In the previous article, we touched a little on the state of the “mosquito” forces of our fleet using the example of small anti-submarine ships and were forced to admit that this class has not received renewal and development in the Russian Navy. As we said earlier, the Russian Navy had 99 MPKs with a displacement from 320 to 830 tons, and by the end of 2015 there were still 27 units in service, built in the 80s of the last century, which were also soon “time to retire”, especially since their capabilities against 4th generation submarines are extremely doubtful. But they are not building new small ships: the creation of ships of this class has been stopped, apparently in the expectation that their role will be filled by corvettes. Which, alas, due to their small numbers, of course, will not be able to solve the tasks of the Soviet TFR and IPC at least to some extent.
Well, now let’s look at the strike component of the “mosquito” forces - small missile ships (SMRs) and boats (SK). In order not to traumatize the psyche, we will not remember how many MRKs and RKs served under the Soviet flag, but we will take December 1, 2015 as a starting point and list only those ships that were laid down in the USSR.
MRK project 1239 “Sivuch” - 2 units.
Unique skeg-type hovercraft, that is, essentially catamarans with two narrow hulls and a wide deck. Speed – 55 knots (interestingly, the website of the Zelenodolsk plant states “about 45 knots”. Typo?), armament – 8 Moskit anti-ship missiles, Osa-M air defense missile systems, one 76-mm AK-176 and two 30-mm mm AK-630. In addition to impressive speed, they have quite acceptable seaworthiness: MRKs of this type can be used in waves of 5 points at a speed of 30-40 knots and in a displacement position - up to 8 points inclusive.
They were laid down in the USSR in the 80s and completed in the Russian Federation in 1997-1999, so we can expect that ships of this type will serve for another 15-20 years. And that is great. The resumption of the creation of ships of this type is hardly rational, since their cost is probably very, very high (a specific hull, a heavy-duty power plant), but those that have already been built should be preserved in the Russian Navy for as long as possible, with timely repairs and modernizations.
MRK project 1234.1 “Gadfly” (according to NATO classification) – 12 units.
Having a standard displacement of 610 tons, these ships had a very developed and balanced armament, including two built-in launchers for P-120 Malachite anti-ship missiles, one double-boom Osa-MA air defense system, a 76-mm artillery mount and 30 -mm “metal cutting machine”. The speed of the MRK of this project also inspired respect - 35 knots, despite the fact that missile weapons could be used in waves of up to 5 points.
These ships were laid down in the period from 1975 to 1989, and those of them that are still in service joined the ranks of the fleet in the period from 1979 to 1992. Accordingly, today their age ranges from 26 to 40 years, and 9 “Gadflies” have not yet crossed the thirty-year mark. Based on this, we can assume that it is technically possible to keep them in the fleet for another decade. Another question is, is it necessary to do this?
The fact is that the main weapon of the RTO, the P-120 Malachite anti-ship missile, was developed back in the 60s of the last century, and even at the time of the collapse of the USSR it was no longer at the peak of technical progress. Its maximum flight range was 150 km, speed (according to various sources) 0.9-1 M, flight altitude during the cruising phase was 60 m. The clear advantages of the missile were mixed homing (the active radar seeker was supplemented by the Bustard infrared sensor), and very a powerful 800-kg warhead, but today this anti-ship missile is completely outdated. At the same time, it no longer makes much sense to modernize almost thirty-year-old ships for new missiles, so their continued presence in the fleet will have more of a decorative than a practical function.
MRK project 1234.7 “Nakat” – 1 unit.
The same MRK “Gadfly”, only instead of six P-120 “Malachite” it carried 12 (!) P-800 “Oniks”. It was probably an experimental ship, but has now been withdrawn from the fleet. According to some reports, it was written off back in 2012, but the S.S. reference book. Berezhnova, which the author of the article is focusing on, lists him as part of the Navy at the end of 2015, so “Nakat” still ends up on our list.
MRK of project 11661 and 11661M “Tatarstan” - 2 units.
Ships of this type were created as a replacement for small anti-submarine ships of Project 1124, but, being laid down in 1990-1991. were already being completed in the Russian Federation as patrol (and missile) ships. “Tatarstan” had a standard displacement of 1,560 tons, a speed of 28 knots, and was armed with eight Uran anti-ship missiles, an Osa-MA air defense missile system, one 76-mm gun mount, two 30-mm AK-630 and the same number of 14.5 KPVT machine guns. “Dagestan” had the same characteristics, but instead of “Uran” it received eight “Calibers”, and instead of “metal cutters” it received ZAK “Broadsword”. "Tatarstan" entered service in 2003, "Dagestan" - in 2012, both ships serve in the Caspian flotilla.
Missile boats of project 1241.1 (1241-M) “Molniya” – 18 units.
The main missile boat of the Russian Navy. Standard displacement is 392 tons, 42 knots, four supersonic P-270 Moskita, 76 mm AK-176 and two 30 mm AK-630. One of the boats (“Storm”) has a “Broadsword” ZAK installed instead of two “metal cutters”. The bulk of these boats entered service in 1988-1992, one in 1994, and the Chuvashia, laid down in 1991, even in 2000. Accordingly, the age of 16 missile boats is 26-30 years, thanks to the equipment of anti-ship missiles "Mosquito" ships still remain relevant and, apparently, can be retained in the fleet for another 7-10 years. The Russian Navy also has the nineteenth ship of this type, but the Mosquito launchers have been removed from it, which is why it would be incorrect to list it as a missile boat.
RK project 12411 (1241-T) – 4 units
We ignore minor nuances. It turned out like this: in the USSR, a missile boat was developed for the latest supersonic Mosquito missiles, but the anti-ship missiles were somewhat late, which is why the first series of Molniyas were armed with old Termits with the same artillery. The ships were commissioned in 1984-1986, today they are from 32 to 34 years old, and their main weapons lost their combat value in the 80s of the last century. It is pointless to modernize these ships due to their age, and to keep them in the Navy is also pointless, so we should expect their decommissioning in the next 5 years.
RK project 1241.7 “Shuya” - 1 unit.
The “Molniya” of the first series with “Termites” came into operation in 1985, but with the “metal cutters” dismantled and the ZRAK “Dirk” installed instead, which was subsequently also dismantled. Obviously, this ship is expected to be withdrawn from the fleet in the next 5 years.
RK project 206 MR – 2 units.
Small (233 t) hydrofoil boats. 42 knots, 2 Termit missiles, 76 mm gun mount and one AK-630 assault rifle. Both boats entered service in 1983, are now 35 years old and both are obvious candidates for decommissioning in the very near future.
