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Kara-class cruiser

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Kara-class cruiser Kerch
Kerch in 2007
Class overview
NameKara class
Builders61 Communards Shipyard, Mykolaiv
Operators
Preceded byKresta II class
Succeeded by
Built1968–1979
In commission1971–2020
Completed7
Retired7
General characteristics
TypeGuided missile cruiser
Displacement
  • 8,200 tons standard
  • 9,700 tons full load[1]
Length173.2 m (568 ft 3 in)
Beam18.6 m (61 ft 0 in)
Draught6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Propulsion2 shaft COGAG, 4x DN59 2x DS71 gas turbines, 120,000 hp (89,000 kW)
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range9,000 nmi (17,000 km)
Complement380
Armament
  • 2 × quad Metel Anti-Ship Complex anti-submarine missiles
  • 2 × twin M-11 Shtorm surface-to-air missile launchers (80 missiles)
  • 2 x twin 9K33 Osa surface-to-air missile launchers (40 missiles)
  • 2 × twin 76 mm (3 in) AK-726 naval guns
  • 4 × 30 mm (1 in) AK-630 CIWS
  • 2 × 5 533 mm (21 in) PTA-53-1134B torpedo tubes
  • 2 × RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 2 × RBU-1000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 24 × S-300F surface-to-air missiles (Azov)
Aircraft carried1 × Ka-25 or Ka-27 series helicopter
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

The Kara class, Soviet designation Project 1134B Berkut B ("golden eagle"), was a class of guided missile cruisers ("large anti-submarine warfare ship," in Soviet classification) built for the Soviet Navy between 1968 and 1976. NATO classified the type as cruisers mainly due to their size and the presence of the Metel (SS-N-14 Silex) anti-ship missile system, capable of striking both submarines and surface vessels.

Design

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These ships were enlarged versions of the Kresta II class, with gas turbine engines replacing the steam turbines. These ships were fitted as flagships with improved command, control and communications facilities. These are dedicated ASW ships with significant anti-aircraft capability including both M-11 Shtorm and 9K33 Osa surface-to-air missiles.

The specifications for the class were issued in 1964 with the design being finalised in the late 1960s. The gas turbine engine was chosen instead of steam for greater efficiency and quietness, and because the main Soviet gas turbine plant had a long association with the Nikolayev shipyards.

The cruiser Azov was constructed as a trials ship for the S-300 missile system and was also fitted with the associated Top Dome Radar. During the Cold War she was confined to the Black Sea.

Ships

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All the ships were built by the 61 Communards Shipyard in Mykolaiv (Nikolayev).

Name Russian Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Notes
Nikolayev Николаев 25 June 1968 19 December 1969 31 December 1971 29 October 1992 Scrapped in India, 1994
Ochakov Очаков 19 December 1969 30 April 1971 4 November 1973 12 August 2011 Purposely sunk in channel of Donuzlav Bay 6 March 2014. Later refloated and scrapped at Inkerman in 2015.[2]
Kerch Керчь 30 April 1971 21 July 1972 25 December 1974 15 February 2020 Scrapped at Inkerman, Sevastopol in 2020
Azov Азов 21 July 1972 14 September 1973 25 December 1975 30 May 1998 Scrapped at Inkerman in 1999-2000.
Petropavlovsk Петропавловск 9 September 1973 22 November 1974 29 December 1976 26 February 1992 Sold for scrap in 1996.
Tashkent Ташкент 22 November 1974 5 November 1975 31 December 1977 3 July 1992 Sold for scrap in 1994.
Vladivostok

(ex-Tallinn)

Владивосток
(Таллин) 		5 November 1975 5 November 1976 31 December 1979 5 July 1994 Sold for scrap in 1994.

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^ Chant, Chris (2004). Warships Today. Summertime Publishing Ltd. p. 98. ISBN 0-7607-6700-9.
  2. ^ Ishchenko, Sergei (13 January 2015). "Средиземноморская Цусима". svpressa.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-06-02.

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nikolaev class cruiser.
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