The four atomic giants of Project 1144 - the liberal press loves to "wipe their feet" about them, and the British Defense Secretary every time specially flew in a helicopter to admire the Eagles walking in the ocean.
Currently, a lot of shocking "news" is wandering on the Internet, the authors of which, without hesitation in expressions, criticize the decision to modernize and return to service of domestic nuclear cruisers, arguing their position with the phrases "rusty", "old", "unnecessary" and " a lot of money".
I do not set myself large-scale tasks to refute the "yellow press". Firstly, it is not very exciting - such "materials" are replete with many false facts, and, upon closer examination, collapse like houses of cards. Secondly, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Finally, in the flow of the "yellow press" sometimes there are really important and necessary comments regarding the concept of using heavy nuclear cruisers under the flag of the Russian Navy.
Today we will try to find and explain the tasks of the Orlans in the modern world using a simple method - we will study in detail the heavy nuclear missile cruiser of Project 1144, consider its design and weapons composition, both before and after possible modernization. And, as a possible result, we will define the range of tasks subject to the cruiser.
Despite the seeming absurdity of such an approach, this exactly corresponds to the spontaneous concept of creating the "Eagles" - at first a huge ship was built, and then tasks were "found" for it. As a result, the fourth and most advanced cruiser of this project - "Peter the Great" (modification 11442) has on board almost the entire range of weapons adopted by the Russian Navy!
The most complex calculations are the lot of large design teams, but we do not pretend to be academic, especially since the directions for the future modernization of the Orlans are quite obvious and have been announced more than once at the highest level.
Huge plans
Admiral Gorshkov wanted to become the Lord of the five oceans. To do this, he would need an atomic squadron with an unprecedented combat potential. At the head - the nuclear aircraft carrier "Ulyanovsk" (in those years, only project 1143.7). Escort - heavy nuclear "Eagles" and nuclear destroyers "Anchar". The super-squadron will be able to move across the oceans at a speed inaccessible to conventional warships and have unlimited autonomy, thanks to the integrated supply ships of the Berezina type, capable of transferring everything from aviation fuel and provisions to missiles and ammunition.
Alas, the implementation of the ambitious program faced obvious technical and financial difficulties, as a result, the fleet received only four Orlans and one KSS Berezina. "Ulyanovsk" was not completed in time. By the time of their birth, TARKRs had already turned into monstrous monsters with a displacement of 26 thousand tons each. In view of the unclear purpose of the cruisers, the designers made a simple decision - to install on them the most powerful and sophisticated weapons available at that time in the presence of the USSR Navy - "Granites", S-300, lethal artillery, melee air defense systems, bombers, helicopters, anti-submarine rocket torpedoes …
Each of the Eagles under construction was very different from its predecessor, as a result, the first cruiser (Kirov) and the last cruiser (Peter the Great) have so many differences in weapons, systems, internal layout and appearance that we can confidently talk about two different projects - 1144 and 11442.
For further consideration, we will choose the third hull, Admiral Nakhimov (formerly Kalinin), as the most recent of the mothballed Orlans and as the most likely contender for the planned modernization. At the moment it is quietly rusting in Severodvinsk. What is the fate of the nuclear cruiser in the future? What advantages will the new modification have … let's call it 11443 for brevity.
So, the area of the 10th frame (numbering from the bow) - there is a 10-charge rocket launcher "Boa", which is a complex of active anti-torpedo protection. In the automated charging cellar, there are jet ammunition for various purposes:
- decoys, distracting enemy torpedoes;
- sea mines, triggered when a torpedo passes near them;
- when the first two echelons of defense are broken through (traps and minefield zones), fire is fired to kill with conventional depth charges.
Theoretically RBU-12000 "Boa constrictor" can be used to combat enemy submarines. Finally, in exotic format, from RBU you can "plant" bombs on surface and coastal targets located in the zone of destruction of the installation (≈3000 m). A 230-kilogram bomb with a 100-kilogram charge of explosives does not bode well for the enemy. 120 bombs, 10 salvoes - this is more than enough to sink any modern destroyer of NATO countries, if necessary.
Future modernization is unlikely to affect the bow anti-torpedo defense system "Boa", at most - it will be limited to current repairs and loading of new types of ammunition.
The area of the 60th frame - in this place, under the upper deck of the "Nakhimov" there are reserved premises for the "Dagger" anti-aircraft missile system. Unfortunately, the new melee air defense system appeared too late and was installed only on "Peter the Great". With future modernization, the vertical launch units of the "Dagger" or the UVP of the newest naval air defense missile system "Polyment-Redut" can fit here.