Thus, from the “Soviet heritage”, as of December 1, 2015, 44 small missile ships and missile boats served in the Russian Navy, of which 22 had real combat value, incl. two "Sivuch" and 18 "Molniya" armed with "Moskit" anti-ship missiles, as well as two Caspian "Tatarstan". However, until 2025, the bulk of these ships may well remain in service - today Nakat has left the fleet, and it should be expected that it will soon be followed by 7 boats armed with Termit missiles, but the rest may well serve until 2025 and beyond.
Perhaps this is why the SAP 2011-2020 did not provide for the massive construction of attack “mosquito” forces - only a few ships of Project 21631 “Buyan-M” were supposed to be put into operation. These ships are an enlarged and “rocket-loaded” version of the small artillery ship of Project 21630. With a displacement of 949 tons, Buyan-M is capable of developing 25 knots, its armament consists of UKSK with 8 cells, capable of using the Caliber family of missiles, 100-mm AU -190 and 30-mm AK-630M-2 “Duet” and the “Gibka-R” air defense system with 9M39 “Igla” missiles.
But, taking into account the low speed and the fact that Buyan-M belongs to the river-sea class ships, it can hardly be considered as a replacement for small missile ships and boats aimed at striking enemy ship groups in our near sea zone . Most likely, Buyan-M is just a “case” for cruise (not anti-ship!) Caliber missiles. As is known, the ground deployment of short-range (500-1,000 km) and medium-range (1,000-5,500 km) cruise missiles is prohibited by the INF Treaty of December 8, 1987, however, the armed forces of the United States and the Russian Federation certainly have a need for such ammunition. The Americans compensated for the lack of such missiles by deploying sea-based Tomahawk missiles, but we, after the death of the USSR fleet, did not have such an opportunity. In this situation, turning our Calibers into “river deployment” missiles is a logical step that does not violate international treaties. The system of river canals of the Russian Federation allows the Buyany-M to be moved between the Caspian, Black and Baltic seas; on rivers, these ships can be reliably covered by ground-based air defense systems and aircraft, and they can launch missiles from any point along the route.
Probably, if absolutely necessary, Buyany-M is able to operate at sea, having received an anti-ship version of Kalibr, but, obviously, this is not their profile. The composition of their radar weapons “hints” at this, but we will talk about this a little later.
The real restoration of the “mosquito” fleet can be considered the construction of a series of small missile ships of Project 22380 “Karakurt”. These are small, highly specialized attack ships, the total displacement of which does not even reach 800 tons. The power plant uses three M-507D-1 diesel engines produced by Zvezda PJSC, each with a power of 8,000 hp. each - together they give the Karakurt a speed of about 30 knots. The main armament of the ship is a UKSK with 8 cells for Caliber/Onyx missiles, a 76-mm AK-176MA artillery mount and a Pantsir-ME air defense missile system, as well as two 12.7-mm Kord machine guns. On the first two ships of the series, instead of the Pantsir, two 30-mm AK-630 were installed.
A number of sources indicate that in addition to “metal cutters”, RTOs are equipped with MANPADS, but here, apparently, we are not talking about “Bending”, but simply about a regular MANPADS (pipe on the shoulder).
Project 22800 radar weapons emphasize its strike, anti-ship orientation. The Karakurt is equipped with a general detection radar "Mineral-M", the capabilities of which are extremely high for a ship whose displacement does not even reach 1,000 tons.
In addition to the usual tasks for a radar of this type to detect and track surface and air targets, Mineral-M is capable of performing:
1) automated reception, processing and display of information on the surface situation coming from compatible systems located on ground-based assets or ships of a tactical group, from external sources (command control systems, remote observation posts located on ships, helicopters and other aircraft), using external radio communications;
2) receiving, processing and displaying information on the surface situation coming from shipborne information sources: combat information and control systems, radar stations, navigation stations, hydroacoustic systems;
3) control of joint combat operations of ships of the tactical group.
In other words, Mineral-M is terribly network-centric: it can receive (and obviously provide) information to a group of heterogeneous forces, implementing the principle “one sees, all see,” and can act as a coordination center, but that’s not all advantages of this complex. The fact is that Mineral-M can work not only in active, but also in passive mode, not emitting anything on its own, but detecting and determining the location of the enemy by its radiation. At the same time, depending on the radiation range, the detection range of radar systems ranges from 80 to 450 km. In active mode, the Mineral-M radar is capable of providing over-the-horizon target designation; the detection range of a target the size of a destroyer reaches 250 km. Here, of course, it should be noted that the “over-the-horizon” operating mode of the radar is not always possible and depends on the state of the atmosphere. The given 250 km range, for example, is only possible under the condition of super-refraction. However, the usefulness of this radar operating mode for the carrier of long-range anti-ship missiles cannot be overestimated. In general, it can be stated that such a radar would look very good even on a much larger ship.
But Buyan-M houses the MR-352 “Positive” radar, which is (as the author, who is not an expert in the field of radar, was able to understand) a general-purpose radar in the traditional sense of these words, i.e. without numerous “goodies” - over-the-horizon target designation, etc. That is, “Positive” provides illumination of air and surface conditions at a distance of up to 128 km, and is not intended for weapon control. In principle, Positive can provide target designation for both missiles and artillery fire, but it does not do this as well as specialized radars, because this is still a side function for it. The absence of a radar similar to the Mineral-M on Buyan-M suggests that this RTO is not considered by the fleet leadership as a means of naval combat.
The pace of construction of the “mosquito” fleet for the Russian Navy is very impressive, and significantly exceeds the plans of the State Program for 2011-2020. Since 2010, 10 MRKs of the Buyan-M type have been laid down, and a contract has been signed for two more. Five ships of this type entered the fleet in 2015-2017, while the construction period is about three years. To put it mildly, this is not a very good indicator for serial ships with a displacement of less than 1,000 tons, especially serial ones, but in any case there is no doubt that the remaining five, the last of which is the Grad, will join the fleet by 2020.
As for the Karakurts, the first pair of them was laid down in December 2015, both were launched in 2017, their delivery to the fleet is planned for 2018 and, in principle, these deadlines are realistic. In total, nine Karakurts are currently under construction (7 at Pella and 2 at the Zelenodolsk plant), the laying of the tenth is being prepared, and a contract has been signed for three more. In total, there are thirteen ships of Project 22800, but a contract is expected to be concluded with the Amur Shipyard for six more ships of this type. Accordingly, it is quite possible to expect that by 2020 the Russian Navy will include nine Karakurts, and by 2025 there will be at least 19 of them, and this is unless a decision is made on the further construction of this type of MRK.
In general, we can say that with the construction of the Buyanov-M, the Russian Federation secured absolute superiority in the Caspian Sea and to a certain extent strengthened the arsenal of long-range, high-precision weapons of the domestic armed forces, but talk about the Buyanov-M as a means of anti-ship warfare , according to the author, it is still impossible.
