Soviet cruiser Vitse-Admiral Drozd

Vitse-Admiral Drozd was the third Project 1134 Berkut-class vessel launched. The class were envisioned as a more balanced follow-on to the specialist Project 58 and Project 61 classes, combining the attributes of both in a single hull.[1] Termed Kresta I cruisers by NATO, the class were initially called Large Anti-submarine Ships (Russian: Большой Противолодочный Корабль or BPK) but this was changed to Large Rocket Ship (Russian: Ракетные крейсера проекта, RKR) to reflect their wider role.[2]

The vessel displaced 5,340 tonnes (5,260 long tons; 5,890 short tons) standard and 7,170 tonnes (7,060 long tons; 7,900 short tons) full load, and was 156.2 m (512 ft) in length.[lower-alpha 1] Beam was 16.2 m (53 ft 2 in) on the waterline and average draught 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in). The hull was made of steel upon which was mounted a large aluminium-magnesium alloy superstructure dominated by a radar complex including MR-500, MR-310 Angara-A, MRP-11-12, MRP-13-14 Uspekh-U and MRP-15-16 Zaliv search radars and a Volga navigation radar.[4]

Power was provided by two TV-12 steam turbines, fuelled by four KVN-98/64 boilers and driving two fixed pitch screws that provided 46,000 horsepower (34,000 kW).[5] Electricity was provided by a TD-760 driven off steam drawn from the main boilers which powered a 380 V AC circuit at a frequency of 50 Hz.[6] The ship carried 1,690 tonnes (1,660 long tons; 1,860 short tons) of fuel which gave a range of 10,500 nmi (19,446 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h).[7] Maximum design speed was 34 knots (63 km/h). Complement was 30 officers and 282 ratings.[5]

Vitse-Admiral Drozd was originally intended to mount the P-500 Bazalt (NATO reporting name SS-N-12 'Sandbox') but protracted development meant that instead the same 4K44 missiles (SS-N-3 'Shaddock') as the Project 58 warships mounted were retained.[8] However, they were launched from two specially designed twin KT-35-1134 P-35 launchers mounted midships.[1] The missiles could each carry a 900 kg (2,000 lb) warhead over a range in excess of 500 km (270 nmi) and were designed for attacking US Navy carrier battle groups.[9] An aft landing pad and hangar was fitted for a ranging Kamov Ka-25 helicopter to enable mid-course guidance.[10]

Similarly, anti-aircraft defence was to be based around the new M-11 Shtorm (SA-N-3 'Goblet') system but this did not become operational until 1969.[1] Instead, protection was enhanced by mounting two twin ZIF-102 M-1 Volna-M launchers, one forward and the other aft, and up to 64 4K91 (SA-N-1 'Goa') missiles, which was supplemented by two twin 57 mm (2 in) AK-725 guns mounted on the aft superstructure.[7] Fire control was directed by two 4R90 Yatagan units along with Binom-1134, MR-103 Bars, Grozna-1134 and Burya-1134 fire control systems along with a ARP-50R radio direction finder. Two Gurzuf ESM radar systems were fitted along with a ZIF-121 launcher for PK-2 decoy rockets. Threat response was coordinated with a Planshet-1134 combat information control system.[11]

Defence against submarines was provided by two quintuple 533 mm (21 in) PTA-53-1134 torpedo launchers, a pair of six-barrelled RBU-1000 Smerch-3 launchers for 300 mm (12 in) anti-submarine rockets and a pair of twelve-barrelled RBU-6000 Smerch-2 launchers for 213 mm (8 in) anti-submarine rockets.[4] Ten torpedoes, either 53-65, 53-65K or SET-65, were carried. An extensive anti-submarine sensor suite was also fitted, with MG-312M Titan and GAS-311 Vychegda sonars, the MG-26 Khosta underwater communication system and both MI-110R and MI-110K anti-submarine search stations.[11]

Between January 1980 and March 1983, the ship was upgraded with four AK-630 close-in weapon systems, with their attendant fire control radars, installed near the bridge to improve anti-missile defence.[12]

• Averin, A.B. (2007). Адмиралы и маршалы. Корабли проектов 1134 и 1134А [Admirals and Marshals: Ships Project 1134 and 1134A] (in Russian). Moscow: Voennaya Kniga. ISBN 978-5-90286-316-8.
• Gogin, Ivan (2015). "ADMIRAL ZOZULIA large ASW ships (project 1134) (1967 - 1969)". Retrieved 20 April 2018.
• Hampshire, Edward (2017). Soviet Cold War Guided Missile Cruisers. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-472-81740-2.
• Jordan, John (1983). Soviet Warships: The Soviet Surface Fleet, 1960 to the Present. London: Arms and Armour. ISBN 978-0-85368-584-5.
• Holm, Michael (2016). "Project 1134: Kresta I class". Soviet Armed Forces 1945–1991. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
• Huchthausen, Pauk (2002). K-19: The Widowmaker. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. ISBN 978-0-79226-472-9.
• Kostev, George G. (2004). The Soviet and Russian Navy, 1945-2000 [Военно-морской флот Советского Союза и России, 1945-2000]. Moscow: Peterof. ISBN 978-5-87579-038-6.
• Prézelin, Bernard; Baker, A.D. (1990). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/91. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-250-8.
• Sondhaus, Lawrence (2004). Navies in Modern World History. London: Reaktion. ISBN 978-1-86189-202-7.
• Tucker-Jones, Anthony (2015). Soviet Cold War Weaponry : Aircraft, Warships and Missiles. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-47382-361-7.