development. In some situations, powerful cruisers and large battleships are needed; in others, aircraft carrier formations are indispensable; effective tool only submarines can become. In our turbulent age, the Buyan-M mobile missile ships of project 21631 also take their place in the naval formation, protecting the interests of Russia in the immediate vicinity of its shores, but with a long-range aim.
Five more ships of this type are on order.
This is a high-speed small-sized boat armed with various types of missiles. For the first time, a ship equipped with missiles was designed by Soviet designers. The fleet of the USSR adopted a ship of this class into service in the 60s. XX century. It was a fast and maneuverable ship 183 P "Komar". The floating apparatus was armed with two missiles. The second Soviet model with four P-15 missiles was a Project 205 missile boat. Later, Israel became the owner of a Saar-type vessel equipped with rocket launchers.
Missile boat “Komar”
Combat use
Boats are designed to destroy surface enemy targets. These can be transport, landing, artillery ships, maritime groups and their covers. Another function of a high-speed boat is to cover "their" ships from sea and air threats. They operate both near the shore and far out to sea.
The first baptism of fire of a missile boat occurred during the conflict between Egypt and Israel, and was marked by the destruction of an Israeli destroyer. The destroyer was destroyed by P-15 missiles fired by the Egyptian Mosquito. This case showed the effectiveness of ships of this class in military use and thus convinced many states of the need to create boats with missiles on board.
Boat “Komar”
Projects 205 and 205U "Mosquito"
Project 205 Mosquito was developed by the Almaz design bureau in the mid-1950s. The boats had a steel hull. Engineers have strengthened the armament and seaworthiness of the apparatus. Another difference from the model 183P boat was the rounded ship superstructures and a special deck shape, which allows you to quickly wash away radioactive contamination. The power plant consisted of a 42-cylinder M503 radial diesel engine. The boat became part of the navy of the Soviet Union in 1960.
Boat “Mosquito”
In the early 60s. project organization Almaz developed the 205U boat. This vessel was armed with a modernized P-15U missile. The wing of the rocket was automatically opened upon takeoff. Also on board were two twin 30-mm AK-230 artillery mounts.
The boats of these projects were participants in several serious military conflicts:
- Conflict between Egypt and Israel in the 70s. XX century
- Pakistan-India war in 1971
- War between Arab countries and Israel in 1973
- Iran-Iraq war of the 80s.
- The war between the US and Iraqi forces in the early 90s.
project 205 missile boat
Rocket boat design
At first, missile boats had the hull of a torpedo boat. Torpedoes were removed from the ship, and rockets were installed. But in the course of their use, a number of new requirements for the vessel appeared:
- Specially equipped containers for weapons and special rocket launchers were required, designed for use on a ship.
- It was necessary to change superstructures and some parts of the deck to remove jet gases when launching missiles, as well as to protect the crew and on-board equipment.
- It became necessary to equip with powerful radar systems to control and detect missiles.
- The displacement of the boat has increased. The average displacement of water is from 170 to 1.5 thousand tons.
- The hull is made of steel and has a smooth deck. The superstructure of the missile boat is made of high-strength aluminum alloys. The vertical walls of the case are waterproof. The length of the hull is from 30 to 65 meters, and the width is up to 17 meters.
- The power plant of rocket ships, as a rule, has gas turbine or diesel engines. But, for example, the Molniya missile boat is equipped with a combined type propulsion system: two M-70 afterburner turbines and two M-510 diesel engines. They drive fixed-pitch propellers. This increases the speed capabilities of the vessel - up to 40 knots. The range is about 1500 miles with an average speed of 20 knots.
- The seaworthiness of the ships is quite high. This was achieved due to the rounded design of the bow, deck and special superstructure, high displacement.
- In the event of a shipwreck, life rafts are evenly spaced around the entire perimeter.
- The crew of the missile boats ranges from 27 to 78 people. So the Molniya missile boat of projects 12418, 12411 and 12421 accommodates 40-41 sailors and officers on board. And on the large missile boat Bora - 78, including the commander of the ship. Placed personnel in cabins and cockpits.
Missile boat armament
Already from the name itself, it can be understood that the main weapons of the boat are rocket, anti-aircraft and artillery installations of various modifications and types. All installations have accurate homing systems and, unlike artillery, a long range.
