Imperceptibly, without fanfare and generally almost without unnecessary memories on February 26, the 110th anniversary of the birth of Sergei Georgievich Gorshkov passed.
Admiral Sergei Gorshkov, a man who left behind not some kind of virtual legacy in the form of memoirs, memories, reflections, but a very real confirmation of his work activities.
Some today allow themselves to criticize everything created under Gorshkov. Yes, there were things that are difficult to understand today. For example, the rejection of the construction of aircraft carriers in favor of cruisers. But what was done under Gorshkov. was done.
And most importantly, even today, after 30 years ago, Admiral Gorshkov left on his last voyage, his creations are the mainstay of the Russian fleet.
You can criticize as much as you like, but what was done under Gorshkov was done for a long time. And we should remember his services with great gratitude. The main one is that under Gorshkov, through his labors, we had a fleet, to which even the United States respected with a certain amount of respect. And this is a fact that cannot be avoided.
In 1959, the fleet received Project 658 nuclear submarines.
26 knots at a depth of 300 meters, autonomy of 50 days. The nuclear submarine K-178 in 1963, the world's first submarine with nuclear ballistic missiles on board, completed a 16-day transarctic underwater passage. K-178 covered four and a half thousand miles from Zapadnaya Litsa in the Murmansk region to the Far East, to the Krasheninnikov Bay. These boats made Americans think. Think about security and that America is not so invulnerable.
Project 658 and 658M submarines for a long time acted as a counterweight to American nuclear submarines and an important component of the USSR nuclear triad, serving from the 60s to the 90s of the last century.
Project 667BDR nuclear submarine Kalmar.
Armed with 16 R-29R ballistic missiles with monoblock or multiple warheads. Each "Kalmar" carried about 600 kilotons on board. In terms of accuracy, these complexes were not inferior to nuclear strikes by strategic bombers.
On these ships, hydroacoustic equipment, space communication and navigation facilities, quite modern in accordance with world standards, appeared. Saunas, solariums and gyms appeared on board the nuclear-powered ships.
One "Kalmar" ("Ryazan") is still serving in the Pacific Ocean.
Nuclear submarine of project 941 "Shark".
The largest submarine cruisers in history. They were created in response to the American Trident program, within the framework of which the Ohio nuclear submarine was built with 24 nuclear intercontinental missiles.
The USSR also developed a new R-39 ballistic missile with ten individually guided warheads. There was also a boat for the rocket. An underwater monster with a displacement of about 50 thousand tons, a length of 172 and a width of more than 20 meters carried twenty ballistic missiles on board.
In fact, these were two combined submarines, parallel to each other. Now the Russian Navy has only one submarine of this project: the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine, adapted for testing and running in the new Bulava missile system.
The submarine fleet of the USSR and Russia by inheritance has become a real nightmare for potential adversaries. Even now, he is no less formidable weapon than in those years when Gorshkov personally accompanied submarines on important cruises.
But the surface fleet was not overlooked either. Under Gorshkov, ships were developed and created that could operate independently in the far ocean zone in isolation from the main forces and coastal bases.
Nuclear missile cruisers of project 1144 "Orlan".
Four cruisers were to become the basis of the new Soviet Navy. Capable of withstanding any enemy at sea, designed to combat enemy aircraft carrier formations, the world's largest non-aircraft-carrying ships. Still.
And still one "Orlan" is still in service, and perhaps another one will join it.
However, the projects that survived after the collapse of the USSR, heavy nuclear cruisers Peter the Great and Admiral Nakhimov, Project 1164 Atlant missile cruisers (Varyag and Moscow), nuclear submarines - all this was a small part of the admiral's global strategy Gorshkov, who dreamed of an indestructible ocean-going nuclear missile fleet that could act as a counterweight to the US aircraft carrier strike groups.
A concept was developed to contain US aircraft carrier strike forces.
To do this, it was necessary to form autonomous formations of warships (nuclear, of course) capable of ensuring the security of the country's long sea borders and delivering surprise strikes anywhere in the World Ocean.
The nuclear aircraft carriers of Project 1143.7 were supposed to be the shock cores of such compounds. The main "Ulyanovsk" was laid down in 1988, but perestroika began. The ship was dismantled on a slipway in the early 90s.
To cover these aircraft carriers far from their native shores were supposed to be "Orlans" and atomic anti-submarine ships of project 11437 "Anchar". And if the "Eagles" were nevertheless built, then the "Anchars" remained on paper. The project was deemed too expensive and was eventually closed.
The meaning of the "Gorshkov doctrine" was to create an opportunity for the destruction of enemy aircraft carrier groups on the principle "we have no aircraft carriers, but you will not have them either."
Here Gorshkov's interests coincided with the vision of Nikita Khrushchev, who, as you know, relied on missile weapons.
In 1956, Admiral Sergei Gorshkov became the Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy. It was very difficult. It was very difficult. It was necessary to reduce the size of the fleet and send for scrapping ships that could still serve and serve. Alas.
To please Nikita Sergeevich, the new commander-in-chief had to seriously reduce the personnel of the fleet, send ships that were declared unnecessary "under the knife".
After Khrushchev's resignation in 1964 and Leonid Brezhnev's rise to power, Gorshkov got a real chance to implement his plans. Brezhnev reasonably believed that the commander-in-chief of the Navy knew better about his economy and did not go into the affairs of the fleet.
Gorshkov worked hard on the creation of the so-called "high seas fleet", in fact, on the model and likeness of the German one. Above the creation of groupings of ships that are on alert for a long time far from their native shores.
The "High Seas Fleet" was to become an instrument for solving the geopolitical tasks of the Soviet Union.
The British, who, whatever one may say, but understood in naval affairs, wrote that if someone turned the USSR into a superpower at sea, it was Admiral Gorshkov.
When Sergei Georgievich retired, he left behind a fleet capable of accepting the challenge of any enemy.
Yes, the Gorshkov Doctrine is being criticized today. Considering it too costly, too fragmented and not balanced. And it is true.
But the truth is that Sergei Georgievich Gorshkov brought the Soviet fleet to a level that was simply unattainable before him. And which is unlikely to be achieved in the coming decades.
Admiral Gorshkov was lucky three times in his life. He fought and became the winner. He built ships and built a fine and strong fleet. He died without seeing what the adherents of perestroika did to his brainchild.
110 years ago, a real admiral was born in the small town of Kamyanets-Podolsk.
