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Soviet/Russian aircraft carriers
Kirov class battlecruisers
Soviet/Russian cruisers and destroyers
La Fayette class frigates
Descubierta class corvettes
AK-100 100-millimeter cannon
AK-630 30-millimeter cannon
SA-N-4 surface-to-air missile
533-millimeter torpedo launcher
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Krivak class
The Krivak class (or Burevestnik project) was the first Soviet design of a frigate equipped with missiles, started in the late 1950s.
Fourty units were completed and in 2016 only two of these veteran warships seem to remain in service. However the project is not dead,
for the Indian Navy ordered in recent years six units of an upgraded Krivak III type, being announced in 2010 that three new units of
similar typology - but with further enhancements - would be built for the Russian Navy.
The original Krivak class had an overall length of 123.5 meters, a beam of 14.1 meters and a draught of 4.6 meters, with a standard
displacement of about 3300 tonnes that reached 3600 tonnes at full load.
The propulsion plant was one of COGAG type, which comprised a set of two gas turbines for high speed (giving a total output of 40000 shaft
horsepower) and another set of similar but less powerful turbines for cruising speeds (giving a total power of 15000 shaft horsepower),
which actuated on two shafts and allowed a maximum speed of 32 knots, while operational range was around 5000 nautical
miles (9250 kilometers) at 14 knots. The complement was around 200.
The Burevestnik project passed through several modifications along its history, which affected the armament and were
referred as Krivak I, Krivak II, Krivak III and Krivak IV. The enhancement of the Krivak III led to the most recent derivatives known as
Talwar class (for the Indian Navy) and Admiral Grigorovich class (for the Russian Navy), already mentioned.
The original Krivak class included as armament four antisubmarine missiles SS-N-14 "Silex", two retractable twin launchers for
the surface-to-air missile SA-N-4 "Gecko", two twin mountings of 76-millimeter cannons, two antisubmarine rocket launchers RBU-6000
and eight 533-millimeter torpedo tubes. The second photograph below shows a Krivak I class frigate of the Chinese Navy.
In the Krivak II the two twin mountings of 76-millimeter cannons were replaced with two single mountings of 100-millimeter cannons
and the variable-depth sonar was redesigned. The Krivak III, intended for the coastal guard of the KGB, was a more radical redesign which
replaced the SS-N-14 missiles by a 100-millimeter cannon and the SA-N-4 launcher and cannon mountings astern by a hangar and flight
deck to operate with a Ka-27 antisubmarine helicopter, being added two AK-630 30-millimeter cannons besides the hangar as point-defense system.
The following photograph shows a frigate of the Krivak III class. Note the helicopter deck and hangar superstructure astern and the
AK-630 CIWS 30-millimeter cannon installed in that one. There is a 100-millimeter cannon mounting on the prow and the pop-up SA-N-4 launcher
is located in the space between the cannon and the two antisubmarine launchers.
In the following photos, the Talwar class in service with the Indian Navy since 2002. In this very modernized version of the Krivak III class,
which incorporates stealth design, the twin SA-N-4 launcher was replaced by a single launcher for the surface-to-air missile SA-12 "Grizzly",
one of the two RBU-6000 antisubmarine launchers was removed and the Kashtan CIWS combat module replaced the AK-630 in some of the ships delivered.
The Talwar class also integrates a vertical launching system for surface-to-surface cruise missiles to attack enemy ships and submarines.
Neustrashimyy class
In 2012 the Neustrashimyy class still represented the most modern type of frigate in active service with the Russian Navy, to be superseded
in subsequent years by designs with advanced stealth characteristics. The first ship was laid down in 1986, but eventually, due to the
collapse of the Soviet Union, only two units (Neustrashimyy and Yaroslav Mudry) of the seven originally planned would be completed. The design
corresponds to a general-purpose frigate with some emphasis in antisubmarine warfare, equipped with a new sonar system and with reduced stealth
capabilities. The layout of the Neustrashimyy class can be considered as a reduced version of the Udaloy class of antisubmarine destroyers.
These frigates have an overall length of 129.6 meters, a beam of 15.6 meters and a draught of 5.6 meters, with a standard displacement of 3800 tonnes,
which reaches 4400 tonnes at full load. The propulsion plant comprises four gas turbines in a
COGAG arrangement, in similarity with the preceding Krivak class, actuating on two shafts and giving a total output of 110000 horsepower, allowing a
maximum speed of 30 knots, while operational range is around 4500 nautical miles (8350 kilometers) at 16 knots. The complement is around 210.
The armament comprises one 100-millimeter cannon, four vertical launchers for the surface-to-air missile SA-N-9 "Gauntlet",
one RBU-6000 antisubmarine mortar, two Kashtan CIWS combat modules, six 533-millimeter torpedo tubes and a Ka-27 antisubmarine
helicopter. Eight antiship missiles SS-N-25 "Switchblade" were installed only in the Yaroslav Mudry. All the photographs
presented here correspond to the Neustrashimyy, launched in 1988, three years before her sister.
CADS-N-1 is the NATO designation of the most modern Russian antimissile defense system, deployed for the first time in the missile cruisers
of the Kirov class. Formed by two AK-630 cannons and four or eight SA-N-19 missiles it is believed that this system is very effective, and
that it is associated to the fire control radar "Bass Tilt", albeit it has its own incorporated radar.
On top of the aft mast, about 24 meters above sea level, is the three-dimensional air and surface search radar, which operates in D/E bands.
Both panels are offset by 30 degrees, with the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) antenna between both and on the topmost part. On the
other hand, the sonar equipment includes a hull-mounted sonar in the prow and a variable-depth sonar.
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