The main equipment are several types of rocket launchers. The first PRU "Osa-M". This complex can independently detect targets. For this, the installation is equipped with a locator. It helps to see an object located at a height of up to 4 km and a distance of up to 30 km. The complex also consists of means for setting targets and sighting missiles, equipment for transmitting commands and a remote control for three operators.
The second installation that the boat is equipped with is the Moskit anti-ship missile system. It is designed to destroy surface objects. Missiles are impact resistant nuclear explosion. The complex is used in coastal defense and naval aviation. "Mosquito" is able to pierce any skin of the ship and explode inside the ship. It has a combined control system: navigation and homing. This guarantees a high hit on the target.
Another installation designed for installation on ships is Malachite. This is a Russian-style cruise missile that destroys surface ships. "Malachite" - a more powerful modification of the first cruise missile P-70 "Amethyst".
Its control system includes:
- Autopilot APLI-5;
- Radar system "Dvina";
- Thermal system "Drofa".
Small rocket ship "Bora"
For example, rocket Bora» equipped with:
- Two launchers "Mosquito" for 8 missiles of the 3M80 type;
- One paired launcher of the Osa-M anti-aircraft missile system for 20 missiles;
- One 76mm AK-176 and two 30mm AK-630s.
Small rocket ship "Mirage"
Mirage» armed with:- Six launchers of Malachite anti-ship missiles, loaded with 6 P-120 missiles each;
- One 76mm AK-176 and 30mm AK-630;
- One paired Osa-M anti-aircraft missile system for 20 missiles.
Small rocket ship "Ivanovets"
Ivanovets» equipped with:- Four launchers "Mosquito" for 4 missiles;
- One 76mm AK-176 and one 30mm AK-630;
- One anti-aircraft installation "Igla".
Vessels use active and passive target detection. Navigation and radar systems are located at the top of the control room. Radars of the "Monolith" or "Harpoon" model are usually installed. On the superstructure of the floating facility is the Vympel radar system and Spektr-F laser warning equipment. Boats are able to recognize the nationality of nearby ships. For this, the board is equipped with a special “friend or foe” device.
Modern missile boats
The Russian Navy can be proud of the fact that it was armed with a large number of missile boats in different years. Many of their representatives were exported to other countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, India, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Egypt.
A total of 62 models and modifications of missile boats were designed. Here are the main operating boats:
- Bora has been in service since 1984
- Boat R-60 project 12411 - since 1985
- The Mirage boat was put into service in 1983
- R-71 "Shuya" has been on the meringue of the Russian fleet since 1985
- R-109 project 12411 - in service since 1990
- The boat "Naberezhnye Chelny" has been operating since 1989
- Missile small ship "Ivanovets" - since 1990
- "Samum" project 1239 was accepted into the ranks of the fleet in 1991
- The Shtil boat has been in the fleet since 1976.
All of them have powerful latest equipment and weapons that meet world standards of military equipment.
During the Cold War, an arms race unparalleled in its scale unfolded. The economy of the USSR worked at the limit of its capabilities and the armed forces of the country, without interruption, received more and more advanced types of weapons, mastered new methods of conducting armed struggle. the Soviet navy as component armed forces, also did not go unnoticed by the leadership of the state.
appeared warships that determined a different nature of warfare at sea. They were incomparable, anti-submarine ships with a fundamentally new power plant, nuclear submarines with a hull made of titanium alloys, nicknamed "" in the fleet. The list can be continued for a long time, but let's add to it an epoch-making, fundamentally new warship project 1234 . It was during this period that the efforts of Soviet scientists, designers and workers created warships in terms of characteristics, they were not only not inferior to foreign ones, but often surpassed them.
IN warships project 1234 paradoxically combined small displacement and huge strike power, low cost and expected high combat effectiveness. They were meant to be destroyed large warships the enemy, to defeat the caravans of ships and ships of the enemy at the sea crossing and the destruction of enemy landing groups. The term " carrier killers". The leadership of the USSR Navy had great hopes for them, and once the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy, Admiral S. G. Gorshkov, admire these warships, said with pathos: These RTOs are a pistol at the temple of imperialism". The brainchild of Admiral Gorshkov in the west was called "missile corvettes", and according to the NATO classification they received the code designation " Nanuchka».
the history of the creation of RTOs of project 1234 code "Gadfly"
The accumulated experience in the operation and construction of the first Russian missile boats made it possible to start designing small missile ships(RTOs), which were called "medium missile carriers". The fleet needed a small, but seaworthy ship with more "long-range" than boats, missiles with over-the-horizon target designation, with enhanced artillery and anti-aircraft weapons.
