The strengthening of the presence of the Russian Navy in the World Ocean responded with a stream of high-profile messages in the media: interviews, questions, forecasts, comments and assessments of domestic and foreign experts. The main "star" of the events, as usual, is the nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great" - the largest non-airborne combat ship in the world, a 26,000-ton giant with a monumental imperial cruiser appearance and three hundred missiles on board.
Every time the name "Peter" is mentioned, the forums start comparing it with foreign ships of a similar class and purpose. Of course, there are no direct analogues of the domestic TARKR - this cruiser is a unique technical masterpiece of its kind. But, according to a number of parameters, it is possible to pick up rivals: the capabilities of the Petra air defense system are usually compared with the American Aegis cruisers (or destroyers - which, however, are the same thing). And this is where the fun begins …
Launch of an anti-aircraft missile complex S-300F
- The cruiser carries more than 200 anti-aircraft missiles on board, this is enough for everyone, the patriots confidently declare.
- No! - yelling pro-American citizens, - the combat information system "Aegis" ("Aegis") is worth the whole world. Your cruiser is just a puppy compared to the proven Ticonderoga or Orly Burke.
- Go to hell! - the supporters of the domestic fleet are losing their temper - there are two S-300 complexes on our cruiser - just try to poke your nose!
- Shoot, cheap! - answer them from across the ocean - Yankee ships are able to hit targets in low earth orbit - that's where the real, not ostentatious power!
A constructive dialogue does not happen until one of the vigilant citizens notices the strangeness in the appearance of the Russian cruiser: - Gentlemen, why do the Peter's superstructures look like a Chernobyl forest after the accident?
A fanciful silhouette, bulky pyramidal masts, spreading "branches" of antenna devices of radars and communication systems stick out everywhere … One listing of this "zoo" can bring a smile: the complex of radar means "Peter the Great" includes radars "Voskhod", "Frigate M2 "," Tackle "," Positive "," Volna ", 4R48 with a phased antenna array, antenna post 3R95, artillery fire control radar MR184" Lev ", finally, two navigation radars" Vaygach-U ".
In addition to the general irrationality and difficulty in coordinating the work of such a large number of radio-technical means, the sloppy appearance of "Peter" greatly increases its visibility - the cruiser shines on the screens of enemy radars, like the brightest star. Surely a certain role was played by "backward Bolshevik technologies" … But not to the same extent!
How neat and modern, after that, the American Aegis destroyer of the "Orly Burke" type seems to be - clean lines of superstructures made taking into account the "stealth" technology, a minimum of external decor elements, the only multipurpose detection radar with fixed PAA canvases. The American "Burke" looks like a guest from other worlds - its appearance is so unusual in comparison with the ships of the Russian Navy.
Orly Burke-class destroyer
But is it really so? What "pitfalls" are hidden behind the stylish look of the American destroyer? And is our "Peter the Great" as outdated as it seems at first glance?
In the glamor of high tech, or the miser pays twice
The American ship is built around the Aegis combat information and control system, which combines all the means of detection, communications, weapons and systems for fighting for the survivability of the ship. Universal destroyers-robots are able to exchange information with their own kind and make decisions for the commander. It took the Yankees 20 years to create such a system - a truly serious development, which contains the most progressive ideas of modern naval combat: detection and instant selection of targets is at the forefront. An American ship will be the first to make a decision, shoot first and destroy the enemy first. The Pentagon calls Aegis destroyers the best naval air defense system to date.
The key element of the system is the AN / SPY-1 radar, which is a combination of four flat phased antenna arrays mounted on the sides of the destroyer superstructure. "Spy" is able to automatically search in azimuth and elevation, capture, classify and track hundreds of air targets, program the autopilots of anti-aircraft missiles on the starting and cruising sections of the trajectory.
Phased antenna array radar AN / SPY-1D
The use of a single multifunctional radar made it possible to simplify the collection and analysis of information, as well as to exclude mutual interference that occurs on other ships when a large number of radar stations are operating.
