Komar-class missile boat

The Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known as the Komar class, its NATO reporting name, meaning "mosquito", is a class of missile boats, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. Notably, they were the first to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles in 1967.

A Komar-class missile boat launching a Styx missile
Class overview
Name: Komar (Project 183R)
Operators:
Succeeded by: Osa class
Subclasses: Project 183 (MTB)
Built: 1952-1960
Completed: 112 missile boats,
General characteristics
Type: Fast attack craft
Displacement: 61.5 tons standard, 66.5 tons full load
Length: 25.4 m (83 ft 4 in)
Beam: 6.24 m (20 ft 6 in)
Draught: 1.24 m (4 ft 1 in)[lower-alpha 1]
Propulsion: 4 shaft M-50F diesels 4,800 hp (3,600 kW)
Speed: 44 knots (81 km/h; 51 mph)
Range: 600 nmi (1,100 km; 690 mi) at 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Crew: 17 (3 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:
  • 2 × 25 mm 2M-3M guns in a twin gun mount (1,000 rounds)
  • 2 × KT-67 missile launchers containing 1 P-15 Termit (SS-N-2 "Styx") anti-ship missile each

Design

The Project 183 motor torpedo boat (MTB) was designed just after World War II. These boats were armed with two 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes and were used extensively by Soviet coastal forces in the 1950s. The torpedo boat had a wooden semi-planing hull and was fitted with radar. Over 622 MTBs were built. A submarine chaser variant fitted with sonar and depth charges was also built as was a radio-controlled target boat.

In 1956, the P-15 Termit missile became available (NATO reporting name: SS-N-2 "Styx"). The Project 183 proved to be a natural choice for mounting the new missiles, giving the small, fast boats great firepower for their size. The new combination was designated Project 183R (R apparently for raketny - rocket), the first missile boat in service anywhere in the world. The missiles could be fired in sea state 4.

A total of 112 Komars were built between 1956 and 1965 and served in the Soviet Navy, along with several allied navies, until the 1980s, when they were replaced by newer, more capable fast attack craft.

Export ships

Combat use
  • 1967 October 21 - Egyptian Navy Komar-class missile boats sank Israeli destroyer Eilat in the first combat use of P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles. This was the first time a ship had sunk another ship using guided missiles.
  • 7 October 1973 - Two Syrian Navy Komar-class missile boats along with an Osa I-class missile boat, a K-123 torpedo boat and a T43-class minesweeper fought unsuccessfully against four Israeli Navy Sa'ar 3-class missile boats and one Sa'ar 4-class missile boat in the Battle of Latakia. Other Syrian missile boats fired missiles from within the harbor that mistakenly or due to malfunction hit civilian craft in the harbour.

See also

Notes
  1. Other sources have the draught being 2 m (6 ft 7 in)[1]

References
  1. Couhat Jean. Combat Fleets of the world 1982/1983 Their Ships, Aircraft, and Armament Paris: Editions Maritimes et d'Outre-Mer, 1981 ISBN 0-87021-125-0 p. 2

Bibliography
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 0851776051. 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 1557501327. OCLC 34267261.
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