Soviet cruiser Vladivostok (1966)

Vladivostok was the second 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] The vessels were approved by Nikita Khrushchev as part of Sergey Gorshkov's buildup of the Soviet Navy.[2] Termed Kresta I cruisers by NATO, and also named the Admiral Zozulya class after the lead ship, 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) on 3 August 1978 to reflect their wider role.[3]

Vladivostok 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, stretching 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.[5]

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).[6] 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.[7] 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).[8] Maximum design speed was 34 knots (63 km/h). Complement was 30 officers and 282 ratings.[6]

Vladivostok 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.[9] 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. 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.[8] 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) 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.[5] A vastly improved 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]

In the early 1970s, Vladivostok was upgraded with a MR-212 Vaygach navigation radar added and the missiles updated to 4M44.[12]

Vladivostok was laid down on 26 July 1964 at A.A. Zhdanov in Leningrad with yard number 792, and launched on 17 October 1965.[4] The total cost of construction was 32 million rubles.[13]

On commissioning, Vladivostok travelled with Strogiy and other Soviet vessels on a long tour, via the Black Sea, Lagos in Nigeria, Somalia, the port of Aden in South Yemen and operations in the Indian Ocean from Baltic Sea to the ship’s name port of Vladivostok, arriving on 11 February 1970. The ship was then attached to the 175th Missile Ship Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, and visited by delegations from Bulgaria on 26 May 1970 and Poland five days later. During October, joining Project 58 Varyag, Vladivostok undertook test firing of the main missiles. More tests were undertaken with the Project 675 submarine "K-23" during August the following year.[14]

Between 10 and 27 August, 1971, the vessel, accompanied by sistership Admiral Fokin and supported by a fleet that included "Strogiy" and Odarennyy, took part in a large exercise. The exercise was followed by an investigation of the testing areas used by the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean until 3 October. The opportunity to test the United States defences was also taken.[14]

On 3 December, the Bangladesh Liberation War was followed by an outbreak of war between India, suppored by the Soviet Union and Pakistan, supported by the United States.[15] The conflict quickly involved naval vessels, with the Indian Navy sinking the destroyer Khaibar, minesweeper Muhafiz and MV Venus Challenger on 4 December in Operation Trident using Soviet-built P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles.[16][17] Shortly afterwards on 9 December, the US-built submarine Hangor of the Pakistan Navy sank the Indian frigate Khurki, the submarine then disappearing in mysterious circumstances.[18] The threat of further escalation and the intervention of the United States Navy led to the Soviet Union dispatching a substantial fleet to the Indian Ocean.[19] Vladivostok joined "Varyag", "Strogiy" and other vessels under the command of Dmitry Pozharsky dispatched on 13 December and remained on station until 6 March the following year. Following the success of the operation, the ship returned to Vladivostok. The ship was made open to the public during April 1972 and On 30 June, sailed on a tour with Minister of Defence Andrei Grechko, Admiral of the Fleet Sergey Gorshkov and other officials.[14]

The next two decades were taken up with tests and exercises. While returning from one of these on 14 June 1973, the ship collided with the science research vessel "Akademik Berg", which then sank killing 27 of the crew. "Vladivostok" took part in the rescue effort. The ship closed the 1970s with a tour of the Indian Ocean, visiting allies in Port Louis, Mauritius, Victoria, Seychelles, Maputo, Mozambique, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, the Dahlak Archipelago, which was at that time part of Ethiopia, and Aden, finishing in August 1978.Further tours took place in 1980. Port Louis was visited again on 15 August, Beira, Mozambique until 25 August and Kochi from 17 to 21 October.[14] In March 1984, the ship tracked the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, calling the submarine K-314 which then, while tailing the American vessel, collided with the larger ship in an incident that risked escalation into war.[20]

On 28 September 1988, the ship was taken out of service to be repaired upgraded at Vladivostok. Lack of funding meant that work was only 90% complete when, instead, Vladivostok was decommissioned on 19 April 1990.[14] The ship was sold to be broken up by an Australian company during January 1991.[21]