Terms of reference for the design of a new RTOs received the design bureau " Diamond". Chief designer warship, which received the cipher " Gadfly"And project number 1234 was assigned to I.P. Pegov. It was required to place two three-container launchers in the hull " Malachite", a radar complex for target designation of missile weapons" Titanite", facilities electronic warfare, anti-aircraft missile system Osa-M and the AK-725 artillery mount with the Bars control radar. Attempts to place a gas turbine plant on a boat were unsuccessful, since they had large dimensions, there was no time to create a new one, and the designers decided to use the existing three-shaft main power plant with work on each shaft of two diesel engines of the M-504 type. The shafts were connected through a gearbox, and the engine had 12 cylinders.
small rocket ship according to NATO classification "Nanuchka"
The leadership of the Navy decided to transfer the built warship from the class of missile boats to a special class small missile ships. There are no foreign analogues in the world and still remain unsurpassed in terms of the "price-quality" criterion. An export version was also created later. RTOs project 1234E(export) with the placement of four single-container P-20 launchers.
According to the improved project 1234.1, 47 ships were built at shipyards for the Soviet Navy.
design features RTO project 1234 code "Gadfly"
Architecturally smooth-deck hull warship project 1234 has boat contours, not much sheer and is made of high-strength ship steel. RTOs have very good maneuverability associated with agility and a quick stop.
MRK project 1234
MRK project 1234-1
For electronic warfare purposes RTOs equipped with two or four launchers for setting passive interference, which are a package with sixteen guide tubes with cantilever mounts on the trunnion and vertical wall. False radar targets can be set at a distance of up to 3.5 km from the ship. Radio engineering complex system " Titanite» provides active and passive target detection, reception of information from aviation air surveillance and direction finding systems, and also ensures the development and issuance of target designations to the command post, control of joint combat operations and provides navigational tasks. Navigational radar station " Don"and electronic intelligence" gulf". Infrared equipment « Khmel-2» allows for joint navigation and covert communication in dark time days, with complete blackout of the ships, as well as to observe and take direction finding infrared lights.
head RTO and armament
Head RTOs was laid down on the slipway of the Leningrad Primorsky shipbuilding plant under the designation " MRK-3 January 13, 1967. The ceremonial launching took place on October 28, 1968. He was impressed by the strength and power of such a small warship. The descent was attended by the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union A. G. Gorshkov, who decided to assign names to different weather elements. " MRK-3"was named" Storm"and became part of the USSR Navy, while in the port of Novorossiysk. During the transition from the factory RTOs worked out a large number of training tasks and conducted firing from all complexes. Until 1972, he left 3823 miles astern. In 1982 RTOs« Storm" together with RTOs« Thunder"performed tracking the US strike aircraft carrier CVA-67" "" in the Mediterranean Sea. For military service, the rating was "excellent" and 4956 miles were covered.
RTO "Moroz"
RTO "Passat"
RTO "Rain"
To combat low-flying anti-ship missiles on improved projects 1234.1 RTOs were placed automatic installation"AK-630-M" with the artillery fire control system "MR-123/176".
launcher ZIF-122 and missiles 9M-33 SAM Osa-M
shooting SAM Osa-MA
cold sighting of AK-176 and AK-630 artillery mounts
artillery firing AK-725
RTOs projects 1234 And 1234.1 occupied their niche in the strategy and tactics of the Soviet Navy in the early 70s. The surface fleet was replenished with powerful warships, whose strike capabilities made it possible to solve the tasks of destroying large enemies. The destruction of convoys and so on. RTOs Improving the tactics of combat use as part of homogeneous and heterogeneous tactical groups significantly increased the capabilities of the fleet in the fight against the alleged enemy. RTOs began to perform combat service in the Mediterranean Sea, and forced the command of the US Navy's 6th Fleet to reconsider the concept of defensive operations of air strike groups in this direction. Combat capabilities RTOs were in full demand in the Pacific Ocean in the South China Sea.