But even without taking into account the Buyans, the widespread construction of Karakurts, in general, guarantees the reproduction of domestic mosquito forces. As we said above, the critical, “landslide” point for them will come in 7-10 years, when the service life of Molniya-type missile boats will approach 40 years and they will need to be withdrawn from the fleet. Other MRKs and missile boats, with the exception of Samum, Bora, Tatarstan and Dagestan, will need to be written off even earlier, thus the “legacy of the USSR” will be reduced by an order of magnitude by 2025-2028 (from 44 as of 12/01/2015 up to 4 units).
However, if a contract is nevertheless concluded for the construction of six ships of Project 22800 for the Pacific Fleet, then 19 Karakurts will replace 18 Molniyas, and other missile boats and MRKs of the Ovod type already today have practically no combat value due to extreme obsolescence of weapons. Thus, we can say that the reduction in the number of our RTOs and RKs will not lead to a drop in the level of their combat effectiveness. On the contrary, due to the fact that ships with the most modern missile weapons will be commissioned (we must not forget that the mythical “Zircon” can be used from standard UVP for “Onyx” and “Caliber”), we should talk about expanding the capabilities of the strike components of our “mosquito” fleet. In addition, with the entry into service of the Karakurts, the “mosquito fleet” will acquire the ability to strike with long-range cruise missiles at the enemy’s land infrastructure - just as was done in Syria.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how many Karakurts will be laid down in the coming years under the new GLP 2018-2025. Here, it is possible to either increase the series to 25-30 ships, or abandon their further construction, limiting the series to 13 ships. However, there are at least 2 reasons why we should expect the construction of the Pacific “Karakurts”.
Firstly, the country’s leadership, after demonstrating the capabilities of the Caspian flotilla to hit targets in Syria, should look favorably on small missile ships. Secondly, the admirals of our Navy, having a monstrous failure in surface ships, due to the lack of frigates and corvettes, will obviously be glad to strengthen the fleet at least with Karakurts.
Accordingly, the future of our “mosquito” fleet does not seem to raise any concerns... However, the author of this article will risk raising another question, which for many will look like real sedition
Does Russia even need a naval attack “mosquito” fleet?
First, let's try to figure out the cost of these ships. The easiest way is to determine the cost of Buyanov-M. As RIA “” published:
“The contract signed at the Army-2016 forum between the Ministry of Defense and the Zelenodolsk Shipyard amounts to 27 billion rubles and provides for the construction of three Buyan-M class ships, the plant’s general director Renat Mistakhov told RIA Novosti.”
Accordingly, one ship of Project 21631 costs 9 billion rubles.
Many publications indicate that the price of one Karakurt is 2 billion rubles. However, in most cases, the source of this information is the assessment of Andrei Frolov, deputy of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Unfortunately, the author was unable to find documents that would confirm the validity of this assessment. On the other hand, a number of sources give completely different figures. For example, Sergei Verevkin, executive director of a separate division of the Leningrad shipyard Pella, argued that:
“The cost of such ships is three times less than a frigate.”
And even if we take the cheapest domestic frigate (project 11356) at pre-crisis prices, it’s 18 billion rubles, respectively, “Karakurt,” according to S. Verevkin’s statement, costs at least 6 billion rubles. This seems to be also confirmed by reports that Pella handed over an order to the Feodosia shipyard More for the construction of one Karakurt, and the cost of the contract will be 5-6 billion rubles, but the question is that the amount is not exact - the news refers to the opinion of unnamed experts.
What if S. Verevkin did not mean the frigate of the “admiral” series of project 11356, but the newest 22350 “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov”?
After all, the figure is 6 billion rubles. for one “Karakurt” raises great doubts. Yes, Buyan-M is somewhat larger than the Project 22800 ship, but at the same time, Karakurt carries much more complex, and therefore expensive, weapons (Pantsir-ME air defense system and equipment (Mineral-M radar), although on "Buyan-M" has a water-jet propulsion system, which is probably more expensive than the classic one, but in general one should expect that "Karakurt" costs no less, and even more than "Buyan-M".
The Buyan-M's main utility is that it is a mobile launcher for long-range cruise missiles. But it should be taken into account that 9 billion rubles. For such mobility they look excessively expensive. But there are other options: for example... those very Kalibr container installations, about which so many copies were broken at one time.
According to people unfamiliar with maritime topics, such containers are uberwunderwaffe, which can be easily hidden on the deck of an ocean-going container ship, and in the event of the outbreak of war, they can quickly “multiply by zero” the US AUG. We will not disappoint anyone by reminding that an armed merchant ship that does not fly the naval flag of any country is a pirate, with all the ensuing consequences for itself and its crew, but simply remember that “peaceful to a river container ship sailing somewhere in the middle of the Volga, no one will ever bring charges of piracy. To comply with the INF Treaty, it will be enough for the Russian Federation to include several “auxiliary river cruisers” in the fleet, but in the event of a real worsening of relations with NATO, such containers can be placed on any suitable river vessels.
Moreover. Because if a real clash with the United States and NATO looms on the horizon, then no one will pay attention to the treaties, and in this case, who is stopping you from installing a container with missiles... say, on a train? Or even like this:
Thus, we can state that the task of saturating the domestic armed forces with cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km can well be solved without the participation of Buyanov-M. In order to provide us with absolute superiority in the Caspian Sea, in addition to the existing ships, 4-5 Buyanov-M would be enough, and they would not have to be armed with Calibers - to destroy the boats that form the basis of other Caspian fleets, “ Uranus is more than enough. Question price? Refusal from 5-6 Buyanov-Ms would allow the Russian Navy to finance the purchase of a naval aviation regiment (we are talking about Su-35s, which cost about 2 billion rubles in the same 2016), which, according to the author of this article, would be for the fleet is much more useful.
Not everything is clear with Karakurt either. The fact is that missile boats appeared as a means of combating enemy surface forces in the coastal zone, but today it is very difficult to imagine enemy surface ships near our coast. Taking into account the extreme danger that aviation poses to modern ships, only an aircraft carrier strike group is capable of “dropping in” on us, but even that makes no sense to come closer than a few hundred kilometers to our coastline. But sending a formation of Karakurts to sea against AUG is akin to suicide: if naval battles teach us anything, it is only the extremely low resistance of small missile ships (corvettes and missile boats) to air attack weapons. Suffice it to recall, for example, the defeat of the Iraqi fleet in the Iran-Iraq war, when two Iranian F-4 Phantoms in almost five minutes sank 4 torpedo boats and a missile boat of the Iraqi Navy, and damaged 2 more missile boats - although they did not have specialized anti-ship weapons. Yes, our Project 22800 ships are equipped with Pantsir-ME, this is a very serious weapon, but we must take into account that a ship with a displacement of less than 800 tons is an extremely unstable platform for such equipment.
