Trouble-free series of USSR Navy ships. Tested in the USSR

The ships of this project could become the most popular in their class. They were planned to be launched in huge quantities for our Navy. Fifty first-rank destroyers - such an armada is enough to equip an entire fleet. In addition, their multi-purpose purpose implied their use for solving a wide variety of problems. The lead destroyer Sovremenny (project 956) was laid down in 1975, the last ship of the series was launched at the end of 1993. Of the planned fifty units, 17 entered service with the USSR and Russia. Four more are in service. Two ships are mothballed, two are at the stage of modernization, two more are in service, the rest are decommissioned. What is the reason for such a massive cutting into metal of units that are not old, according to naval concepts?

Why did the USSR need new destroyers?

The reasons for the abandonment of a large number of Project 956 ships should be sought in distant times. It was then, in the mid-fifties, that an unfortunate phenomenon occurred, called by military sailors the “Khrushchev defeat.” Intoxication with the successes of domestic rocket scientists led to a major strategic miscalculation. The likelihood of a global conflict decreased due to the guarantee of mutual destruction, but this did not mean that the need for a regional presence of the Soviet Navy was no longer necessary, and ensuring it without the presence of large ships in the arsenal turned out to be extremely difficult. The actions of squadrons on combat duty in various remote sectors of the World Ocean were hampered (due to the small number of units forming their “core” and determining stability). Aircraft carriers were not built in the USSR because of their high cost; destroyers of early projects (Project 30-2 and 78) and cruisers (Project 68), built under Stalin and “undercut” by Khrushchev, were not only morally obsolete, but also physically worn out. The fleet required replenishment with modern ships of large displacement, equipped - along with missile launchers - with powerful artillery. This is exactly how the newest destroyer of Project 956 was conceived, the urgent need for which was fully realized after the large-scale Ocean exercises held in the spring of 1970.

What is it and why is it needed

The concept is more traditional than filled with real meaning. Of course, armament is not limited to mines, and in terms of its purpose the ship is more likely to correspond to the class of frigates accepted in many navies around the world, which, in turn, also have little in common with old sailing ships. The Project 956 destroyer “Sarych” (that was the code) was intended to perform a wide range of combat missions that might have been beyond the capabilities of those who formed the basis of the USSR Navy in the late sixties. Officially, its main purpose was formulated as fire support for landing forces, expressed in the suppression of small ground targets, providing air defense and missile defense for landing units and destroying the watercraft of a potential enemy. It was also planned to use it together with the BOD (Project 1155), which would bring the effectiveness of such a pair closer to the combat capabilities of the then most modern American frigates, Spruance. Based on the assigned tasks, the Project 956 destroyer was created. The ship is expensive for the budget; it is built based on a specific defense doctrine, especially when it comes to a large series.

Appearance and propaganda value of aesthetics

It is believed that for military equipment, appearance is not as important as its functionality, but this is not entirely true. The impression it makes on a potential enemy often depends on how impressive the sample looks, which, in the absence of war, can play an important role in the development of the conflict, and possibly even prevent it. Based on this premise, the Project 956 destroyer was created. The model, a photo of which was presented to the IMF Commander-in-Chief Admiral S.G. Gorshkov at the end of 1971, was approved largely due to the formidable appearance of the ship, its ominous exterior and the propaganda effect that it could produce its silhouette after the ship appears on the ocean. The naval authorities liked the model, built on a scale of 1:50: it was fully consistent with the foreign policy doctrine of the USSR and demonstrated progress in science and technology in the second half of the 20th century. But, of course, it was not only a matter of appearance - S.G. Gorshkov was not so simple as to evaluate the Project 956 destroyer based on his overall impression. The characteristics of the ship were more important, and they spoke of very good seaworthiness.

Shipbuilding innovations

The specialist in the field of shipbuilding liked the preliminary design not only aesthetically. The main features of the ship's external appearance were the smooth deck of the hull, the sheer appearance of its bow, the successful placement of main-caliber artillery weapons, the location of anti-aircraft systems on the sides (which provided excellent opportunities for setting up barrage fire) and the large elevation of the radar antennas (to improve location visibility). The length of the hull was limited by the capabilities of the shipyards of the plant. A. A. Zhdanov and should not have exceeded 146 meters with a width of 17 m. When developing the general shipbuilding ideology of the ship, many technologies were used for the first time. The shape of the bow determined that it would not be flooded (up to 7 points of waves) by the oncoming wave; the side was made with a double break in the surface to reduce visibility. There were other features that distinguished the Project 956 destroyer. Deck drawings were made in compliance with their strict horizontality, regardless of the contours, which significantly improved the manufacturability of equipment installation. The hull is divided into fifteen waterproof compartments, the bow “bulb” underwater part not only reduces drag, but also serves to house a hydroacoustics post (MGK-335MS, also known as the Platinum complex). Elements of force strengthening were rationally applied in places of greatest stress.

Power plant

Experts attribute the obviously outdated power plant to the disadvantages of ships of this series. There were reasons for this. When choosing the type of turbine, S.G. Gorshkov gave preference to the boiler circuit, rejecting the gas one. This was done under the influence of the Minister of Shipbuilding of the USSR B.E. Butoma, who argued his opinion by the heavy workload of the Southern Turbine Plant and by the fact that it would be easier to arrange supplies of fuel oil during a special period than diesel fuel. As a result, the Project 956 destroyer was equipped with a twin boiler-turbine unit with a total capacity of 100 thousand liters. With. Today it is difficult to give a comprehensive assessment and speak out purely in favor of this decision or against it. The fact is that in the early 70s there was an ambitious project to create technologically revolutionary direct-flow CTUs, which, if successful, promised to become unique, but it was not successful. Ultimately, we had to settle on ordinary outdated high-pressure boilers, which were tested and, in general, also not bad. And another argument in their favor was the relative cheapness of fuel oil. The global energy crisis also affected the USSR.

