Soviet cruiser Kronstadt

History
Soviet Union
Name: Kronstadt
Namesake: Kronstadt
Builder: Zhdanov Shipyard
Laid down: 11 November 1966
Launched: 2 October 1968
Completed: 29 December 1969
Decommissioned: 26 June 1991
Fate: Scrapped 1993
General characteristics
Class and type: Kresta II-class cruiser
Displacement:
  • 5,600 tons standard
  • 7,535 tons full load
Length: 159 m (522 ft)
Beam: 17 m (56 ft)
Draught: 6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion:
  • 2 shaft steam turbines
  • 4 boilers
  • 91,000–100,000 shp (68,000–75,000 kW)
Speed: 34 kn (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range:
  • 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 5,200 nmi (9,600 km; 6,000 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Endurance: 1830 tons fuel oil
Complement: 380
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar
    • Don Kay
    • Don-2
    • Top Sail
    • Head Net
    • 2 x Head Lights
    • 2 x Muff Comb
    • 2 x Bass Tilt
  • Sonar
    • Bull Nose
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 Kamov Ka-25 'Hormone-A'
Aviation facilities: Helicopter deck and hangar

Kronstadt (Russian: Кронштадт) was a Project 1134A Kresta II-class cruiser of the Soviet Navy. The ship served during the Cold War, from 1969 to 1991. After colliding with a destroyer in 1975, she spent five years being repaired and modernized. She was scrapped in 1993.

General characteristics

The Kresta II-class cruisers were 158.5 metres (520 ft) long with a beam of 16.9 m (55 ft) and a draught of 6 m (20 ft). They displaced 6000 tons standard and 7800 full load. They had a complement of 380-400 and were equipped with a hangar aft to stow away a Kamov Ka-25 Hormone-A helicopter.[1]

Kresta II-class vessels were propelled by two TV-12 steam geared turbines powered by four high pressure boilers which created 75,000 kilowatts (101,000 hp).[1] This gave the cruisers a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[1] They had a range of 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and 5,200 nmi (9,600 km; 6,000 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph).

Armament

For their primary role as anti-submarine cruisers, the Kresta II class mounted two quadruple launchers for eight SS-N-14 anti-submarine missiles. They were also equipped with two RBU 6000 12-barrel and two RBU 1000 6-barrel rocket launchers.[1] The Ka-25 helicopter embarked on the cruiser was also capable of aiding in the search and destruction of submarines.

Against aerial threats the cruisers were armed with four 57 mm L/80 DP guns situated in two twin mountings. They also had four 30mm AK-630 CIWS mountings. They were armed with two twin launchers for the 48 SA-N-3 surface-to-air missiles they carried.[1]

The ships also mounted two quintuple mountings for 533 mm (21.0 in) dual-role torpedoes.[1]

Electronics warfare

The Kresta II class were equipped with MR600 air search radar MR-310 Angara Don navigational and Volga navigational radars. For anti-submarine warfare they had MG-322 hull mounted sonar. For fire control purposes they had Grom SA-N-1 fire control, MR103 AK725 fire control and Drakon RP33 fire control. They also had a MG-26 communications outfit and a MG-35 Shtil.

Construction and career

Kronstadt was built in the Zhdanov Shipyard with the yard number 721. The cruiser was laid down on 11 November 1966, launched on 2 October 1968 and completed on 29 December 1969. She became part of the 120th Missile Brigade of the Northern Fleet in 1970.[2] In 1972, she participated in the evacuation of the crew of Soviet submarine K-19. Kronstadt was damaged in a 1975 collision with the Kashin-class destroyer Smyshlennyy . She sailed to Kronstadt shortly after for repairs and modernization. Kronstadt returned to service in May 1980. She was decommissioned on 26 June 1991 and sold for scrap in 1993 to an Indian company.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chant, Christopher (2014). Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware. Routledge. p. 196.
  2. "Kresta II class". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  3. Averin, A.B. (2007). Адмиралы и маршалы. Корабли проектов 1134 и 1134А. [Admirals and Marshals: Ships Project 1134 and 1134A]. Moscow: Voenizdat.
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