However, behind the apparent advantage of the SPY-1 lies a complex technical problem: How to teach the radar to effectively detect targets at long and short distances at the same time? Decimeter waves ("Spy" operates in the S band) are well reflected from the sea surface - a flurry of interference makes it difficult to recognize missiles rushing over the water itself, making the destroyer completely defenseless against supersonic anti-ship missiles. In addition, the low location of the SPY-1 antennas shortens the already short detection range of low-flying targets, taking away precious seconds from the ship, which is necessary to react to a threat.
No one in the world dared to repeat the American trick with a "single multifunctional radar" - on projects of warships created in other countries, in addition to the general detection radar, it is always provided for the installation of a specialized radar for detecting low-flying targets:
- British "Daring" (decimeter survey S1850M + centimeter SAMPSON)
- Franco-Italian "Horizon" (S1850M + centimeter EMPAR)
- Japanese "Akizuki" (dual-band FCS-3A with active HEADLIGHTS. In fact - two radars (C and X range), united under a common name).
But what about the discovery of a computer center on a Russian nuclear-powered cruiser?
Peter the Great radars
The Russian ship has everything in perfect order - the detection of air targets is assigned to three radar stations for various purposes:
- powerful surveillance radar MR-600 "Voskhod" (located at the top of the foremast - the first mast from the bow of the ship);
- three-coordinate radar MR-750 "Fregat M2" with a phased antenna array (located at the top of the next, lower mainmast);
- specialized two-coordinate radar MR-350 "Podkat" for detecting low-flying targets (two antennas are located on sites on the sides of the foremast). The main feature of the station is a special radiation pattern with narrowed "side lobes" (scanning in a small elevation angle) and a high data refresh rate.
This is the kind of radar that the American Aegis destroyer lacks.
At the top of the foremast there is an antenna of the Voskhod surveillance radar, a little lower, on the platforms on the sides of the mast, two antennas of the Podkat radar are visible. Ahead, on the roof of the superstructure, the phased antenna array of the radar OMS S-300FM "Fort-M"
Scheme of the general view of the superstructure of the TARKR Peter the Great, view from the starboard side:
1 - combat module ZRAK "Kortik"; 2 - PU SG1PP PK-10; 3 - command module ZRAK "Kortik"; 4 - AP radio direction finder; 5 - stabilized post of the TV system for monitoring the near external environment "Rotan"; 6 - AP radar "Vaygach"; 7 - wheelhouse; 8 - AP complex "Kristall-BK"; 9 - AP astrocorrector; 10 - optical periscope sight of the wheelhouse; 11 - AP radar SU "Fort-M" SAM S-300FM; 12 - running bridge; 13 - optical periscope sighting device of the conning tower (GKP); 14 - operational control room; 15 - AP of the Privod-V system; 16 - AP radar "Voskhod"; 17 - AP of the "Drive-V" system; 18 - AP radar "Voskhod"; 17 - AP of the complex of means of electronic warfare "Cantata-M"; 18 - AP complex "Coral-BN"; 19 - AP radar "Podkat"; 20 - rubber spherical mooring fenders; 21 - AP radar "Fregat-M2"; 22 - AP radar SU "Fort" SAM S-300F; 23 - RBU-12000 of the Udav-1 complex; 24 - Latchport of RTPU PARK "Waterfall"; 25 - AP radar SUAO "Lev"; 26 - AP radar SU SAM "Dagger"; 27 - helicopter landing (takeoff) command post; 28 - 130 mm AU AK-130.
But to discover does not mean to destroy. It is necessary to take the target for escort, point the weapon at it and control the entire process of the missile's flight to the target.
At the US ship, this is done, as usual, by the AN / SPY-1 multifunctional radar, coupled with three target illumination radars. Super-radar "Spy" is capable of simultaneously monitoring up to 18 … 20 anti-aircraft missiles: to determine their position in space and automatically transmit corrective impulses to the autopilots of the SAM, directing them to the desired sector of the sky. However, the Aegis system carefully monitors that the number of missiles in the final section of the trajectory does not exceed three units.
The trick is that most modern naval air defense systems (including "Standerd" and S-300F) use a semi-active method of guidance: a special radar "illuminates" the target, the rocket head reacts to the reflected "echo". It's simple. But the number of simultaneously fired targets is limited by the number of illumination radars.