In addition, sadly, the Karakurts do not have sufficient speed for dashing “cavalry” attacks. The speed indicated for them is “about 30 knots,” and this is quite a bit, especially if you remember that small ships lose a lot of speed during rough seas. In other words, in the conditions of the same Far East, our Karakurts will obviously be slower than, say, the Arleigh Burke - it has a maximum speed of 32 knots, but in rough conditions it loses it much less than the small ships of Project 22800.
Of course, in addition to global ones, there are also local conflicts, but the fact is that for them the power of the Karakurts is excessive. For example, in the well-known episode of a collision between a detachment of surface ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Georgian boats, the use of the Caliber anti-ship missile would have been completely unjustified. It might be an exaggeration to say that all five Georgian boats were cheaper than one such missile, but...
According to the author, in a full-scale conflict with NATO, “Karakurt” can only be used as a mobile coastal defense missile battery, with the help of which it is possible to relatively quickly cover objects that are threatened by an attack from the sea. But in this capacity they are almost inferior to automobile complexes in terms of speed of movement; in addition, a ground complex is easier to camouflage. In general, here we have to admit that a regiment of modern fighter-bombers would be much more useful for the fleet than 6 Karakurts, and in cost they are, apparently, quite comparable.
And yet, the author suggests that in the future we will have news about increasing the production of Karakurts. For the reason that the number of surface ships of our Navy capable of going to sea is decreasing year by year, and the industry continues to miss all conceivable deadlines for the construction of new ships - from a corvette and above. And if the first ships of Project 22800 enter service on schedule (which will confirm our ability to build them relatively quickly), then there will be new orders. Not because the Karakurts are a prodigy or a panacea, but because the fleet still needs at least some surface ships.
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The launching and commissioning of a new ship into the Russian Navy is always an event. The larger the displacement, the more diverse the weapon systems and the more impressive the seaworthiness, the brighter the ceremony is covered by the media. In 2014, the delivery of two new units to the defense department, strengthening the Caspian Flotilla, was timed to coincide with the celebration of Navy Day. 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-powered cruisers and missile submarines. But their role in Russia’s defense capability has yet to be fully appreciated.
Ship for closed seas
The Buyan-M project was initially conceived as a type of ship intended not for ocean space, but for operations in closed seas. This is known today from open sources, but it is already clear to a ship specialist that a displacement of 950 tons with fairly low sides and a shallow draft does not imply navigation in waters with possible waves of more than five points. There are only three closed seas washing the shores of the Russian Federation: the Caspian, the Black and the Azov. The last two water bodies, by the way, have recently been of rather little interest in terms of national security. An increase in the activity of NATO fleets in the Black Sea basin has been observed only recently, after the outbreak of well-known events in Ukraine.
Situation in the Caspian Sea
As for the flotilla responsible for the stability of the maritime situation in the region, of course, it needed updating and strengthening. It was for this operational sector that the Project 21631 Buyan-M ships were intended. At the same time, it was not the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is a strategic partner of Russia and pursues a friendly foreign policy, that was considered as a potential enemy. At the moment, Azerbaijan (also not hostile) has practically no naval potential. Turkmenistan purchases equipment from the Russian Federation and, pursuing an independent foreign policy, 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, do not pose a security threat to our borders. Only Iran remains. It is in economic isolation, and it is also very difficult to suspect it of aggressive attempts towards its great northern neighbor. As they say, I have enough worries of my own.
One could conclude that there are no regional threats to Russia in the Caspian region. So why is the Project 21631 small rocket ship needed here? To answer this question, one should study the characteristics of its weapon systems, seaworthiness and design features.
River-sea
A project was created and the ship was built in Tatarstan. Plant named after 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 sail not only across the seas, but also to easily travel along the blue arteries of the rivers that run through the entire country from North to South and from West to East. River flotillas are also theoretically important for defense; they fought during the Great Patriotic War, but since then the military doctrine has undergone serious changes. The Project 21631 Buyan-M MRK is not suitable for use as a monitor (the class of ships designed to support infantry is actually a floating artillery battery). This is evidenced by the rather modest cannon armament: only two hundred-millimeter guns. In addition, for operations in river channels among islands, such serious measures to maintain secrecy are not required, and the speed is too high (25 knots). And the composition of the missile armament speaks eloquently in favor of its predominantly naval character. The ability for river navigation of the Buyan-M ships of Project 21631 implies wide possibilities for the transfer of these combat units to almost any likely 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 sail no more than two and a half thousand miles. In addition to the already mentioned 100-mm Universal guns (A-190M), the onboard artillery is represented by a twin Duet installation at the stern, two 14.5 mm MTPU machine gun pedestals and three more rapid-firing 7.62 mm barrels.
The ship's air defense means 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 combat attack aircraft and attack helicopters. The main bet is on other techniques to avoid an airstrike, but more on that later.
Main caliber
The Project 21631 Buyan-M missile launcher was designed to fire missiles at ships and coastal bases of a potential enemy. This is what its main armament is designed for, which together makes up the UKSK (universal ship-based firing complex). The hull contains eight silos from which 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 (approximately 35 people), the Buyan-M small missile cruisers of Project 21631 can turn out to be very dangerous opponents for naval purposes of much larger tonnage.
Strategic corvette
The Caliber complex, the platform for which can be Project 21631 missile ships, 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, 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, the class of which Project 21631 (code “Buyan-M”) belongs to, are considered tactical-level combat units. The characteristics of the weapons of the Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich, currently in service with the Caspian Flotilla, subtly hint at their strategic nature.
Stealth ship
The shape of a modern small missile ship, combined with its high speed, water jet and relatively small size (74 meters), suggests that it will not be easy to detect in waters saturated with a wide 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 disabling communication systems and radars of weapons of destruction of a potential enemy. High-frequency radiation-absorbing coatings and inclined planes of the silhouette further reduce the likelihood of detection of this fast and maneuverable ship with powerful missile weapons.
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 Zeleny Dol. Initially, all of them were intended for service in the Caspian Sea, but the rapidly changing geopolitical picture in the Black Sea region 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 right up to the Bosphorus Strait, but to reliably ensure peace, the constant presence of combat units is required and demonstration of their capabilities. The main burden of performing this task will fall on the frigates “Admiral Grigorovich”, “Admiral Essen” and RK “Moscow”, but “Buyanam” will have enough work.
Coastal ships with a long sight
From the history of fleets and naval battles, a thoughtful politician can conclude that there is no universal weapon that is suitable for all cases and capable of operating successfully in any conflict scenario. In some situations, powerful cruisers and large battleships are needed, in others it is impossible to do without aircraft carrier formations, in others, only submarines can be the most effective means. In our turbulent age, mobile missile ships "Buyan-M" 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 view.
Five more ships of this type are on order.
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In 1974, the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau issued a technical specification for the development of a fundamentally new small rocket ship with a dynamic support principle - a skeg-type hovercraft of Project 1239 (code "Sivuch"). L.V. was appointed chief designer. Yelsky, the main observer from the Navy was initially Captain 1st Rank V.A. Litvinenko, and then Captain 2nd Rank Yu.N. Bogomolov.
