Conventional SSK attack submarines (Project 633, 1957) 21 submarines (1958-62) Introduction: Perhaps not the best-known cold war conventional submarine of Soviet naval forces, the Romeo class as known in the Western world were the Project 633. They were nevertheless known for two reasons: -First, they took the succession of the Project 613 (Whiskey class), the … Read more
160 Destroyers (45 in 1990) Foreworld: A destroyer force dwarved by NATO The Soviet Navy was the “poor parent” compared to the land and air forces during the cold war. At any moment for 43 years, the Soviet ground forces could unleash more than 20,000 tanks on the German plains and forest, and strike with … Read more
c120 ASW Frigates 1947-1990 A general overview: During the cold war, the Soviet Union developed the most formidable naval force in the world, second after the US Navy. However aside its strategy of “carrier-killers”, the high command was also aware of the threat of US submarines that could jeopardize its very long coastline and communication … Read more
Conventional and missile Cruisers, projects and conversions (1947-90) 62 Cruisers 1947-90 Overview: From conventional to missile warfare In February 1946 the “Red fleet” was renamed the Soviet Navy (Советский Военно-Морской Флот, romanized as Sovyetsky Voyenno-Morskoy Flot), and Stalin, the absolute master of USSR, milited for a conventional fleet able to rival the new likely adversary … Read more
Komar class FACs (1960) Proyekt 183R – 112 boats 1952-60 The world’s first Fast Attack Crafts: USSR in the early cold war was resolutely embracing innovation to compensate for its numerical inferiority: The Komar class FACs, using antiship missiles, was one such solutions. The Soviet Navy in its post-Stalin era resolutely was not strong strong … Read more
Kynda class cruisers (1961-63) Groznyy, Admiral Fokin, Admiral Golovko, Varyag Kynda The four ships of the Kynda class were the first Soviet missile cruisers. They were from the outset (1956) designed to destroy American aircraft carriers by other and more modern means than Stalin’s traditional attachment to conventional artillery. This position was very mush argued … Read more
A-90 Orlyonok 5 Ekranoplanes (1972-79) Landing tanks on a beach at 400 kph: The A-90 Orlyonok series are the only crafts of any type worldwide capable of landing a full Marine batallion on any beach, complete with armored vehicles and heavy equipment, after crossing 1500 km at 400 kph. This miracle had been done back … Read more
Project 50 Gornostay Storozhevoi Korabl 68 ASW frigates (1949-55) In four years, the Nikolayev, Komsomol and Kaliningrad shipyards delivered 68 frigates of this type. Unlike the later units of the Petya and Mirka classes, the Riga class were not specialized ASW units, but small, multi-purpose ships derived from the Kola, themselves inspired by the last … Read more
Project 1134A (Berkut A) 10 cruisers: Kronstadt, Admiral Isakov, Admiral Nakhimov, Admiral Makarov, Admiral Voroshilov, Admiral Oktyabryskiy, Admiral Isashenko, Admiral Timoshenko, Vasily Chapayev, Admiral Yumashev The Kresta II class missile cruisers (Project 1134A, or Berkut A) were like the Kresta I anti-ship cruisers re-evaluated as ASW cruisers when the design was still ongoing. Their armament, … Read more
Skory class destroyers (1949) USSR – 70 ships The first postwar soviet destroyers The Skory (or Skoryy, Skoriy) was a somewhat backward response to the large series of standardized destroyers of the American Fletcher and Gearing classes. These were essentially a takeover of the Ognevoi class from 1940, but they incorporated many of the technologies … Read more