The space under the upper deck from the 80th to the 120th frame is occupied by vertical launchers of the S-300F "Fort" anti-aircraft complex - a total of 12 eight-round drum launchers. In the early 80s, when the head TARKR "Kirov" entered the sea, not a single warship in the world could compare with the Soviet cruiser in the quality of air defense - 96 anti-aircraft missiles with a range of 75 km did not leave enemy aircraft a chance to carry out a successful air attack. To date, despite the emergence of more effective 48N6 missiles with an increased firing range of up to 150 km, the S-300F complex requires replacement with more modern weapons.
The first association that arises with the words of the replacement of the S-300 is the even more formidable S-400 air defense system. However, not everything is so simple - firstly, the naval modification of the S-400 does not exist. Second, the drum launcher proved to be overly complex. Now there is a more effective domestic maritime air defense system - already mentioned a little earlier, "Polyment-Redut". It is this weapon that is the basis of the air defense of the new Russian frigates of Project 22350.
A feature of the "Redoubt" is the new 9M96E and 9M96E2 anti-aircraft missiles with an active homing head (GOS). Without a long and tedious explanation of the peculiarities of firing anti-aircraft missiles, I note that the active seeker is a colossal step forward compared to all previous developments. Now the enemy plane will not be able to escape, even if it leaves the cruiser's radar range.
Instead of 12 huge launchers of the Fort complex in the bow of the Admiral Nakhimov, 144 installations (cells) of the vertical launch of the Polyment-Redut air defense system can fit (of course, this is a purely amateur calculation based on data from open sources and common sense). Part of the UVP can be occupied by 9M100 melee missiles (four in each cell), which significantly increases the anti-aircraft ammunition of the modernized cruiser.
We go further - in the inner space of the hull in the area from 120th to 170th frames there is a "super-weapon" - 20 launchers of P-700 "Granit" anti-ship missiles. What can you tell about the monstrous complex that received the Shipwreck code in the NATO protocols?
"Granite" was developed a long time ago, but is still capable of sinking any surface target at a distance of 600 km. There is a possibility of striking radio-contrast objects in the coastal zone. 2, 5 speed of sound, 750 kg warhead, special flight algorithms and target selection. He's too smart, hard to spot, and hard to beat. And also armored! The advantage and at the same time the disadvantage of "Granit" is its crazy size: with a length of 10 meters (with a starting booster), the rocket weighs 7 tons!
But it's enough to scare the sailors from American aircraft carriers - for 30 years, since the P-700 appeared in service with the domestic fleet, they have already managed to put a lot in their pants. The time has come to change priorities and give way to more modern and more versatile complexes. The only and adequate replacement for Granite is the UKSK universal shipborne firing system with the Caliber family of multipurpose missiles. Now the Project 11443 nuclear cruiser will be able to strike with cruise missiles deep into the land, destroying the militant bases near Damascus and Aleppo. Shoot ZM-54 missiles with a detachable warhead at surface targets and reach submarines in depth using special rocket torpedoes.
In total, instead of 20 launchers of the Granit complex, up to 144 UKSK cells can be installed on the upgraded cruiser. Multipurpose strike ship!
In the area of the 150th frame, two anti-aircraft batteries of two AK-630 automatic cannons were installed on both sides of the cruisers (the rate of fire of each is 6000 rds / min). On the last two buildings - "Nakhimov" and "Peter the Great", they were replaced by the "Kortik" rocket and artillery systems. Each combat module is a combination of paired 30 mm automatic cannons + 8 self-defense anti-aircraft missiles (the total ammunition load of the module is 32 missiles). The main advantage of the "Kortik" is that the cannons and guidance systems are mounted on a single gun carriage, which radically increases the firing accuracy.
Probably, during modernization, all ZRAK "Kortik" will be replaced by modern ZRAK "Broadsword" - even less reaction time, even higher accuracy.
We move on: the 180th frame, in this place, in front of the superstructure, on three cruisers there were retractable beam launchers of the Osa-M anti-aircraft missile systems, one for each side (this is not the case on Peter the Great). Total - two air defense systems, two antenna posts, two launchers, a total of 40 missiles ammunition. During modernization, all this equipment is guaranteed to disappear - the Osa-M anti-aircraft complex is outdated and no longer meets modern requirements. The functions of the Wasp completely duplicate the Dagger and, in the future, Polyment-Redut.
Let's take a little "walk" on the superstructure of the nuclear-powered cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov". Of the most "contrasting" objects in
the front part - the protruding "boob" of the ZR-41 "Volna" radar - this is the fire control radar of the S-300F complex. The system is old and needs to be updated - perhaps a powerful F1M radar with a phased antenna array will soon appear instead of it, or, if installed on the Poliment-Redut air defense missile cruiser, it will disappear altogether without a trace.
At the top of the foremast (the first mast from the bow of the ship) rotate huge lattice structures - three-coordinate radars for detecting air targets "Voskhod" and "Cleaver" - this technique requires an early replacement with more modern radars. Just for comparison, the Americans plan to install AMDR super-radars on their Orly Burke destroyers, with 300 times more radiation power than the old Soviet radars - such exorbitant characteristics are required to detect point objects in low-Earth orbits.