Cannon weapons

The underestimation of the role of artillery in the naval theater of operations in the past decades prompted the Sevmash design bureau to arm the Sovremenny destroyer (project 956) with two twin AK-130 mounts equipped with Lev-218 (MR-184) multi-channel control systems. The aiming of the barrels is carried out on the basis of information received from the radar, range finder (laser) and television devices, and processed by a digital calculator of firing parameters. The ammunition supply is mechanized, the rate of fire reaches 90 rounds/min, and the range exceeds 24 km. In terms of artillery power, the Project 956 destroyer is superior to the battleships of the First World War, which had no weapons other than cannon. The weight of shells delivered to the target (in one minute) exceeds six tons.

Anti-aircraft artillery weapons provide protection against difficult targets (including cruise missiles) and are represented by two side-mounted 30-mm AK-630M systems. These installations include six-barrel water-cooled systems controlled by the Vympel automated control system. They are capable of hitting high-speed objects at a distance of up to 4 km with a rate of fire of 4 thousand rounds per minute.

Rockets

The missile armament of the destroyer "Sarych" is designed to combat air and sea targets. The Uragan complex (in later modifications Uragan-Tornado) is equipped with single-beam launchers firing missiles. Each of the two launchers contains 48 guided missiles. “Hurricane” is a universal weapon; it is quite suitable for destroying surface ships of small tonnage (for example, missiles or the number of targets to be tracked and destroyed is up to six (when launched every 12 seconds).

The Project 956 destroyer carries out specialized anti-ship defense with the Moskit complex (Moskit-M), equipped with ZM-82 missiles. There are two installations, they are protected by armor, each containing four projectiles. The combat radius of the complex is 120 km (170 for Moskit-M). The missiles are supersonic (M=3), the mass of explosives in the combat charging compartment is three centners. All eight ZM-82 can be fired within a half-minute salvo at the command of the ship's control system.

Terms of Service

“Sarych” differed favorably from many Navy ships in its improved habitability conditions. The destroyer is equipped with a single microclimate system that provides a comfortable atmosphere at outside temperatures ranging from −25 °C to +34 °C. For rest of the enlisted personnel, there are 16 cockpits with a capacity of 10 to 25 people, with each sailor having an area of ​​over 3 m². Midshipmen's (four-bed) and officer's (single and double) cabins have an area of ​​10 square meters. m. Two spacious wardrooms and three dining rooms are used for meals. On board there is everything necessary for life away from home: a cinema hall, cable TV, a library, an internal radio system, comfortable showers, a sauna. In hot weather, by order of the ship's commander, a pool can be assembled.

Inside the medical block there is an outpatient clinic, a double isolation ward, an infirmary and an operating room.

The living conditions and comfort on Project 956 destroyers are not inferior to foreign standards, which influenced the export potential of these ships.

Hard times

The project was created exclusively for internal use, and before the collapse of the USSR there was no talk of selling ships of this type. Fourteen destroyers entered the Soviet Navy between 1976 and 1881, each taking an average of four years to build. The ships entered the Northern (six) and Pacific (eight) fleets, took part in large-scale naval exercises, and made long voyages and friendly visits to foreign ports.

In the last Soviet years and immediately after the collapse of the USSR, the situation changed. Government funding has dropped sharply. Maintaining a warship is not cheap. Over the course of a decade, a dozen of them were written off, five destroyers of this type remained in service, the rest were dismantled or mothballed. Ten years later (in 2011), the only Project 956 destroyer, Admiral Ushakov, was in combat service in the Northern Fleet. "Persistent" was the flagship of the Baltic Fleet, and "Bystry" was in the Pacific Ocean. There are only three operational ships left out of seventeen built.

By this time, most of the Sarych class weapon systems were outdated. The planned modernization of Project 956 destroyers involved re-equipping cruise missiles and new air defense and missile defense systems. A replacement of anti-submarine and anti-torpedo defenses was required. At the same time, the performance characteristics of the destroyers remained very good. The autonomous navigation range of 4.5 thousand miles, high speed and powerful onboard artillery prompted the fleet command to refrain from completely withdrawing the ships from service.

Modernization and export supplies

Two unfinished ships, which received the names “Important” and “Thoughtful” when laid down, and then renamed “Ekaterinburg” and “Alexander Nevsky”, were completed and sold to the PRC at the turn of the millennium. The export design has undergone changes and received code 956 E. The names of the Chinese ships are “Hanzhou” and “Fuzhou”; from 2000 to the present, they have been serving in the Eastern Fleet of the People's Liberation Army of China. The modernization of Project 956 series “E” (export) destroyers concerned only the power plant and some weapons systems.

The next two units, intended for the Chinese fleet, underwent more serious changes. The Project 956EM destroyer differs from the “E” modification in its size, extended-range Moskit-ME anti-ship missiles (they reach targets within a radius of 200 km) and new Kashtan anti-aircraft missile and artillery modules. The aft gun mount has been replaced by a helicopter hangar. According to this project, two destroyers (Taizhou and Ningbo) were built in 2005 and 2006.

If the sale of the first two ships to China was explained mainly by the difficult financial situation of the initial post-Soviet period, then the contract for the supply of the next pair can be called a successful foreign trade operation. In the middle of the first decade of the new century, a line was already outlined for the systematic modernization of the Russian armed forces, including the fleet. At that time, ships were being designed that were more advanced than the Project 956 destroyer, the photo of which already evoked associations with a bygone era. Massive superstructures and numerous antennas corresponded to the appearance of the fleets of the last century. However, China also made the right decision by purchasing powerful and reliable combat units that strengthened its navy.

Project 956 destroyers are third generation destroyers that were built in the USSR from 1976 to 1992. Vessels of this project became the last Soviet destroyers. The series had the code “Sarych”, and according to NATO classification it was called Sovremenny class destroyer - after the name of the first model, the destroyer “Sovremenny”. The construction of the vessels was carried out at the Leningrad plant named after Zhdanov. Today we will get to know the Project 956 destroyers in more detail.

Current situation

Today, the Russian Navy has 6 Sarych-class destroyers. Three of them are in service, two are in reserve, and another is undergoing scheduled repairs. The destroyer Bystry still serves in the Pacific Fleet. And the ships “Nastoichivy” and “Admiral Ushakov” serve in the Baltic Fleet. The destroyer "Bystry" is the oldest of the ships of the series that is still in service. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the laying of Project 956 ships ceased due to insufficient funding. In 1997-2000, two vessels were completed for sale in China under Project 956-E. The index "E" means "export". A little later, the destroyers of Project 956E were modified, and the export project was named 956EM. The index "M" stands for "modernized".

