Kresta I-class cruiser

Kresta-class cruiser Vize-Admiral Drozd in 1986.
Class overview
Name: Kresta I class
Builders: Zhdanov, Leningrad
Operators:
Preceded by: Kynda class
Succeeded by: Kresta II class
In commission: 1967–1994
Completed: 4
Retired: 4
General characteristics
Type: Guided missile cruiser
Displacement:
  • 6,000 tons standard
  • 7,500 tons full load
Length: 159 m (521 ft 8 in)
Beam: 17 m (55 ft 9 in)
Draught: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 steam turbines
  • 68,000–75,000 kW (91,000–100,000 shp)
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range: 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement: 343-360
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 Kamov Ka-25 'Hormone-B'
Aviation facilities: Helicopter deck and hangar

The Kresta I-class cruiser is a Soviet cruiser class. The Soviet designation was Project 1134 Berkut (golden eagle).

These ships were designed for a surface warfare role. Soviet priorities were changed to an anti-submarine role and only 4 ships were built with this configuration. These ships were followed by the Kresta II class, an anti-submarine derivative.

Design

Though considerably larger, more effective and reliable than the previous Soviet cruiser class, the Kynda class, the Kresta I surface warfare cruisers carried only half as many Shaddock launch tubes and one-fourth the total number of missiles. Initially it was planned to fit the SS-N-12 Sandbox (P-500 Bazalt) missile but the protracted development of this missile led to the older SS-N-3 being shipped. The self-defence armament was considerably increased as were command and communications facilities.

The Kresta Is could launch four SS-N-3b SLCMs and 44 SA-N-1 surface-to-air missiles with two twin launchers fore and aft, and had ten 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes. A single Ka-25 Hormone B helicopter was carried for targeting the cruise missile, and mid-course corrections.

Electronics Fit carried :

  • Radar:
MR-500 Kliver air search
MR-302 Rubka
MR-310 Angara
Don navigation
  • Sonar:
MG-312 hull mounted
MG-26 hull mounted
  • Other systems:
Khrom-2M IFF
Yatagan SA-N-1 fire control
MR-103 AK-725 fire control
Binom P35 Progress fire control

Two unbuilt variants were proposed;

  • Project 934 - A variant armed with 8 short range anti ship missiles (SS-N-9) otherwise similar to the ships built. This design evolved into the Kresta 2 class
  • Project 934 K - This was a larger flagship variant with enlarged command facilities and a bigger hangar for 4-5 helicopters. This variant was cancelled

Ships

The initial plan was for a single squadron of seven ships armed with long range missiles and two squadrons of fourteen ships armed with shorter range missiles. In reality only four ships were built before production switched to the anti-submarine variant the Kresta II class

Ship Russian Laid Down Launched Commissioned Scrapped
Admiral Zozulya Адмирал Зозуля 1964 1965 1967 1994
Vitse-Admiral Drozd Вице-Адмирал Дрозд 1965 1966 1968 Sank 1992 on way to breakers
Vladivostok Владивосток 1964 1969 1969 1991
Sevastopol Севастополь 1966 1967 1969 1991

See also

References

Gardiner, Robert (ed.) (1995). Conway's all the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 0-85177-605-1. OCLC 34284130. Also published as Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław (1995). Conway's all the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7. OCLC 34267261.

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