The hovercraft missile ship Project 1239 was created as a development of the small missile ships Projects 1234 and 12341 already available in the USSR Navy. The experience of using these ships in combat service in the Mediterranean Sea has shown that ships with such dimensions and a classic hull design are limited in the placement of weapons. Therefore, Project 1239 was made in the form of a catamaran with a large deck, which made it possible to solve the problem of cramped conditions and provide full placement of powerful weapons, and the crew - more comfortable living conditions. In addition, a ship of this design had to be highly seaworthy. When creating the Sivuch, the experience of the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau and the Soviet shipbuilding industry was widely used, acquired during the construction of serial amphibious landing craft, Project 1232 (Djeyran), Project 12322 (Zubr), etc.
The hull of the new rocket ship was made of aluminum alloy. The design consisted of two narrow buildings, covered with a platform measuring 64 x 18 meters, between which air is pumped, and in front there is a special elastic screen. Thus, the ship pr.1239 uses a hydrodynamic platform in the form of a catamaran with aerostatic air unloading (another name for this design is a ship with an air cavity).
The main power plant is a combined one: 2 M-504 diesel engines with a power of 3,300 hp. each is designed to create an air cushion, another 2 M-511A diesel engines with 10,000 hp each. used for displacement mode and 2 gas turbines of 20,000 hp each. designed for full travel. Propulsion is provided by tandem propellers located on two lowered columns and two propellers on shafts at the rear of the hull.
Thanks to the original hull design in combination with the propulsion system, the MRK pr.1239 has unique shipbuilding qualities. First of all, these include the transformability of the hydrodynamic platform and the possibility of using the propulsion system in 36 variants. On the one hand, the ship pr.1239 is a catamaran with a speed range of up to 20 knots, on the other hand, it is a high-speed hovercraft with a maximum speed of over 50 knots. In both cases, the diesel-gas turbine power plant and combined propulsion system, as well as the transformable flexible fencing system, allow the ship to have a wide range of propulsion modes in both normal and emergency conditions.
The armament of the Project 1239 MRK includes the Moskit anti-ship missile complex (two 4-container launchers located on the side) with the Dubrava target designation complex, the Osa-MA self-defense air defense missile system (a retractable launcher is installed on the stern), a bow 76.2-mm gun mount AK-176 and two six-barreled 30-mm AK-630 assault rifles (in the bow and stern) with a Vympel fire control radar. For general detection, the RTO uses the Positive radar, mounted on a mast in a radio-transparent radome. The ship is also equipped with communications, navigation, electronic warfare equipment and launchers for PK-10 and PK-16 self-propelled jamming systems.
During testing, the lead ship of Project 1239 reached a speed of over 50 knots, which confirmed the design characteristics and technical solutions incorporated into its design. The ship could withstand seas of 8 points, and when the sea was up to 5-6 points, it could use its weapons. In fact, this small missile ship has become the largest high-speed combat ship in its subclass in the practice of domestic and world shipbuilding.
Having two separate propulsion systems for cruising and full speed, capable of working separately and together, the Project 1239 ship can move in three main modes (catamaran, KVP-1 and KVP-2), which provides an almost one hundred percent guarantee of progress in any situation ( Thus, in all the past years of operation of the lead MRK “Bora” there has not been a case where the ship returned to base in tow). Moreover, the possibility of moving with the propulsion engines completely turned off was tested: with only the supercharger engines running, the ship was able to move due to the outflow of air from the air cushion to the stern against the wind (7 m/sec) at a speed of 3 knots.
Although Project 1239 was brought to serial production, for the Navy it did not become what was originally intended. The speed of 53 knots was achieved at too high a price: when compared with Project 1234, it turns out that with a similar composition of weapons and a slightly larger displacement, the Sivucha power plant is more than 2.2 times more powerful than the Gadfly. In addition, the cost and complexity of building the MRK Project 1239 is many times greater than its analogues in service with the Navy. Although, on the other hand, the ship carries strike weapons in the same composition as the entire destroyer Project 956 with a displacement of about 8 thousand tons.
Construction program. The lead ship, Project 1239, was built in 1987 at a shipyard in Zelenodolsk and received the name “Bora”. In 1989, it was put into trial operation on the Black Sea. After the collapse of the USSR in February 1993, the same plant built the second small missile ship of this project, the Samum, which, due to the complexity of operation and the mass of developments, was officially accepted into service only by 2000. This ship became the last in the series.
Currently, both Project 1239 missile ships are part of the Russian Navy (in the Black Sea Fleet): one was first transferred to the Baltic for testing, then returned to Sevastopol, the second remained on the Black Sea from the very moment it was commissioned. Both regularly go to sea and take part in maneuvers and shooting exercises.
Despite the fact that at first Project 1239 was designed as a regular MRK and both ships were even assigned a tactical number with these letters during construction, later (due to the obviously large size and displacement for MRKs) they were classified as ships of rank 2, and therefore A new class of RKVP (Rank 2 Rocket Hovercraft) was created specifically for this project. In the west, RTOs pr.1239 received the strange designation Dergach class.
Placing weapons on a missile ship on Project 1239 PV
1 - 76.2 mm universal artillery mount AK-176; 2 - 30-mm six-barrel anti-aircraft guns AK-630M; 3 - four-container launchers for anti-ship missiles "Moskit"; 4 - navigation radar radome; 5 - radome of the target designation radar antenna of the Dubrava anti-ship missile system; 6 - bow and stern sighting column “VK” for manual control of AK-630M assault rifles; 7 - radome of the antenna for receiving external target designation of the SCRC; 8 - firing radar MR-123 "Vympel"; 9 - antenna radome for general detection radar “Positive”; 10 - antennas of the electronic warfare complex "Vympel-R2"; 11 - missile guidance station 4Р33 of the Osa-MA complex; 12 - PU of the PK-16 projectile jammer complex; 13 - PU of the PK-10 projectile jammer complex; 14 - retractable launcher for the Osa-MA air defense system
BRIEF SERVICE HISTORY
. “BORA”, until 03/18/1992 MRK-27 [s/n 208]. Laid down on the slipway of the Krasny Metallist shipyard in Zelenodolsk; launched in 1987; accepted into trial operation on December 30, 1989; in 1990 it was transferred via inland waterways to the Black Sea; at the beginning of 1992 it underwent repairs in Kerch; 05/12/1997 officially put into operation; Since 1997, it has been part of the 41st Separate Brigade of Missile Boats of the Black Sea Fleet.