Initially, it was planned that the Project 956 destroyer would become the most widespread in its class and in the Soviet fleet in principle. In total, it was planned to build about five dozen ships. In reality, only 17 Sarych ships entered service with the USSR (and later the Russian Federation). Now let's get acquainted with the history of the creation of this vessel.

Prerequisites for creation

Destroyers are multi-purpose, high-speed maneuverable ships. They can fight submarines, destroy aircraft, confront surface ships, cover formations of ships and, finally, escort convoys. In addition, destroyers can be used for patrol, landing and reconnaissance operations, as well as laying minefields.

The first destroyers appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. They were actively used during the First and Second World Wars. The range of tasks performed by destroyers, expanding every year, has made them very significant for the fleet. With the advent of missile weapons, the role of destroyers in naval battles increased even more.

In the early 1960s, the surface fleet began to develop especially actively. When the Soviet Navy became an ocean-going Navy, new tasks appeared before the ships: protecting patrol areas of missile submarines, tracking enemy submarines, conducting foreign policy actions and controlling water communications. Aircraft carriers would be best suited for these tasks, but they were very expensive to build. Large anti-submarine ships (BODs) were the Soviet alternative to aircraft-carrying cruisers, but they needed an escort, and the USSR was severely short of cover vessels. In addition, the destroyers in service at that time were already obsolete and could not compete with their foreign counterparts on equal terms. The oceanic maneuvers “Ocean”, carried out in 1970, clearly illustrated this. Thus, the Soviet fleet needed a new, well-armed destroyer, capable of operating both independently and as part of naval groups.

The shipbuilding program for 1971-1980 provided for the creation of such a ship. The new destroyer was supposed to participate in landing operations, suppress enemy anti-landing defenses, destroy small targets on the shore and provide air defense in the landing zone. The future ship was called an “landing fire support ship.” The Project 56 destroyer was chosen as a prototype for construction, so the new project received the number 956.

Design

Development of the Project 956 destroyer began in 1971. She moved very slowly. The fact is that the customer changed the intended purpose of the future vessel several times during the design process. The Soviet military was greatly influenced by the design solutions embodied in the American destroyer Spruance, the first truly multi-purpose ship of the American Navy. In addition, the new ships were supposed to be used together with the Project 1155 UAV. The Soviet military believed that such a tandem would be more effective than a pair of American destroyers.

The preliminary design of the new vessel was developed at the Leningrad TsKB-53. As the work progressed, new tasks appeared before the designers, the type of the ship's power plant and its weapon options were constantly changing. In addition, the developers were limited by the capabilities of the Zhdanov plant, where it was planned to build new ships. According to the plant's requirements, the ship's length should be no more than 146 meters and its width - 17 meters. A total of 17 projects were developed, each of which was studied from the point of view of effectiveness and economic feasibility.

Ultimately, it was decided that the future destroyer should have:

1. Steam turbine power plant.
2. Anti-ship missile "Moskit".
3. SAM "Hurricane".
4. Helipad for Ka-252.
5. AK-130 gun mounts.

At the end of 1972, the preliminary design was approved by Admiral Gorshkov. Despite this clarity, even after approval, changes continued to be made to the project. The steam turbine power plant was replaced with a boiler-turbine one. SJSC Platina was chosen as the main hydroacoustic complex. The more advanced Polynom SJSC could not be installed on a destroyer due to the large dimensions of the complex. Ultimately, the ships of the project did not come close to their American counterparts. The only thing in which they were superior to their competitors was artillery power. The creation of a project for a new destroyer cost the USSR budget 165 thousand, and detailed design - 2.22 million rubles.

Construction

In the early summer of 1975, construction began on the first model of Project 956, the Sovremenny destroyer. According to the original plan, up to 50 such vessels were to be built in the future. In 1988, this number was reduced to 20 units. But the USSR could not achieve this figure either - the Navy received only 17 copies of the ship. Each Project 956 destroyer took an average of four years to build.

In order to increase production volume, an attempt was made to organize the construction of destroyers at the Nikolaev plant named after. 61 Communara. However, in 1986, this idea was abandoned, and the two laid down hulls of the ship were mothballed. By the time the USSR collapsed, 14 destroyers had been built. The remaining three were completed in the Russian Federation.

In the construction of the vessels, a sectional hull assembly method was used. At the time of construction of the lead vessel, its cost was about 90 million rubles. The next two ships cost about the same (the last expensive ship was the destroyer Excellent), and subsequent ships fell in price by 20 million. The reason for this was the mastery of technology and the establishment of the production process.

Initially, the warship was created purely for the needs of the Soviet fleet. No one was going to sell the newest ship abroad. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the lack of funding led to the search for third-party customers. Moreover, by the beginning of the 2000s, the Sarych’s weapons began to become obsolete.

Design

All ships created by Severny Design Bureau have a distinctive appearance, and Project 956 was no exception. The vessels of this project are often described as aggressive, sinister and expressive, and this is clearly not a coincidence. Since warships symbolize the power of the state, almost as much attention is paid to their appearance as to their technical parameters.

Project 956 destroyers are built according to a long-deck design with a sheer bow. The hull shape is selected in such a way as to ensure optimal operating angles for artillery weapons and non-flooding of the deck. The hull contours protect the vessel from flooding in seas up to 7 points. The hull is designed to reduce the radar signature of the vessel, but the Sarych is not a stealth ship.

The destroyer's side windage is 1700 m2. The decks are located parallel to the waterline, which simplifies the change of equipment during reconstruction and makes the ship more technologically advanced. The hull is divided into 16 watertight compartments using 15 bulkheads. In total, the destroyer has six decks: 2nd, 3rd, upper, forecastle deck and a pair of platforms, one of which goes into the second bottom. All main hull structures, foundations and reinforcements were made from low-alloy steel. From the engine room to the stern there are two longitudinal partitions that increase the rigidity of the ship. Thanks to the significant camber of the frames, the destroyer is stable. Thanks to pitch stabilizers, destroyers sail stably even in significant seas. With waves of force six, the ship's speed can reach 24 knots.

