Project 11540 Yastreb (Neustrashimy-class) frigate

Project 11540 Yastreb: Neustrashimy, Yaroslav Mudry (1896-2009). In service, Baltic Fleet. The Neustrashimy class (Неустрашимый or Neustrashimyy, “Redoubtable”) were started as the Project 11540 Yastreb (hawk) in the early 1980s as a new class of large frigates for the Soviet Navy, in order to replace 1960s generation frigates, and seen as an improvement on the … Read more

Soviet Fast Attack Craft (1946-1990)

P2, P4, P6-10, KOMAR, OSA, Shershen, Mol, Turya, Matka, Pchela, Sarancha, Babochka, Mukha, Mutavey: c400 ships 1946-1990 This portal post is about the continuation of the motor torpedo boat fleet created in WW2. In the cold war, as it was now firmly part of its naval doctrine to defend all four fleet areas (Baltic, Arctic, … Read more

Tarantul Class Corvette

Sovietsky Flot Project 1241 Molniya: 80 ships built, most exported. The Pr.1241 “Lightning” were 80 large missile cutters in Soviet classification, “Tarantul class” corvettes in NATO classification, initially built 1979-1984 for the Soviet Navy, and also massively for export afterwards. They were designed to replace the Project 205M Tsunami missile cutter (NATO: Osa-class). They were … Read more

PAUK class Corvette

Project 1241.2 Molniya-2: 42 ASW corvette planned (3 cancelled) 1976-1991 The Pauk class (NATO reporting name) were small patrol corvettes of for the Soviet Navy, exported also between 1977 and 1989, official designation Project 1241.2 Molniya-2. Partly inspired by the Tarantul class, they were designed for coastal patrol and inshore ASW warfare. They differed from … Read more

Nanuchka class Corvette (1968)

Project 1234 Ovod 1968-75. Nanuchka I-IV: 35 Corvettes Built in Ulis (Vladivostok) and Petrovsky (Leningrad), these were 35 multirole “large missile boats” (NATO corvettes) (17 Nanuchka I and 17 Nanuchka III), plus the Nanuchka II export (7 for Libya and Algeria), and single prototype Nanuchka IV of 1976. Project 1234 Ovod were classified as coastal … Read more

Koni class Frigate (1975)

Project 1159 Del’fin class “patrol ships” Frigates NATO Koni I/II/III) 1975-1988: 15 completed. The Koni class (NATO reporting name) were fifteen anti-submarine warfare frigate built by the Soviet Union as Project 1159 Del’fin to replace the 1950s Riga class. Fourteen were built in Zelenodolsk shipyard between 1975 and 1988. However the project evolved into multirole … Read more

VICTOR III class submarine (1977)

Project 671RTM/RTMK Shchuka (NATO “VICTOR III”) nuclear attack submarines 25 submarines: К-524, К-254, К-502, К-527, К-298, К-358, К-299, К-244, К-247, К-507, К-251, К-255, К-324, К-355, К-360, К-218, К-242, К-492, К-412, К-305, К-264, К-315, К-292, К-388, К-138, К-414, B-448. Built 1976-1991, 2 active 2025 The Victor III Class (Project 671RTM/RTMK Shchuka Class) are the last, most … Read more

Alfa class submarine (1969)

Project 705 Lira (NATO “ALFA”) nuclear attack submarines 7 submarines: K-64, K-123, K-316, K-432, K-373, K-493, K-463 The world’s fastest SSN was already in 1960 a Soviet submarine, the first with two nuclear reactors, with a tested underwater speed of 31 knots: Project 627 “Kit” (NATO “November”). In the mid-1960s it was clear that the … Read more

Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier (1985-88)

Project 1143.5 STOBAR Aircraft Carrying Cruiser (Tyazholiy Avianesushchiy Kreyser – TAK): Kreml Class. 1982-90: Admiral Kuznetsov (still active), Riga (Varyag, later PLAN Type 001 Liaoning) After the Kievs and Kirovs, the USSR had the technical means to build large units, using nuclear propulsion combined with conventional propulsion. Soviet doctrine had led the Admiralty to define … Read more