Project 956 Sarych
Sovremenny class
Guided Missile Destroyer
The Sovremenny Class is a Russian class of destroyers designed to engage hostile ships by means of missile attack, and to provide warships and transport ships with protection against ship and air attack. Intended primarily for anti-ship operations, it was designed to compliment anti-submarine warfare (ASW) Udaloy destroyers. The ships have anti-ship, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and coastal bombardment capability. The ships, with a maximum displacement of 8,480 tons are similar in size to the US Navy's Aegis-equipped missile cruisers, and are armed with an anti-submarine helicopter, 48 air defence missiles, 8 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, mines, long range guns and a comprehensive electronic warfare system. The first Sovremenny Class destroyer was commissioned in 1985.
The hull design is derived from the predecessor Kresta II cruisers. The ship's propulsion system is based on two steam turbine engines, unlike the gas-turbines used on the Udaloy, each producing 50,000 horsepower 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. The endurance is 30 days.
The ship is equipped with the Moskit anti-ship missile system with two quadruple launchers installed port and starboard of the forward island and set at an angle about 15 degrees to the horizontal. The ship carries a total of eight Moskit 3M80E missiles. The air defence system is the Shtil surface to air missile. Two Shtil missile systems are installed, each on the raised deck behind the two-barrelled 130 mm guns fore and aft of the two islands. The ships are further equipped with AK-130-MR-184 130 mm guns and four six-barrel AK-630 artillery systems for defence. Anti-submarine defence is provided by two double 533 mm torpedo tubes installed port and starboard, and two six-barrel anti-submarine rocket launchers, RBU-1000, with 48 rockets, and a Ka-27 helicopter.
The late units of the class, designated Project 956A, are modified with the improved SA-N-17 (Grizzly) surface-to-air missile and the 3M-82 Moskit anti-ship missile.
At the end of 1997 the only large surface combatants active in significant numbers were the newer units of the dozen remaining Sovremennyy-class guided-missile destroyers and a few of the half-dozen remaining operational Udaloy-class destroyers. At that time the two remaining unfinished Sovremennyys, Vazhniy and Aleksandr Nevskiy (ex-Vdumchivyy), were lying 65% and 35% complete, respectively, at St. Petersburg, with only the first in the water. The first was delivered to China in early 2000, with the second following in January 2001.
In November 2000 the Northern Fleet Rastoropnyy entered Sverny Werf at St. Petersburg for refit. The ship was thought by some to be one of two earmarked for eventual sale to China.
Two additional units were cancelled before being laid down. One additional unit remains incomplete -- intended for the Russian Navy, the construction status and projected commissioning date are highly uncertain. There is some disagreement among sources as to the identity and chronology of the pair of ships acquired by China and the remaining incomplete unit reportedly slated for the Russian Navy.
An improved Sovremenny II design, fitted with the CADS-N-1 point defense system, was projected but delayed indefinitely due to a lack of funding. During the 1980s as many as 28 Sovremenny-class ships may have been planned.
Under a December 1996 agreement China purchased two Russian Sovremenny-class destroyers, each equipped with eight supersonic 3M-80E Moskit SS-N-22 SUNBURN (75/155nm range sea-skimming) and two SA-N-7 launchers.
In January 2002, it was announced that Russia and China had signed a contract for two modified Sovremenny-class destroyers. The two new 956ME vessels were due for delivery in four years and would include upgrades relative to the first pair delivered to China. Each new warship would carry one dedicated helicopter The warships are to be built at the Severnaya Verf shipyards in St. Petersburg. Government sources reportedly estimated the value of the deal as over $1 billion. Other sources suggested that the contract could be worth as much as $1.5 billion, including weapons. Severnaya Verf put in the water the first of two project 956E destroyers for the Chinese navy on 06 May 2004.
Destroyer #610 ""persistent", the flagship of the Baltic Fleet, was built in Saint Petersburg on the northern shipyard. On 27 March, 1993, ship entered into the nature of forces of the navy of Russia. In 1994, 1996 and 1997 the destroyer earned prize on the superiority VMF on the air defense. In 1996 - 1999 - on the artillery shooting. In 2000 - 2001 in the composition of assault echelon conquered the prizes on the superiority VMF on I see combat, fire and tactical trainings. 1996 and 1997 ship is acknowledged as the best surface ship of Russia. In the summer of 1996 ship visited President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin highly estimated crew activity on the maintenance of the alert, qualitative content of weapon and materiel. During July 2000 ship visited the President of the Russian Federation EXPLOSIVE Putin. In 1993 "persistent" became the first ship VMF OF THE USSR and RF, the completed passage Kiel Canal. During July 1994 the destroyer visited p. of ruan (France). During July 1996 the ship participated in the international naval studies OF "BALTOPS-9'", while during October visited p. cherbourg, where the 100- anniversary of the formation of Russian- French alliance was celebrated. In February- April of 1997 the ship completed distant cruise, after passing on the whole 20000 miles. On the international exhibition of combat materiel and weapon in Abu- Dabit (united Arab emirates) it was inspection object. Represented the navy of Russia in celebration of the 75- anniversary of the creation of the Navy OF REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA in Capetown and Simonstown. During May 2000 the ship participated in the return of the military honors of the killed in the years war to submarine "S -8". Since 1994 the chief of ship is the Federation Council of the federal meeting of the Russian Federation. From March 1996 patron aid ship renders Western Baltic ship-repair plant "ship-repair - Baltic region", and association "Baltfin- KMA". Baltic commodity-industry house the "resources of the north."