The superstructures of Project 956 destroyers were made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. They were connected to the hull and deck using rivets. The superstructure is conventionally divided into stern and bow blocks. The aft part is a block with a chimney and a hangar with a mainmast. The bow section is distinguished by the foremast.

The vessel's displacement ranges from 6.5 (standard) to 8.48 (overloaded) thousand tons.

Equipment

The power plant of the first modifications of Project 956 ships includes two boiler-turbine units of the GTZA-674 brand. Their total power is 100 thousand horsepower. The units are located in the bow and stern engine rooms. Each engine room contains two boilers and one steam turbine. The rotation speed in various operating modes of the installation is regulated by a turbo-gear unit. It is important to note that the Sarychi became the only 3rd generation combat vessels in the world with a boiler-turbine power plant. Starting with the seventh model (destroyer “Stoikiy”), ships began to be equipped with more reliable KVG-3 boilers. Nevertheless, boilers remained the weak point of ships, since they are very demanding on the purity of the supplied water. In addition to the main boilers, the power plant has an emergency boiler, which produces 14,000 kg of steam.

The destroyer has a pair of low-noise propellers. The steering unit includes a hydraulic machine and a semi-balanced steering wheel. The ship can reach a speed of 33.4 knots. Thanks to the fuel reserve of 1.7 thousand tons, the maximum cruising range of the vessel is 3,900 nautical miles.

Project 956 destroyers are provided with electricity through two steam generators (total power is 2500 kW) and two diesel generators (total power is 1200 kW).

Habitability

In peacetime conditions, the destroyer's crew number is 196 people, including 48 midshipmen and 25 officers. In wartime, the crew increases to 358 sailors. Officers live in single and double cabins, midshipmen - in double or quadruple cabins, and sailors - in cabins for 10-25 people. In any case, each crew member has at least 3 m2 of living space.

There are two wardrooms on board for feeding officers and midshipmen, as well as several dining rooms where sailors eat. For swimming, the ship has several showers and a sauna. In addition, the crew has at their disposal a library, a cinema hall, and even a swimming pool.

The living and working areas of the vessel are equipped with an air conditioning system. In terms of living conditions for the crew, destroyers of this model compare favorably with other Soviet ships.

The standard supply of provisions is enough for the ship to exist autonomously for 30 days.

Armament

The anti-aircraft missile armament of the Sarych ships includes the M-22 Uragan complex, which is a naval modification of the Buk complex. The warship has two anti-aircraft missile launchers: the first is located in the forecastle superstructure, and the second is behind the runway. The weight of the Uragan air defense system is 96 tons. Its ammunition consists of 48 guided missiles, which are stored in cellars. The Uragan air defense system can simultaneously attack up to 6 targets at an altitude of 10 m to 1 km, at a distance of up to 25 km.

Starting from the 14th ship (“Bezuderzhny”/“Gremyashchiy”), the destroyer began to be armed with the “Uragan-Tornado” air defense system. It can hit targets located at a distance of up to 70 km. It takes a maximum of 12 seconds to launch one rocket. A salvo of two missiles hits an aircraft with a probability of 0.81-0.96, and a cruise missile with a probability of 0.43-0.86.

The artillery armament of the destroyer "Sarych" consists of two twin AK-130 installations and anti-aircraft artillery, which is the last frontier in the air defense of ships. In addition, the ships' artillery armament includes a fire control system (FCS) MR-184, consisting of a radar station, a laser range finder, a ballistic computer and a thermal imager. The mechanized supply of ammunition allows firing from the gun mount at a rate of up to 90 rounds per minute at a distance of up to 24 kilometers. Each barrel has an ammunition capacity of 500 rounds, 180 of which are always ready for use. The installation weighs 98 tons.

The fast-firing anti-aircraft artillery of destroyers includes two batteries of AK-630M automatic systems. They are located on the sides of the ship and are responsible for destroying enemy cruise missiles at low altitude. Each battery contains two six-barrel installations with a Vympel control system and a rotating block of barrels. The AK-630M fires 4,000 rounds per minute and can hit targets at a distance of up to 4 km.

The main anti-ship weapon of the Sarych is the Moskit missile system. Starting with the Bespokoiny ship, they began to install the Moskit-M complex instead. Four anti-ship missiles are placed in two fixed launchers. The Moskit missile can hit targets at a distance of up to 140 km, and its upgraded version can hit targets at a distance of up to 170 km. The ship can fire all 8 missiles (each weighing 300 kg) in just 30 seconds.

On the upper deck of the ship there is a pair of twin-tube torpedo tubes with a caliber of 533 mm. As for mine weapons, they are represented by a pair of RBU-1000 model rocket-propelled mortars, capable of attacking targets at a distance of up to a kilometer. At the stern of the Sarych there are bomb launchers, which are responsible for destroying enemy submarines at shallow depths, in close proximity to the side of the ship. Barrage mines can also be installed on destroyers.

The K-27 helicopter is based in the ship's temporary retractable helicopter hangar. Since the helicopter platform is located almost in the center of the vessel, it is minimally affected by pitching. The helicopter can be used both to combat enemy boats and for reconnaissance and target designation work.

Vitality

The Project 956 destroyer has a serious survivability system. Potentially hazardous areas of the vessel (engine room and cellars) are fenced off with fire-resistant compartments with reinforced steel walls.

To combat fires, the ship is equipped with a fire main, a volumetric fire extinguishing system, a foam extinguishing system, as well as a water spray system for bulkheads and gangways. In addition, to protect the cellars there are separate irrigation and flooding systems.

Drainage, tank balancing and drainage systems can save a vessel from a water threat. To protect the external surface of the vessel from contamination, a washing system is provided.

Only artillery mounts and launchers of the Moskit anti-ship missiles are provided with armored anti-fragmentation protection.

Modifications

During the production of a series of ships, their design was amenable to partial modernization. From the 6th Corps (destroyer "Boevoy") the ships received the Fregat-M2 radar with two flat antennas. Starting from the seventh hull (“Stoikiy”), the ships were equipped with more advanced KVG-3 boilers. The production of version 956A began with the 14th corps (destroyer "Gremyashchy", formerly "Leading"). It featured the Hurricane-Tornado anti-aircraft gun, as well as new radar and navigation equipment.