. “SAMUM”, until 03/18/1992 MRK-17 [s/n 502]. Laid down on the slipway of the Krasny Metallist shipyard in Zelenodolsk in September 1991; launched 10/12/1992; accepted into trial operation in March 1992; transferred via inland waterways to the Black Sea, arrived in Kerch in November 1992; in March 1993 he arrived in Sevastopol; then he was again sent to the construction plant, and in October 1993 he arrived in Zelenodolsk; in September 1994 it went to the Baltic Sea via inland waterways; since December 1996, it passed state tests in Baltiysk; officially put into operation on February 26, 2000; was part of the 36th missile boat brigade of the Baltic Fleet; in 2002, it was relocated from the Baltic to the Black Sea Fleet and became part of the 41st Separate Brigade of Missile Boats of the Black Sea Fleet.
MAIN TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Displacement, tons
Standard - 850
Full—1.050
Basic dimensions , m
Maximum length (according to waterline length) - 63.9
Maximum width (according to the vertical line) - 17.2
Draft while moving on an air cushion - >1
Draft while moving in displacement mode—3.3
Main power plant :DSTU
2 gas turbines M-10-1,
total power, hp (kW) - 36.000 (26.500)
2 diesel engines M-511A for displacement. mode,
total power, hp (kW) - 20.000 (14.700)
2 diesel engines M-504 for superchargers,
total power, hp (kW) - 6.600 (4.850)
Gas turbine generators, power, kW/d
4 tandem propellers in two columns; 2 propellers on shafts
Travel speed, knots:
Largest - 53
Economic— 12
Cruising range, miles (at speed, knots) 2500 (12)
800 (45)
Autonomy, days 10
Crew, people (including officers)68 (9)
WEAPONS
Impact missile:
PU KT-190 PKRK "Moskit" - 2 X 4
Anti-ship missiles 3M80 “Moskit” (SS-N-22 “Sunburn”)— 8
Anti-aircraft missile:
PU ZiF-122 SAM 4K33 “Osa-MA” - 1 X 2
SAM 9M33M (SA-N-4 “Gecko”)— 20
Artillery:
76.2 mm AU AK-176— 1 X 1
30mm ZAK AK-630M—2 X 6
RADIO-ELECTRONIC WEAPONS
General detection radar1 x “Positive” (Cross Dome)
1 x “Dubrava” (Band Stand) also for the control center of the PKRK
Navigation radar 1 x n/a
electronic warfare equipment. "Vympel-R2" (2 Foot Ball A)
complexes of fired jammers 2 X 16 PU PK-16
4 X 10 PU PK-10 “Brave”
Fire control radar 1 x "Dubrava" (Band Stand) for anti-ship missile system "Moskit"
2 X (Light Bulb) control center reception for the Moskit anti-ship missile system
1 X 4Р33 (Pop Group) for the Osa-M air defense system
1 X MP-123 “Vympel” (Bass Tilt) for AU and ZAK
means of communication. "Buran-7" complex
State identification radar. "Nichrome" (Square Head; Salt Pot)
Possible modernization.
From its birth in 1967, Project 1234 turned out to be extremely controversial and elevate the Soviet desire for specialized ships to the absolute level - it was not for nothing that a separate class was created specifically for it. Never-before-seen “ship hunters” immediately attracted the attention of military experts around the world, who heatedly discussed the question: what is the Soviet “toothy baby” in reality - “a gun at the head of capitalism” or an easy target? These disputes do not subside to this day, when The domestic fleet is at a crossroads: whether to continue the Soviet tradition or move to the Western paradigm of multifunctional ships?
Our fleet inherited from the Soviet Union 15 small missile ships (SMRK): 13 MRK of Project 12341 and two MRK hovercraft of Project 1239. The distribution of hulls among the fleets looks like this: three - in the Northern Fleet, four - in the Pacific Fleet, four - in the Baltic Fleet and four - in the Black Sea Fleet (two ships of project 12341 and two projects 1239). As a result, today this class of ships is one of the most numerous in the fleet. It is noteworthy that every single one of them is in service.
However, the need for these ships is the subject of much debate and disagreement. Many believe that in the modern fleet concept, such highly specialized ships should be replaced by multi-purpose corvettes. The combat effectiveness of RTOs in conditions of powerful electronic countermeasures and the presence of attack aircraft by the enemy is also questioned. In addition, today the tasks of RTOs can be performed in the same way by fighter-bomber aircraft and coastal missile systems. How justified are these doubts and has the age of RTOs really come to an end?
Advantages and disadvantages
First, you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of small rocket ships, applying them to modern realities.
The first and most basic advantage is powerful missile weapons. The main caliber of the Project 1234 MRK - six P-120 "Malachite" missiles - reach a speed of M=1 and have a maximum range of up to 150 km, the guidance system is active radar with a "safety" IR sensor. Having a powerful warhead (WU) and impressive speed, these missiles are capable of disabling fairly large ships, such as a destroyer (EM) and, with several hits, even a missile cruiser (RKR).
For example, during the Crimea-76 exercise, two missiles were enough to sink a decommissioned Project 30 bis destroyer with a displacement of 2,300 tons, thereby demonstrating excellent guidance accuracy. An important advantage is the relatively large ammunition load, which allows for massive salvoes.
However, P-120 missiles also have significant shortcomings.. The first thing we can note is that the launch range is insufficient compared to some of its classmates; for example, its closest competitors, the Exocet and Harpoon missiles, have 180 and 315 km, respectively. In addition, significant limitations are imposed by the considerable size of the missile itself: on the experimental Nakat MRK of Project 1234.7, armed with relatively small P-800 Oniks missiles, it was possible to place twice as many launchers.
Further, the very ability to use weapons at maximum range depends on reliable target designation (TDS). The capabilities of the onboard radar do not allow for a clear control center at extreme ranges, so it was initially assumed that the RTO would receive more accurate information from Tu-95RC reconnaissance aircraft and other ships.
The next indisputable advantage of Project 1234 is its excellent speed and mobility. Its relatively small displacement and powerful engine allow it to reach a maximum speed of 35 knots along with good agility. In combination with a relatively long navigation autonomy (10 days), this gives the MRK advantages both at the operational level - you can quickly transfer combat units to the required directions, and in battle, where good maneuverability allows, for example, to evade a torpedo or be the first to take a position for missile launch. However, these qualities inherited from the boat result in very mediocre seaworthiness. Nevertheless, it is quite sufficient for operations in the coastal and near ocean zones.
And another important factor is production. Project 1234 ships are relatively inexpensive, can be built at almost any military shipyard capable of producing a ship with a displacement of up to a thousand tons, and the construction period under emergency circumstances and the stress of all possibilities will be within three to four months. This combination distinguishes MRKs from all other classes, excluding only boats.
