Kresta II-class cruiser

The Kresta II class, Soviet designation Project 1134A Berkut A (golden eagle), was a class of guided missile cruiser (large anti-submarine warfare ship in Soviet classification) built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. The NATO lists the class as "cruisers" mainly due to the Metel (SS-N-14 Silex) anti-ship missile system capable to strike not only submarines but also surface vessels.

Admiral Yumashev in 1989
Class overview
NameKresta II class
BuildersZhdanov Shipyard, Leningrad
Operators
Preceded byKresta I class
Succeeded byKara class
Built1966–1977
In commission1969–1993
Completed10
Retired10
General characteristics
TypeGuided missile cruiser
Displacement
  • 5,600 tons standard
  • 7,535 tons full load
Length159 m (522 ft)
Beam17 m (56 ft)
Draught6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft steam turbines, 4 boilers
  • 91,000–100,000 shp (68–75 MW)
Speed34 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)
Endurance1830 tons fuel oil
Complement380
Sensors and
processing systems		Radar; Don Kay, Don-2, Top Sail, Head Net 2 x Head Lights 2 x Muff Cob, 2 x Bass Tilt, Sonar; Bull Nose
Armament
  • 2 × quad SS-N-14 'Silex' anti-submarine missiles
  • 2 × twin SA-N-3 'Goblet' surface-to-air missile launchers (72 missiles)
  • 2 × twin 57-mm/70-cal AK-725 anti-aircraft guns
  • 4 × 30mm AK-630 CIWS
  • 2 × quintuple 533mm torpedo tubes
  • 2 x RBU-6000 12-barrel anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 2 x RBU-1000 6-barrel anti-submarine rocket launchers
Aircraft carried1 × Ka-25 series helicopter
Aviation facilitiesHelipad and hangar

Design

The Kresta II class was an anti-submarine derivative of the Kresta I-class cruiser, and were armed with a new anti-submarine missile (SS-N-14), new surface-to-air missiles (SA-N-3) and advanced sonar. Conway's states that the first three ships were to have been armed with the SS-N-9 anti-ship missile but Soviet naval doctrine changed with greater emphasis on anti-submarine warfare. The surface-to-air missiles comprised more advanced SA-N-3 missiles with two twin launchers. New 3D search radar and new fire control radars were also fitted. 4 30mm CIWS guns were also fitted for improved anti-missile defence. A more advanced sonar led to the bow being more sharply raked. The machinery suite comprised two TV-12 steam turbines with high-pressure boilers, identical to the Kresta I class.

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 57mm 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]

Sensors

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.

The first four ships of the class to be completed were not equipped with the MR-123 Vympel fire control radar for the AK-630, and relied on manual targeting instead.[2]

Ships

All the ships were built by the Zhdanov Shipyard in Leningrad.

Cruiser Marshal Timoshenko in 1986
Name[3] Russian Namesake Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned
Kronstadt Кронштадт City of Kronstadt 30 November 1966 10 February 1968 29 December 1969 24 June 1991
Admiral Isakov Адмирал Исаков Ivan Isakov 15 January 1968 22 November 1968 28 December 1970 30 June 1993
Admiral Nakhimov Адмирал Нахимов Pavel Nakhimov 15 January 1968 15 April 1969 29 November 1971 31 January 1991
Admiral Makarov Адмирал Макаров Stepan Makarov 23 February 1969 22 November 1970 25 October 1972 3 July 1992
Khabarovsk
(ex-Marshal Voroshilov)		 Хаба́ровск
(Маршал Ворошилов)		 City of Khabarovsk
(Kliment Voroshilov)		 20 March 1970 8 October 1970 15 September 1973 3 July 1992
Admiral Oktyabrsky Адмирал Октябьский Filipp Oktyabrskiy 2 June 1969 21 May 1971 28 December 1973 30 June 1993
Admiral Isachenkov Адмирал Исаченков Nikolai Isachenkov 30 October 1970 28 March 1972 5 November 1974 3 July 1992
Marshal Timoshenko Маршал Тимошенко Semyon Timoshenko 2 November 1972 21 October 1973 25 November 1975 3 July 1992
Vasily Chapayev Василий Чапаев Vasily Chapayev 22 November 1973 28 November 1974 30 November 1976 30 June 1993
Admiral Yumashev Адмирал Юмашев Ivan Yumashev 17 April 1975 30 September 1977 30 December 1977 13 July 1992

See also

Notes
  1. Chant, Christopher (2014). Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware. Routledge. p. 196. ISBN 9781134646685.
  2. Hampshire 2017, pp. 27–28.
  3. Averin 2007, p. 49.

References
  • Averin, A.B. (2007). Адмиралы и маршалы. Корабли проектов 1134 и 1134А [Admirals and Marshals: Ships Project 1134 and 1134A] (in Russian). Moscow: Voennaya Kniga. ISBN 978-5-902863-16-8.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 0-85177-605-1. OCLC 34284130. Also published as Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7. OCLC 34267261.
  • Hampshire, Edward (2017). Soviet Cold War Guided Missile Cruisers. New Vanguard 242. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-1740-2.
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