Project 956 models

The table above will help you briefly get acquainted with the chronology of the creation of Project 956 destroyers and their current status.

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This material is being posted on the website on the eve of the 72nd anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

As a result of the post-war division of the Italian fleet, carried out by representatives of the four powers - Great Britain, the USA, the USSR and France - the Soviet Union received reparations for 45 ships and auxiliary vessels, including a battleship, a light cruiser, three destroyers and a destroyer, two submarines, ten torpedo boats, three patrol boats, etc. A directive signed in early February 1947 by the Chief of the Main Naval Staff, Admiral A.G. Golovko, ordered the Northern Fleet to form teams for two destroyers, and the North Baltic Fleet for the third. To discuss issues related to the transfer of ships, on February 11, 1947, the Naval Commission of the Four Powers was formed, the USSR delegation was headed by Rear Admiral V.P. Karpunin.

According to the draw, the Soviet Union received the destroyers Artillere, Fuciliere (Soldati type) and Augusto Riboti (Mirabello type, built in 1916). The acceptance of destroyers was to be carried out in Odessa, where the ships were to arrive from Italy under their own power with civilian crews and under a commercial flag.

During the negotiations, the names of the ships accepted by the Soviet Union changed several times. Thus, “Artillere” was first planned to be renamed “Elusive”, later – “Ruthless” and, finally, “Dexterous”; “Fuciliere” - in “Persistent”, “Distressed” and “Easy”; "Riboti" - in "Unapproachable" and "Curious", but ultimately it was rejected due to poor technical condition and inability to transition.

The first, on January 21, 1949, was the Artillere, under the command of Captain Residerio Baracchini, who arrived in Odessa. Four days later, the destroyer received the Soviet crew, and the Italian flag was lowered on it. The commander of the ship was Captain 3rd Rank I. Miroshnichenko. In March, in Odessa, the Soviet crew under the command of Captain 3rd Rank K. Staritsyn accepted the Fuciliere.

In order to ensure the safety of the received ships and to avoid spontaneous combustion and explosions, immediately after mooring in the Odessa port, they were thoroughly inspected and fuel was drained. After the Soviet crew boarded the ship, everything was restored to its original state.

After approval of the acceptance certificates, the ships were distributed among formations and units of the Black Sea Fleet. Since none of them had undergone not only major, but also current repairs and were practically not equipped with spare parts, tools and equipment (SPTA), the combat effectiveness of the former Italian ships raised well-founded doubts among the leadership of the Soviet Navy. A detailed examination showed that the ships required average repairs, and the condition of the artillery and torpedo weapons was especially neglected. The destroyers also did not meet operating conditions in domestic naval theaters. Thus, to bring them into line with modern requirements, serious repairs and a large amount of modernization work were necessary.

In the first year after joining the Black Sea Fleet, “Lovky” and “Lighty” were re-equipped with domestic anti-aircraft artillery, installing six 37-mm machine guns instead of Italian 37-mm and 20-mm machine guns (one twin B-11 on the middle superstructure and four single 70-K on the wings of the bridge and platforms behind the chimney) and two 12.7-mm DShK machine guns (on the forecastle section). By 1953, by dismantling the stern torpedo tube, two more twin B-11 assault rifles were installed on the "Light". Anti-submarine weapons were replaced by two BMB-1 rod bombers and two bomb releasers with a total ammunition load of 20 large depth charges. The main caliber artillery (two twin 120 mm guns) and torpedo tubes remained Italian.

Subsequently, during the middle repairs, which began for the “Dexterous” nine months after acceptance, and for the “Lighty” - after a year and a half, and completed in 1951-1952, a significant amount of modernization work was carried out on the destroyers: navigational weapons and equipment radio communications were replaced with domestic analogues, a “Guys-1 M4” air target detection radar and “Fakel-M” identification equipment were installed; performed insulation of sides and ceilings in residential premises; installed stationary bunks and lockers in the crew's quarters; installed an auxiliary boiler, a steam heating system, and digester boilers in the galley; Diesel generators and a number of auxiliary mechanisms were also replaced with domestic ones. The cost of repairs was about 3 million rubles.

The modernization carried out did not increase the combat value of the "Light" and "Dexterous", but brought them somewhat closer to the operating conditions in the domestic fleet. Although they were assigned to the Black Sea Fleet squadron, they were used mostly only for training purposes, and in March 1953 they were transferred to the 78th brigade of training ships. During 1952-1954. “Dexterous” and “Light” were operated with a fairly high intensity, covering 6-11 thousand miles annually in 500-900 running hours. Both destroyers took part in the filming of the feature film “Ship Commander,” released in 1954, directed by V.A. Brown (with Mikhail Kuznetsov in the title role).

By the mid-1950s, it became obvious that despite the modernization, the former Italian destroyers were completely outdated. On December 30, 1954, they were disarmed, transferred to the category of combat training support vessels and reorganized into target ships, while “Light” received the name TsL-57, and “Dexterous” - TsL-58.

At the same time, the command of the Black Sea Fleet took the initiative to convert former Italian destroyers into base ships for air surveillance, warning and communications (VNOS) with increased anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapons. By the decision of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for armament and ship repair, Admiral N.I. Vinogradov dated March 3, 1955, such re-equipment was permitted in relation to the “Dexterous”, which was undergoing ongoing repairs at plant No. 13 in Sevastopol. The re-equipment project was developed by Sevastopol SKB-172 directly during the work, which was completed in a relatively short time - the ship, named KVN-11, entered service at the end of October 1955.

The ship was equipped with two radars for detecting air targets “ground-based type P-8”, which ensured detection of aircraft at an altitude of 8000 m at a distance of up to 200 km, equipped with a combat information post (CIP) and a command post for control and guidance of fighter aircraft (KPU-NIA) ), the “Guys” radar was replaced by the more advanced “Lin”, and the composition of the radio communications equipment was completely updated and strengthened.