But along with these advantages, RTOs are not without very significant disadvantages:
- the first and most important thing is the almost complete defenselessness of such a ship from air attacks. Among the anti-aircraft artillery weapons, there is only one six-barreled 30-mm AK-630 installation and one 76-mm AK-176 (very conditional as an air defense weapon), and among the missile weapons - the Osa-M air defense system, which has a firing range of no more 10 km. As experience shows, including real combat, the probability of intercepting an enemy anti-ship missile (ASM) by these means is low, not to mention the possibility of fighting directly with strike aircraft.
— The second drawback is the low survivability of MRKs: as shown by the tragic experience of the Monsoon, which died during a training exercise when it was hit by a P-15 missile with an inert warhead, the ship is very fire hazardous due to the hull material - an aluminum-magnesium alloy. Small sizes cause insufficient buoyancy and safety margin. As a result, many consider MRKs to be “disposable” ships - for one salvo.
Possible applications
Paradoxically, for all its narrow specialization, the Project 1234 small rocket ship is relatively universal. In the context of a large-scale conflict in an ocean theater, several options for using MRKs are possible:
— due to their powerful weapons, these ships are capable of supporting the penetration of air defenses of a large enemy naval formation, making a significant contribution by launching six P-120 missiles;
- using their speed and mobility, RTOs can operate within the framework of “hit and run” tactics, carrying out surprise attacks on transport convoys, landing craft and anti-aircraft and missile defense destroyers;
— escort and protection of our own convoys.
All three of these options come down to the already mentioned disadvantage: firing range. It is difficult to imagine that an MRK will be able to approach, for example, an aircraft carrier strike group at a distance of 120 km and survive: even on the approaches it will be guaranteed to be detected and destroyed by carrier-based aircraft, unlike carriers of large anti-ship missiles such as P-500 and P-700, which are capable of opening fire for 500 km.
The second tactic also has vulnerabilities. The first of these could be return fire with longer-range anti-ship missiles (for example, the Harpoon widely used on NATO ships). On board destroyers and escort frigates there may be a helicopter armed with short-range anti-ship missiles (Penguin and Sea Skua missiles can be launched at a range of 28 and 25 km, respectively). As noted above, the anti-aircraft capabilities of a small missile ship are not enough to repel such an attack.
A similar situation arises when using RTOs in defense: in modern conditions, an attack on a convoy will most likely be carried out with the help of strike aircraft. Only our own interceptor fighters can effectively combat this threat.
But the main factor limiting the use of a small missile ship in the described conditions is the need for precise target designation, and, consequently, active interaction with other parts of the fleet, including in conditions of powerful electronic suppression. For full operation, it is necessary to provide AWACS or support a larger surface ship armed with a target designator helicopter.
Another logical role for RTOs could be coastal defense. In many ways, ships of this type fit well into the requirements for a patrol ship: good artillery armament, decent speed, autonomy. However, as the sailors note, for such tasks the RTO with its missile armament is “redundant” - missile boats and small artillery ships are quite enough to protect the maritime border.
All these concepts originate in the 70s of the last century, when small rocket ships were created. Today, all of the above tasks can be performed by the Air Force. For strike missions, light cruise missiles Kh-31 and Kh-35 were created, which are even suspended on light fighters. Moreover, the X-31 product surpasses the P-120 both in speed (M=2) and range (160 kilometers). The Kh-35 Uran missile is capable of reaching a target along a combined trajectory, is smaller in size, which allows it to increase ammunition capacity and produce more massive salvoes, and also provides a smaller effective dispersion surface (ECS).
Coastal defense against a serious enemy that would be too tough for a missile boat (RKA) and a small artillery ship (MAK) can be carried out by coastal missile systems and the same aircraft. There are several factors on the side of the air force:
— less vulnerability to oncoming enemy fire (remember that the range of aircraft anti-ship missiles allows you not to enter the enemy’s air defense zone);
— greater speed and mobility;
— no need to spend a long time in a threatened area;
- flexibility and versatility.
Many believe that modern designs of multifunctional corvettes, which combine the striking power of Project 1234 with a developed air defense system, anti-aircraft capabilities, the presence of a helicopter, better survivability and seaworthiness, are free of the shortcomings of MRKs. Almost all countries that had analogues of RTOs in service took this path: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Germany withdrew 25, 20, 15, and 20 missile boats from the Navy in the 90s, respectively. Instead of them, it is corvettes of increased displacement that are being introduced into service.
Moreover, for domestic realities, a corvette with an anti-submarine bias is more preferable, since in our vast territorial waters it is enemy submarines that pose the greatest potential threat. Operating together with aviation, such corvettes (if built in sufficient numbers, of course) can significantly reduce the danger.
As a result, it turns out that small missile ships really remain out of work: today more advanced means of destroying enemy ships have been created, capable of attacking faster and more effectively. However, everything is not as clear as it seems at first glance.
Let's begin with MRK is a very unpretentious ship. To set up a temporary base, a few floating piers, a fuel and lubricants warehouse and an electrical network are sufficient. A modern attack aircraft requires a much more developed infrastructure, not to mention the fact that the airfield is a primary target for attack, and therefore will most likely require frequent repairs during combat operations.
Further, an aircraft, like a ship, cannot conduct long-term passive tracking of a target during a period of intense confrontation or when a potential enemy ship invades territorial waters (remember the incident with the American cruiser Yorktown in 1988). The main thing here is the ability to immediately strike a target upon receipt of such an order, and an RTO that has reached the firing line in advance will have an advantage over an aircraft that has just taken off from the base.
But the decisive factor is that today, in comparison with new corvette projects and, to a lesser extent, fighter-bombers, small missile ships have a fully developed weapons system, proven tactics, and there are trained staff that provide structures and full-fledged naval formations.
In other words, the Project 1234 MRK is a very reliable and proven ship, guaranteed to be able to perform its tasks with maximum efficiency. It’s a completely different matter - which are still a novelty - both the class of the ship itself, which did not exist in Soviet naval doctrine, and from the point of view of the installed weapons, which have not yet been tested in exercises.
Without in any way denying the need to move forward and build a new generation of ships, it must be admitted that now Russia needs a combat-ready MRK equipped with everything necessary rather than a completely new corvette, but undeveloped in the fleet and in production. Of course, it makes no sense to continue building old Soviet projects, but it is also impossible to simply leave behind the accumulated rich experience. The best solution seems to be a significant increase in the potential of existing hulls through modernization with the installation, for example, of Onyx missiles in the 2x9 version, Kashtan air defense systems and new electronic equipment. Sailors would not refuse an unmanned aerial vehicle for reconnaissance and target designation.
The preferable measure would be to increase the number of small missile launchers by producing a modernized version. For example, the facilities of the Eastern Shipyard and the Almaz shipbuilding company can produce up to four small missiles per year. This measure will help plug significant gaps in naval defense, including in the middle sea zone, which is not covered by lighter ships. In the future, with proper modernization of shipyards and development of production, small missile ships at the end of their service life should be replaced by corvettes, provided that the number of new ships will be at least as large as those being retired.
