Project 1144 Orlan; 4 ships built: Kirov (1980), Frunze (1984), Kalinin (1988), Yuri Andropov (1988), Dzerzhinsky (cancelled). 1992: Admiral Ushakov, Lazarev, Nakhimov, Pyotr Velikiy (2 BU, 1 refit, 1 service 2023) The Kirov class missile cruisers were nuclear-powered vessels built by the Soviet Union in the 1970s-1980s as Project 1144 Orlan. Kirov (later Admiral Ushakov), … Read more
Project 627 “Kit” nuclear attack submarines 14 submarines 1957-63: One project 627, twelve project 627A, one project 645 Known in the west by NATO identifier “November”, Project 627 “Kit” (whale) were the first Soviet class of nuclear-powered attack submarines. They were in service from 1958. These were a concern for the USN, soon after USS … Read more
Project 35/35M ASW Frigates 18 ASW Frigates of the Mirka I & II, 1960-1990 After the early phase centered around multirole frigates, the threat seen by the Politburo posed by the new USN nuclear attack submarines (and soon SSBN) prompted the definition of a new generation of decicated ASW Frigates built en masse with specialized … Read more
Project 1123 Kondor 1962-96 Moskva, Leningrad, Kiev (cancelled) The Moskva and Leningrad were the first “aircraft carriers” built by the Soviet Union. They were perfect hybrids, combining the firepower of a cruiser foward with an aft flight deck, a configuration that was quite common at the time (Italians Doria, Veneto, Japanese Haruna, French Jeanne D’Arc, … Read more
Project 611 (NATO “Zulu”) conventional attack submarines 26 submarines 1952-57 The Project 611 (NATO Zulu class) were an early postwar attack submarine class contemporary, but more developed than the Project 613 (Whiskey class) on their replication of all innovations found in the the WW2 German Type XXI U-boat. They saw a limited production at Leningrad … Read more
Project 159 class, Strozhevoi Korabl (light escort) Frigates 8 General Purpose Frigates 1948-1970: 54 completed. One aspect of the Soviet Navy of the cold war, especially early phase in the 1950-60s was the emphasis on mass production, just as in interwar years. Famous examples of the time were the Project 613 Whiskey class submarines, and … Read more
Project 42 Sokol class, Strozhevoi Korabl (light escort) Frigates 8 General Purpose Frigates 1949-1980 The Kola class frigates were known under this name under NATO reports. These Soviet frigates built postwar received the designation or Storozhevoi Korabl (for “escort ship”) and official Project 42 and Sokol class after the lead ship post-1990 by historians. They … Read more
Project 613 (NATO “Whiskey”) conventional attack submarines 215 submarines (340 initially) 1951-58 After seeing the GUPPY, K (Barracuda) and Tang class, first generation conventional (postwar) USN attack submarines, it was logical to see what was their greater concern: The Soviet Navy’s fleet of attack submarines directly based on the German WW2 Type XXI. Known in … Read more
Project 56, 56A, 56M (1958-1988) 27 conventional, ASW and missile destroyers The Kotlin (project 56) are the first “true” post-war soviet navy destroyers, if we consider the Skoriy a continuation of the prewar Ognevoi design. The Kotlin derived from Neutrashimyy (or Tallinn, project 41-1951) with an improved flush-deck hull, born from a 1951 specification based … Read more
Project 1134B Berkut ASW Cruisers 7 ASW cruisers: Nikolayev, Ochakov, Kerch, Azov, Petropavlovsk, Tachkent, Vladivostok The Kara class missile cruisers were seven rather versatile ships (1969-76), destined to succeed the Kresta I and Kresta II. They had a tactical anti-ship capability with SSN-14 conventional or nuclear missiles, good short range anti-aircraft capability with their two … Read more