In place of the dismantled main-caliber artillery installations and torpedo tubes, four twin 57-mm SM-24-ZIF assault rifles were installed; two 37-mm 70-K machine guns initially remained in place, but were soon removed. Strengthening the anti-submarine weapons consisted of installing four BMB-2 rodless bomb launchers at the stern and two RBUs ​​for firing RSL-12 jet depth charges at the bow. To detect underwater targets, a Tamir-5N hydroacoustic station was installed.

As the authoritative historian M. Kotov complains, no information about changes as a result of the re-equipment of the ship’s shipbuilding elements was found in the documents. It is only known that the stability of the KVN-11 was significantly reduced, and it was allowed to sail with a sea state limit of up to 5 points and liquid cargo consumption of no more than 50%. During testing, a full speed of 23.4 knots was achieved, but this decrease is apparently explained not so much by modernization overload as by wear and tear of the mechanisms. The cost of repairs and re-equipment amounted to 3.5 million rubles.

“Lovkiy” became the only captured ship that underwent modernization of such a large extent. There was no decision to re-equip the same type of “Light” according to the same project.

However, even in their new capacity, the life of the former Italian destroyers did not last long. On January 21, 1960, the TsL-57 was removed from the lists of fleet vessels and scrapped, and two months later, on March 27, the KVN-11 was scrapped.

Literature and sources

• Berezhnoy S.S. Trophies and reparations of the USSR Navy. Directory. – Yakutsk, 1994.
• Berezhnoy S. Acceptance by the Soviet Union of ships of the Italian fleet // “Marine Collection”, 2000, No. 9.
• Kotov M. Repair and modernization of former German and Italian ships in the Soviet Navy (1945-1955) // “Typhoon”, 2002, No. 2.
• Bagnasco E. Cacciatorpediniere classe “Soldati” // Nave italiane della 2a guerra mondiale. T.15. – Parma: Ermanno Albertelli Editore, 1993.

• During the Great Patriotic War he commanded the destroyer Karl Liebknecht

In 1937, work on the Project 45 destroyer completely stopped. After the arrest of the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense Industry Muklevich, who oversaw the project, and after him the engineer Brzezinski, no one knew what to do with the unfinished ship, and the constantly changing fleet leadership had no time for the dubious project. Completion of the destroyer resumed only in the spring of 1938.

The ship begins testing

On March 15, 1938, Captain 3rd Rank D.P. was appointed commander of the destroyer Ordzhonikidze. Shanikov. In July of the same year, the ship was removed from mothballing, and installation and testing of turbines and other mechanisms began on it. In March 1939, mooring tests of the mechanisms began, which ended on August 30, 1940.

In parallel, by October 1939, trial commissioning tests of the main boilers were completed. It turned out that the thermotechnic regulators purchased in Germany for the synchronization unit for supplying fuel, air and feed water to boilers did not cope with their task. But the efficiency of direct-flow boilers was ensured, first of all, by precise and precise adjustment of their operating mode! The German regulators decided to replace the Ascania auto-adjustment devices produced at plant No. 230 with domestic ones. At the same time, at a meeting of interested institutions (factories No. 230, 190 and 379, the Bureau of Direct-Flow Shipbuilding, shipbuilding TsKB-17 and NII-45) on April 4–5, 1939, it was decided that in order to speed up work on the design of an automatic control system for boilers at facility C- 500 plant No. 230 will begin to develop them,

“without waiting for the full performance that should be achieved after installing a reliable remote control.”

On April 9, 1940, the crew finally “moved in” to the ship, and in October, by order of the People’s Commissar of the Navy, the destroyer was renamed “Experienced.” On September 30, the national flag was raised on the ship, and at 11 o’clock that day it left the factory in tow to undergo preliminary factory tests.

The main factory tests were carried out from November 27 to December 11. The ship made five trips to sea (for a total of 40 sailing hours), the machines reached a speed of 370 propeller revolutions per minute. Alas, the documents do not specify what speed this corresponded to. D.Yu. Litinsky writes that in the end the ship showed a speed of 25 knots with a machine power of 40,000 hp, but according to the “History of Domestic Shipbuilding” (with reference to an article by N.N. Afonin in 1985), with manual control of the boilers it was possible reach a speed of 35 knots. Below we will see that the estimated power of the machines after all the tricks was about 60,000 hp.

In any case, it was not possible to achieve reliable operation of the boiler control automation - it failed especially badly at low loads. However, this was not the only problem. The opening of the auxiliary mechanisms after the tests showed that some of them (feed pump No. 4, boiler turbofans, blades of the first stage condensate pump No. 2) require major repairs.

War is on the doorstep

On December 18, 1940, the adjustment of boiler automation in the first boiler room resumed on a ship stationed at the wall of the plant. By the end of the year, the installation of the main standard equipment was completed, but problems arose with the regulators. It was only in August-September that specialists from Plant No. 230 managed to set up manual remote control of boilers, control valves with servomotors, service steam pressure and oil supply regulators. The delivery of all four sets of automatic boiler control was postponed to 1941. At the same time, the chief designer of plant No. 230 in February 1941 indicated that:

“The factory-installed 190 bypass valves... do not provide the accuracy required for our regulators to maintain the fuel oil pressure in the pump discharge pipe.... In addition, plant 190 has not yet provided control of the temperature of fuel oil behind the oil heaters. Fluctuations in fuel oil temperature reduce the accuracy of the synchronization unit.”

But plant No. 190, loaded with work on the delivery of serial destroyers of Project 7-u, could not allocate a sufficient number of specialists with the required qualifications to complete the ship, which had clearly become of secondary importance.

“During December, January and early February, the plant started auxiliary mechanisms only 7 times for 3-4 hours. Not a single launch was complete without problems with auxiliary systems and emergency shutdowns of the boiler,”

– the director of plant No. 230 complained to the People’s Commissariat of the shipbuilding industry in March 1941.

In response, the director of plant No. 190 I.G. Milyashkin appealed to the People's Commissariat of State Control - to the all-powerful L.Z. Mehlis. The director pointed out that plant No. 230 was to blame for everything: it performed poor quality installation of impulse pipelines in boiler room No. 1, and belatedly submitted drawings and details for the water and fuel oil load valves. According to Milyashkin, the control system itself was questionable, since plant No. 230 did not have enough experience in creating such devices and did not want to use the experience of those who had already developed similar control systems for once-through boilers.

