The Sovremenny Class destroyer is the main anti-surface combatant of the Russian Navy. The Soviet designation is Project 956 Sarych (Buzzard). This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Russian Navy Jack Russian Navy Ensign The Naval Cathedral in St Petersburg is the main church of the Russian Navy. ...

History

The third Sovremenny Class destroyer sold to China was delivered in December 2005.

The Sovremenny Class destroyer was commissioned in 1985. A total of 18 have been built for the Russian Navy but only twelve remain in service; this is due to the Russian Navy’s lack of funds and trained personnel. All the ships were built by Severnaya Verf 190 St. Petersburg. Image File history File links Destroyer_sovremenny. ... Image File history File links Destroyer_sovremenny. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer (French: contre-torpilleur, German: Zerstörer, Spanish: destructor, Italian: cacciatorpediniere) is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers... Russian Navy Jack Russian Navy Ensign The Naval Cathedral in St Petersburg is the main church of the Russian Navy. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland...

These ships have a maximum displacement of 8480t. Dimensions are: Length 156m, Beam 17.3m and draught is 6.5m. They are armed with an anti-submarine helicopter, 48 air defence missiles, eight anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, mines, long-range guns and a sophisticated electronic warfare system.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had two modified Sovremenny destroyers, delivered in December 1999 and November 2000. In 2002, the PLAN ordered two improved versions designated 956-EM. The first vessel was launched in late 2005, while the second is due to launch in 2006. China's acquisition of Sovremenny class destroyers caused widespread concern among its neighbors in the Asia-Pacific, most especially Taiwan, which has been regarded by Beijing as a renegade province. PLAN Jack and Ensign The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) (Simp. ...

Design

Command and Control

The ship's combat systems can use target designation data from the ship's active and passive sensors, from other ships in the fleet, from surveillance aircraft or via a communications link from the ship's helicopter. The multi-channel defence suite is capable of striking several targets simultaneously.

Missiles

The newest version has updated its close-defense systems.

The ship is outfitted with the Raduga Moskit anti-ship missile system with two four-cell launchers installed port and starboard of the forward island and set at an angle about 15°. The ship carries a total of eight Moskit 3M80E missiles, NATO designation SS-N-22 Sunburn. The missile is a sea-skimming missile with velocity Mach 2.5 and armed with a 300kg high-explosive warhead or a nuclear 200kt warhead. The range is from 10 to 120km. The launch weight is 4,000kg. Image File history File links Sovremenny_bridge. ... Image File history File links Sovremenny_bridge. ... The Moskit (Mosquito) is a Russian supersonic ramjet cruise missile. ... RBS-15 missile launched from a Sisu missile carriage. ...

Two Shtil surface-to-air missile systems are installed, each on the raised deck behind the twin-barrelled 130mm guns. Shtil is the export name of the SA-N-7, NATO reporting name Gadfly. The system uses the ship's three dimensional circular scan radar for target tracking. Up to three missiles can be aimed simultaneously. The range is up to 25km against targets with speeds up to 830m/s. The ship carries 48 Shtil missiles. A 9K37M TEL. Photo by Field Artillery Magazine. ...

Guns

The rear main gun has been removed from the latest version.

The ship's 130mm guns are the AK-130-MR-184. The system includes a computer control system with electronic and television sighting. The gun can be operated in fully automatic mode from the radar control system, under autonomous control using the turret mounted Kondensor optical sighting system and can also be laid manually. Rate of fire is between 20 and 35 rounds/min. Image File history File links Sovremenny_rear. ... Image File history File links Sovremenny_rear. ...

The ship has four six-barrelled 30mm AK-630 artillery systems. The maximum rate of fire is 5,000 rounds/min. Range is up to 4,000m for low flying anti-ship missiles and 5,000m for light surface targets. The gun is outfitted with radar and television detection and tracking. A AK-630 installation aboard a Soviet built Tarantul I class missile boat. ...