Of course, we cannot remain silent about the relatively new one, which is a development of the river MAK project 21630 “Buyan”. Armed with a UVP for eight Caliber or Onyx missiles, as well as a 100-mm A-190M and 30-mm AU, it is nevertheless not an alternative to the heavier Project 1234, since it can operate exclusively in the near sea zone. But it is precisely in interaction that these two types of RTOs can provide an acceptable level of security for our borders and economic zones.
To summarize, let's say that today our fleet needs, first of all, a completely clear and well-thought-out concept of combat operations, ensuring the formulation of tasks and requirements for each class of ships. And although a system for interaction between old specialized ships and new ones, built according to the Western model of use, has not been developed, it is at least unreasonable to neglect the small missiles remaining from the USSR.
We should not forget that the combat effectiveness of these ships was confirmed during the “five-day war” in South Ossetia. In the current conditions, when the fate of the fleet is still unclear, it is better to rely only on proven and reliable solutions, and as a result, several old RTOs may turn out to be preferable to a mythical promising destroyer.
The administration of the Zelenodolsk plant named after Gorky reported that for the period from 2019 to 2021, the enterprise planned the construction of five small corvette-type missile ships of Project 22800 Karakurt. Three more ships are expected to be produced at the Leningrad shipyard "Pella", and another one will be built at the facilities of the Feodosia shipyard "More". Three more small missile ships will be built by Pella and More enterprises.
The construction sites for six more 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 of them, a patrol ship named “Uragan”, is possible that will appear in service with the Black Sea Fleet within the next year. Subsequent ships were also given no less formidable names - “Typhoon”, “Shkval” and “Storm”
Small rocket ship of project 22800 "Karakurt"
Small missile ships of the "Karakurt" type were developed by the St. Petersburg Central Marine Design Bureau "Almaz" - the Central Marine Design Bureau as an alternative version of the ships in the project 21631 "Buyan-M". This project was created just five years earlier by the Zelenodolsk Design Bureau. Accordingly, the construction of these “Buyans” is also carried out by the Zelenodolsk enterprise. The Caspian Flotilla and the 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 preference was given to the Karakurts, the last ninth small rocket ship of Project 21631 began to be assembled in April 2019. Eight months later, the Karakurts were also launched into production.
Unique new-generation MRK Project 22800
As for the strike weapons of these two boats, they are approximately the same. The Uragan patrol ship of the same class has almost the same characteristics. The displacement of both boats is not too large, however, Buyan-M is considered a river-sea class ship. It feels confident both in the Volga estuaries and in the waters of the Caspian Sea. However, given its low seaworthiness, even the expanses of the relatively small Black Sea will turn out to be too large. "Karakurt" was designed as a ship for operations in open sea theaters.
How a disadvantage became an advantage of Russian industry
Not long ago, another shortcoming was added to this project. Due to the introduction of sanctions against the Russian state by Western countries, the German company that manufactured 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 Zvezda plant.
The fame of Russian weapons spread throughout the world
In the fall of 2017, Burana-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 using Kalibr cruise missiles. A massive missile strike was carried out on the positions of the terrorist organization ISIS (banned in the Russian Federation), which were located at a distance of approximately one and a half thousand kilometers from the launch point.
The range and accuracy of live firing carried out by Russian ships has been discussed in the world media for almost a week. However, this is not all that missiles of this class are capable of, because their maximum flight range 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 anti-ship missiles “Onyx” are also used, the firing range of which is equal to five hundred kilometers. The ship is also armed with an automatic artillery mount of 100 mm or 76 mm caliber. Air defense systems are equipped with the 3M89 Broadsword anti-aircraft missile and artillery system.
An all-aspect multifunctional radar station, which has four fixed phased array antennas, as well as a highly efficient optical location station, provides the Broadsword with the ability to all-weather and round the clock detect any targets that could somehow threaten the ship. These could 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 operating mode of the entire complex is automatic.
Equipping ships with electronic warfare stations
The Karakurt MRK, Project 22800 ships, are ships for operations in the near sea zone with a cruising range of up to 2,500 miles and an endurance of up to fifteen days. The boat, with a displacement of eight hundred tons, is sixty meters long, ten meters wide, and has a draft of four meters. The speed reaches thirty knots.
The Karakurts, like the Buyany-M, were created to replace the small missile ships Ovod of Project 1234. A wide variety of their modifications were produced in 1967-92. A total of forty-seven ships were built, but now only twelve remain.
The Gadflies, developed by Almaz, looked much more respectable than the Karakurts in terms of their driving performance. Thus, the speed of the Gadfly reached up to 35 knots, and the range was up to 4000 miles. However, morally and physically outdated weapons reduce all these advantages to zero. “Gadfly” is armed with “Malachite”, six P-120 anti-ship missiles, which have a maximum range of up to one hundred and twenty kilometers, and this is significantly inferior to eight “Caliber-NK” or “Oniks”.
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 many formidable weapons in the small space of the Karakurt. By the way, this weapon can be called strategic, because any Caliber missile can be equipped with a nuclear warhead.
The range of the Karakurt missile weapons 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 in its northern half will be closed.
Who in the class compares to the Karakurt: Western models of ships
According to many military experts, the Karakurts are ahead of all modern analogues in their striking power.
Only one corvette on the planet can be compared with the Karakurts - moreover, it has so far been produced in a single copy. This is the last ship in the 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 a speed of thirty-five knots, its range is two thousand three hundred miles. The ship was built taking into account the requirements of stealth technologies. The first four production 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 equivalent - "Eilat"
There is also an Israeli analogy, but also released in a single copy. We are talking about the Eilat, a missile corvette. The Israeli Navy accepted 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 travel three and a half thousand miles, and its maximum speed is 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 ammunition, their range reaches ten kilometers. "Eilat" has at its disposal a 20 mm rapid-fire cannon for firing at distances of up to one and a half kilometers.
Project 22800 - economic component
Missile ships with a displacement of less than 1,000 tons are an almost unique Russian feature. As a result, “Karakurt” can only be compared with more solid equipment. In terms of functionality and range, it is superior to our corvettes, but in terms of strike weapons and power it does not reach the level of Russian ships. At the same time, anti-submarine weapons, as well as helicopters or drones, enhance the survivability of ships of larger 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 Karakurts turned out to be excellent missile ships, perhaps even world leaders.
German corvette "Brunschweig"
More substantial in weight is the German corvette of the K130 project. The launch of the Braunschweig in 2013, the fifth ship in 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 missile. However, there are two times fewer missile units - only four. The Braunschweig 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 is not skimping 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.
The anti-ship weapons are equipped with 8 Harpoon missiles. The destroyers have 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, with a flight range of up to one thousand six hundred kilometers. However, it is only slightly inferior to the Caliber in speed, accuracy and range; control of these weapons is entrusted to the widely advertised Aegis system.