Among the latter, Milyashkin named plant No. 379 of the People's Commissariat of Aviation Industry (Aviation Instrument Making Plant), which since 1935 has been involved in work on the power plant of a “universal turbine boat” (project 234) with compact once-through boilers. The director kept silent that the design of this boat belonged to the same engineer Brzezinski, it had been built since 1937, and the power plant for it was still not ready. Brzezinski himself, arrested in 1937, at that time was working in the NKVD Design Bureau on the projects of “diving boats” “Bloch” and “M-400” - by the way, they also turned out to be a dead end. Moreover, clearly based on the experience of torment with Project 45 boilers, the first version of the tactical and technical requirements for the Project 30 destroyer, issued by the Shipbuilding Directorate of the Red Army Military Navigation Department in November 1937, stated:

“steam temperature above 380° is not allowed.”

In turn, the chief engineer of plant No. 379 confidently reported that the plant has experience in creating devices for automatic controls of once-through boilers of thermal power plants - in particular, the thermal power plant named after. Comintern in the city of Grozny:

“Both systems are organized similarly; both have a water/fuel synchronization unit. The designs of instruments from plant 230 for object 500 are significantly complicated by the introduction of various untyped elements, often very complex and ill-conceived, for the same purpose. All this made it extremely difficult to set up the system. The synchronization unit, the main unit of the entire system, was set up by plant 379 in Grozny within 10–12 days, while plant 230 has been working on it for two years... the automation system at the thermal power plant named after. The Comintern has been working continuously for a year without stopping, even for a planned audit.”

Alas, the complacency of the management of plant No. 379 had no basis. The once-through boiler installed at the Grozny CHPP in 1938 was indeed equipped with an automatic control system - but at a completely different level of accuracy. A stationary boiler of a thermal power plant has high power (the more powerful, the more economical), that is, greater inertia. Thus, he does not need to frequently change operating modes. On the contrary, a ship's once-through boiler has low inertia, and at the same time it has to frequently and abruptly change modes when the ship's speed changes. To effectively synchronize several rapidly changing parameters at once, a control device with the most sensitive sensors and a quick response of control devices to changes in their indicators is required. The task of creating such devices turned out to be much more difficult than Brzezinski and the engineers of plant No. 379 imagined. Ultimately, even the Germans could not cope with it: the high-pressure boilers of their destroyers were a real disaster for sailors throughout the war.

However, the problem with once-through boilers was not only adjustment. In April 1941, when checking the 1st boiler ready for operation, unexpectedly severe corrosion of the tubes in some sections of the superheater was discovered. They had to be urgently replaced, but a similar process began in the remaining boilers. High steam parameters contributed to the intensification of corrosion processes; water for once-through boilers required special preparation and an increased degree of distillation. All this came as an unpleasant surprise to shipbuilders who had never encountered such problems. In the end, it was decided to entrust the fight against pipe corrosion to L.K. Ramzin and his Bureau of Direct-Flow Boiler Construction. “Attribute the cost of work to the cost of the ship” , - said the decision of the Deputy People's Commissar of Shipbuilding.

Among other things, it became clear that valves, shut-off and control devices for boilers operating at high pressure and steam temperature needed to be made from more durable materials than was customary for conventional boilers.

The design of the destroyer's power plant was also not very successful. According to the minutes of the meeting on April 6, 1941, due to excessive steam consumption due to high back pressure behind the auxiliary turbo mechanisms, the maximum full speed power was only 78% of the specification, since only 162 tons per hour remained for the main turbines (instead of 208 tons per hour according to the project) . It turned out to be impossible to use exhaust steam in the low-pressure turbine at full speed, since due to the high resistance in the pipeline, the pressure of the exhaust steam in the engine room was lower than in the receiver of the low-pressure turbine (LPT). At low speeds, the steam consumption for auxiliary mechanisms turned out to be twice as much as the consumption for the main turbines. It was not possible to work from the bow boiler room to the aft engine room - thus, the separation of the power plant lost its meaning. TsKB-17 proposed modifications that made it possible to achieve relatively high full-speed power (85.5% of the specified) even without the use of waste steam in the LPT receiver. The cost-effectiveness of the installation at small and medium strokes after these modifications was assessed as follows:

“16 knots – approx. 0.8 kg coal per liter. With. at one o'clock

20 knots – approx. 0.55 kg coal per liter. With. at one o'clock

cruising speed - approx. 0.40 kg coal per liter. With. at one o'clock".

If we remember that the design power of the destroyer’s vehicles was 70,000 hp, it turns out that during factory tests they produced 54,600 hp. and TsKB-17 proposed improvements that made it possible (according to calculations) to raise it to 60,000 hp. On the other hand, according to the February report of the assistant military representative at plant No. 190, the power of the machines at full speed was 61,500 hp.

As a result, the government intervened in the construction of the ship. By a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated April 9, 1941, the ship's delivery date was set at October 15, 1941. The resolution noted that a number of shipbuilding problems would be worked out on the destroyer, primarily in power plants - now this was seen as the main point of its completion. In May, the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars scheduled sea trials of the ship for the period from July 20 to August 15, and state trials for the period from August 15 to September 15, 1941.

However, on May 21, the authorized representative of the Shipbuilding Directorate in Leningrad, engineer-captain 1st rank Yakimov, informed the head of the Directorate that the deadline for the completion of adjustment and delivery of boiler control automation was being missed:

In addition, in May of the same year, the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Navy expressed concern about the weakness of the destroyer's hull in the upper connections and demanded reinforcement of the deck - in the end it was decided to do this after testing, but for now limit the conditions for the destroyer to go to sea with waves of 6-7 points.