Anti Submarine Systems

The destroyer has two double 533mm torpedo tubes and two six-barrel RBU-1000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, with 48 rockets. Range is 1,000m The rocket is armed with a 55kg warhead. The RBU-1000 Smerch-3 is a 300 mm caliber Russian anti-submarine and anti-torpedo rocket launcher. ...

Helicopter

The ship's helicopter pad accommodates one Kamov Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopter, NATO codename Helix. The helicopter can operate in conditions up to Sea State 5 and up to 200km from the host ship. The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name Helix) is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy and currently in service in Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, South Korea, China and India. ...

Countermeasures

The Project 956 destroyer is fitted with an electronic countermeasures system and carries a store of 200 rockets for the two decoy dispensers, model PK-2.

Sensors

The ship is equipped with three navigation radars, an air target acquisition radar, and fire control radars for the 130mm gun and the 30mm gun. The sonar suite includes active and passive hull mounted search and attack sonar.

Propulsion

The ship's propulsion system is based on two steam turbine engines each producing 50,000hp together with four high-pressure boilers. There are two fixed-pitch propellers. The ship's maximum speed is just under 33 knots. At a fuel-economic speed of 18 knots the range is 3,920 miles.

General characteristics

• Displacement: 6200 tons standard, 7800 tons full load
• Length: 156m
• Beam: 17.3m
• Draught: 6.5m
• Machinery: 2 shaft steam turbines, 4 boilers, 100,000 hp
• Speed: 32 knots
• Range: 10,500 nm at 14 kts
• Armament: 2x4 SS-N-22 SUNBURN Moskit SSM, 2x1 SA-N-7 SAM, 4 (2x2) 130mm guns, 4-30mm AK-630 Gatling guns, 4 (2x2) 553mm Torpedo tubes, 2 x RBU-1000 ASW rockets, 1 Ka-27 Helicopter
• Complement: 350

The Moskit (Mosquito) is a Russian supersonic ramjet cruise missile. ... A AK-630 installation aboard a Soviet built Tarantul I class missile boat. ... The RBU-1000 Smerch-3 is a 300 mm caliber Russian anti-submarine and anti-torpedo rocket launcher. ... The Kamov Ka-27 is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy and currently in service in Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, South Korea, China and India. ...

Ships

• • Sovremenny - Современный -Modern (1980)
  • Otchayanny - Отчаянный - Merciless (1982)
  • Otlichnyy - Отличный - Perfect (or Excellent) (1983)
  • Osmotritelnyy - Осмотрительный - Circumspect (1984)
  • Bezuprechnyy - Безупречный - Irreproachable (1985)
  • Boyevoy - Боевой - Militant (1986)
  • Stoykiy - Стойкий - Steadfast (1986)
  • Okrylennyy - Окрылённый - Inspiring (1987)
  • Burnyy - Бурный - Fiery or Impetuous (1988)
  • Gremyashchiy - Гремящий - Thunderous (originally Vedushchiy Ведущий)(1988)
  • Bystryy - Быстрый -Quick (1989)
  • Rastoropnyy - Расторопный -Prompt (1989)
  • Bezboyaznenny - Безбоязненный -Intrepid (1990)
  • Bezuderzhannyy -Безудержный - Tenacious (1991)
  • Bespokoynyy - Беспокойный -Restless (1992)
  • Nastoychivyy - Настойчивый Reliable (originally Moskovskiy Kosomolets) (1993)
  • Besstrashnyy - Бесстрашный Fearless (1994)
  • Vazhnyy - Важный - Eminent (sold to China as DDG 136 杭州 Hangzhou before completion)
  • Vdumchivyy - Вдумчивый - Thoughtful (sold to China as DDG 137 福州 Fuzhou before completion)

One more ship has been built for China (DDG 138 台州 Taizhou), another is testing before launch, and two more are allegedly planned.

External links

• http://ship.bsu.by/main.asp?id=100188 - page on these ships in Russian language
• http://home19.inet.tele.dk/airwing/ships/sovremen.htm - article in English
• http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/row/rus/956.htm - article in English from FAS
• http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/surface/sovremenny.asp