Slightly lower on the foremast, the blocks of the Kantanta-M electronic warfare station are mounted.
Mainmast (second mast, closer to the stern): at the top - "Fregat-MA" general detection radar. The situation is similar to airborne radars, urgent replacement is required. Satellite communication and navigation antennas are also located here - after modernization, GLONASS signal receivers and communication systems with Liana radio intelligence satellites should appear here - the problem of over-the-horizon target designation and guidance for the cruiser's missile weapons can be reliably solved only when receiving data from orbit.
Behind the mainmast, there is another "tit" sticking out to illuminate targets when firing the S-300F anti-aircraft complex, just below the "Lion" radar of the artillery fire control system.
On both sides of the mainmast there are four Kortik combat modules (two on each side), similar to the two that are installed in the bow of the ship. Slightly below are the RBU-1000 six-barreled rocket launchers (one on each side).
In the same place, there is another "surprise" - in the sides of the cruiser are hidden hatches (simply - sealed hatches) for firing torpedoes and anti-submarine missiles of the "Vodopad-NK" complex. Enchanting weapons! At first, the clang of the opening hatch is heard, and for a moment an elongated "cigar" jumped out, softly falling into the water with a savory "bump!" Then there comes a ringing silence … and nothing happens … SUDDENLY, behind the stern of the ship (the cruiser has already covered fifty meters), a fire-tail "comet" flies out of the water with a terrible hiss and in a second disappears into the clouds! Far behind the stern, on the surface of the water, there was a burning spot of fuel residues…. Having flown twenty miles, the Vodopad-NK rocket torpedo will again fall into the water, this time turning into a homing torpedo.
There are 10 such ammunition on board the cruiser. Alas, with the advent of the Kalibr multipurpose complex, the Vodopad-NK anti-submarine complex loses its significance.
Let's go further …
In the aft part of the superstructure, a transparent "blister" is visible - a control post for helicopter takeoff and landing operations. Directly in front of him, even further to the stern, is the AK-130 twin artillery mount of 130 mm caliber. Rate of fire up to 80 shots / minute. The firepower of the 12 guns of a WWII light cruiser. Although, the price for this pleasure turned out to be huge - the mass of the AK-130 and its automated cellars is 102 tons - 4 times more than that of the American 127 mm Mk.45 naval gun (16 … 20 rds / min).
Frankly, the presence of the AK-130 on the cruiser raises many questions: where it is required to use artillery (shelling of coastal targets, fire support), the AK-130 is too weak for this (the wrong caliber). In other cases, it is not needed.
There are two ways out: the first is to replace the AK-130 with a more powerful artillery system with a caliber of 152 mm or more (for example, "Coalition-F") during the modernization. The second will sound somewhat shocking, however, more on that below …
At the stern of the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" there is a spacious helipad, along the edges of which space is reserved for launchers of the "Dagger" self-defense missile system (as you remember, it was too late, therefore it was never installed). After modernization, 96 vertical launchers of the Polyment-Redut air defense missile system may appear here.
The operation of helicopters on the cruiser "Orlan" is like an intense sex life: you are standing on the deck, the helicopter is under your feet. First you need to open the hangar doors, then go down under the deck and roll the platform with a 10-ton helicopter onto the lift, secure it, and then it's a matter of technology - when the helicopter is on the upper deck, it remains to roll it out to the take-off platform. Move the helicopter under the deck - all steps in reverse order. There are three rotary-wing aircraft on board the Orlan. Now try to do it in a storm, with a strong roll!
The people I happened to communicate with offered a simple and, to some extent, ingenious solution - to dismantle the AK-130 cannon, and to equip a helicopter hangar in the place that appeared, on the same level with the helipad. And forget about the hellish lift forever.
Well, our virtual tour has come to an end. "Orlan" is really big: a quarter of a kilometer in length, 20 km of internal corridors, 1600 rooms … it takes not a single day to thoroughly examine it inside and out. I tried to talk about it in one article. It is a pity that there is not enough time to talk about his stunning 700-tonne Polynom sonar station or about such useful attributes as a command boat and cargo arrows on its deck. There was not enough time to tell about the booking. At some other time…
Doves of peace
The former name "Eagles" - "assassins of aircraft carriers" has outlived its usefulness. Huge nuclear cruisers are no longer combat units and are turning into a means of exerting legal political pressure. Constantly being at the forefront and "displaying the flag", they will maintain a positive image of Russia, create the basis for the formation of coalitions that are beneficial to us, morally support our allies and serve as a formidable warning to our potential adversaries.
For example, drop a squadron of three "Eagles" anchors in Cuba with a hint of permanent basing - and we can seriously count on changes in American rhetoric on the deployment of missile defense in Europe. Powerful ships with such a monumental and ferocious appearance are an indispensable tool for the peaceful resolution of crises.