At this point, according to the message of the Shipbuilding Department in the Council of People's Commissars, the tactical and technical characteristics of the destroyer (based on the results of inclining on July 13, 1940 and taking into account the load according to the working drawings dated April 1, 1941) were determined as follows:

“The greatest length is 113.5 m

Length along the design waterline – 110 m

Maximum width (according to the vertical line) – 10.2 m

Standard displacement – ​​1621 t

Displacement during testing (with 6-hour fuel supply) – 1787 t

Normal displacement (with 50% fuel reserve) – 1822 t

Average recess for displacement during testing - 3.3 m

Initial metacentric height for displacement during testing - 0.72 m

The smallest metacentric height (with mines on the upper deck) is 0.37 m."

As a result, the ship's factory sea trials began late (July 31) with the automatic control of the boilers still unadjusted. The tests were carried out according to a shortened program in the Kronstadt area. According to the program, each boiler was individually tested under full load for 4 hours, then the operation of the machines was checked for 6 hours with two boilers operating in the first echelon and for 3 hours with one boiler operating in each echelon, as well as reverse from forward to rear. On the sidelines of the test program, signed by the director of the plant. Zhdanova I.G. Milyashkin has handwritten notes:

“4 hours - 20 knots, at least 3 hours - 32 knots, 3 hours - 42 knots... The speed is measured... 16 knots, 25 knots, 37 knots. on 3 tacks."

On August 17, factory tests were completed, and on August 20, the authorized representative of the Shipbuilding Department in Leningrad, Captain 1st Rank Yakimov, signed a confirmation that the ship was ready for state tests under a reduced program. The general conclusion after factory tests was as follows:

“The reliability of the mechanical installation under military conditions was tested in factory tests within 220 rpm and found satisfactory.

During the indicated turns, the destroyer can be used for patrol duty and for all combat operations that can be assigned to a single ship. The MM cannot be allowed to sail as part of a formation without further development of the automation.

For a final check of the mech. installation of the ship, I consider it possible to admit the MM “Opytny” to the Commission’s acceptance tests according to a program shortened under wartime conditions.”

Chapter 1. Destroyers in the Soviet fleet in the pre-war period

The class of destroyers, torpedo-artillery ships, designed to interact with an operational formation (squadron), was formed on the eve of and during the First World War. It originally appeared due to the need to effectively combat enemy destroyers. Mine-resistant artillery of battleships, which has the same purpose, did not always protect the squadron from attacks by destroyer ships. Therefore, the idea arose of including destroyers in the squadrons, capable of protecting it during the transition and during the battle with the main enemy forces. Sailing with a squadron on the high seas necessitated an increase in seaworthiness, which was achieved “automatically” - with an increase in size and displacement, inevitable with an increase in the caliber and number of guns. The latter was absolutely necessary for victory in an artillery battle with enemy destroyers. The main purpose of the new ships was indicated by their name: counter-destroyer or destroyer, that is, destroyer of destroyers. Thus, the “fighters” were essentially enlarged destroyers with more powerful artillery (sometimes reinforced torpedo) weapons, greater speed and cruising range, more suitable for security service with a squadron, but at the same time capable of acting independently or in a group . With the speed reserves needed to perform tactical reconnaissance, counter-destroyers were able to take on much of the work that had previously been the responsibility of numerous predecessors of the light cruiser class. In the leading navies, which actually had squadrons of powerful artillery ships, on the eve of the First World War, serial construction of “fighters” began, which during the fighting earned a reputation as irreplaceable and universal warships capable of solving a wide range of tasks.

In the Imperial Russian Navy in 1909, the term “destroyer” was officially adopted. The first “true” representative of this class should be considered the destroyer Novik, which entered service in 1913, and was qualitatively different from its predecessors. Turbine mechanisms and liquid fuel boilers, which had already gained positions in the naval power industry of foreign fleets, four-inch artillery with a central aiming system, and twin torpedo tubes made this ship, which was classified as a mine cruiser when laid down, a worthy prototype for a numerous series of destroyers of the Russian fleet. The combat capabilities of the Novik were so different from the destroyers that were in service that the command of the Baltic Fleet considered it necessary to include it in the cruiser brigade. During the war in the Baltic, the Novik had to fight independently or in cooperation with ships of the same type, demonstrating its capabilities that exceeded the operational “scenarios” developed by naval tactics in its range. Russian destroyers repeatedly entered into artillery duels even with the cruisers of Germany and Turkey - the artillery fire of 102-mm guns was considered quite effective when firing at large lightly armored ships (in the German fleet, the 105-mm caliber was considered sufficient to arm light cruisers of almost all types up to the middle First World War).

Serial "noviki" formed the basis of the Soviet fleet in the twenties and thirties. However, already in the early thirties, progress in global military shipbuilding made these destroyers obsolete. Therefore, it is quite logical that the operational-tactical task for a “new destroyer for the Baltic and Black Seas”, developed since 1928 by the Naval Department of the Red Army Headquarters, was ultimately formed into a document that laid the foundation for the design of leaders of the Leningrad* type. The new destroyers, the construction of which, mainly due to financial restrictions, was planned in small numbers, were intended to be used precisely to lead the “newcomers” - in full accordance with the prevailing views in foreign fleets.

The class of destroyer leaders (flotilla leader) originated during the First World War, continuing the main trend in the evolution of destroyers - increasing displacement and increasing the power of weapons. In some cases, the weapons even “outstripped” the ship itself: an example is the destroyers built at the end of the First World War in Germany with 150 mm artillery. By the mid-thirties, Great Britain, France and Italy introduced into their fleets ships with a displacement of more than two thousand tons, armed with 4-5 guns of 120-138 mm caliber and 6-9 torpedoes in a salvo, capable of reaching a full speed of up to 40 knots. In the English fleet, the leaders were assigned the classic role of launching destroyers to attack, while the French and Italians essentially competed with each other in building increasingly powerful and fast ships that were supposed to confront each other in a duel. In the USSR, the term “leader” was officially adopted in 1933, and from that time “Leningrad” began to be called the leader of destroyers.

After the laying of the keel in 1932, the three leaders of “Project No. 1” began work again on the project of a serial destroyer, intended to replace the “noviki”, the technical condition of which, due to their advanced age and intensive use, was defined as “deplorable.” The destroyers, which the Red Army Navy expected to receive in quantities of more than 50 units, according to the then domestic naval science, should have been armed with two three-tube torpedo tubes for 533-mm torpedoes, four)