Destroyer Neustrashimy (1952) In service 1955-74 Neustrashimy (“Dauntless”) was an attempt by the admiralty to replace the large-scale Skoriy class destroyers in the early 1950s by a larger, more capable ship, comparable to the new generation of 1950s USN “feet escorts”, and with an equally large producton scale. This prototype however was considered too large … Read more
Project 1134 Berkut (1964) Admiral Zozulya, Vladivostok, Vitse-Admiral Drozd, Sevastopol. Though considerably larger, more effective and reliable than the previous Kynda class, the Kresta I carried half the number of antiship missiles, with just a quarter in reserve. SS-N-12 Sandbox (P-500 Bazalt) protracted development meant they went into service with the obsolete SS-N-3 instead, but … Read more
Project 615 – NATO “Quebec” 30 submarines (1950-54) Preserved M-296 These thirty conventional attack submarines called internally project 615, were the smallest Soviet models ever deployed during the cold war. They proceeded from the idea of a cheap, mass-produced coastal submarine to ensure close defense of Soviet harbours and trade lines. They were also the … Read more
Cold War Soviet Submarines circa 1,450 submarines 1950-90 Introduction The Soviet silent service in the cold war: Like in the 1930s, Submarines made the bedrock of a navy that saw itself at first still efensive, but grew in global ambition until the 1980s when the surface fleet capability reached its zenith. The USSR had the … Read more
Project 68 Chapayev class cruisers (1941) 5 cruisers (1941): Chapayev, Zheleznyakov, Kuybyshev, Chkalov, Frunze The Chapayev class cruisers were a continuation of Soviet cruiser design of the 1930s. Although USSR was not a signatory of the Washington treaty in 1921, the naval staff was well aware of the developments of the time, in the West … Read more
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