As noted above, the American destroyers have only three AN / SPG-62 radars. The course corners are covered by one, the aft corners are covered by two, from the side - all three together. The Russian nuclear-powered cruiser has a fundamentally different situation: two specialized radars are engaged in guiding missiles of the S-300F and 300FM complexes, each of which provides support for missiles from the moment it is launched until it hits the target:
- 4P48 phased array radar (flat "plate" in front of the Peter the Great superstructure). Unlike the American AN / SPG-62, which provides simultaneous illumination of only one target, the domestic system forms six guidance channels: only 4P48 is capable of simultaneously guiding up to 12 missiles at 6 air targets!
- the second radar - 3R41 "Volna", which received the nickname "tit" in the Navy for its characteristic appearance (it is clearly visible in the aft part of the superstructure). In fact, it was planned to install a modern 4P48 at this place, but, alas, during the construction of the cruiser, funds were only enough for a "boob", and modern 4P48s were sold abroad and installed on board Chinese destroyers of the Liuzhou class.
As a result, from the stern side, "Peter" is capable of directing only 6 missiles at three targets - but, in any case, this is the best result in comparison with the American Aegis destroyer.
In addition to a larger number of control channels, the domestic fire control scheme based on specialized radars 3R41 and 4R48 provides much more reliable and anti-jamming missile guidance on the marching sector, compared to the American multifunctional AN / SPY-1.
Unlike the American Aegis destroyer, where all types of anti-aircraft missiles (Standerd-2, 3, Sea Sperrow, ESSM) are guided by a single fire control system (SPY-1 + three SPG-62), the Russian cruiser equipped with two types of air defense systems with individual guidance systems. In addition to the S-300F / 300FM zone air defense systems, the Dagger anti-aircraft self-defense system, 128 short-range missiles designed to repel attacks by anti-ship missiles, is installed on board the Petr.
"Dagger" has its own antenna post 3P95, located in the stern of the superstructure, next to the coaxial artillery gun. The anti-aircraft complex uses a 4-channel radio command system, which provides simultaneous guidance of up to 8 missiles at 4 air targets in the 60 ° x 60 ° sector.
Launch of the Kinzhal air defense missile system from the Frunze (Admiral Lazarev) nuclear-powered cruiser, late 1980s
The last line of defense of "Peter" is formed by six anti-aircraft artillery complexes "Kortik" - each combat module is a paired machine gun of 30 mm caliber (total rate of fire 10,000 rds / min), coupled with a block of short-range anti-aircraft missiles 9М311. In addition to its own radar equipment, "Kortiki" receive target designation from two antenna posts of the "Positive" radar station.
In this case, the American cruisers and destroyers are much sadder - on board the Orly Berks, at best, a pair of automated Falanx anti-aircraft guns are mounted, which is a set of six-barreled 20 mm cannon and a compact fire control radar mounted on one gun carriage. In connection with attempts to reduce the cost of their construction, the US Navy destroyers of the latest series are generally deprived of any anti-aircraft self-defense means.
Actually, "Orly Burke" is deprived of a lot of things - the fantastic Aegis destroyers, positioned by the Pentagon as the best air defense / missile defense warships, have neither a special radar for detecting NLCs, nor a sufficient number of target illumination radars. This explains the pleasant-looking "smoothness" of their superstructures and the absence of "extra" antennas.
Epilogue
"Fragat", "Tackle", "Wave" … Each of the radars has its own specific purpose and is focused on performing some of its specific tasks. Combining them into a single "universal" station is an attractive idea, but difficult to implement in practice: fundamental laws of nature stand in the way of engineers - for each case it is preferable to work in a certain wavelength range.
It is no coincidence that one of the most advanced developments in the field of maritime detection means - the promising AN / SPY-3 radar with three active phased array, planned for installation on the American destroyer Zamvolt, was originally created as a part of a system of two radars: centimeter AN / SPY- 3 to search for low-altitude targets and survey AN / SPY-4 (decimeter wavelength range). Subsequently, under the blows of financial cuts, the Pentagon abandoned the installation of AN / SPY-4, with the wording "the destroyer is not intended to provide zonal air defense." Simply put, the super-destroyer Zamvolt will not be able to effectively engage air targets at a distance of more than 50 km (however, unlike the Burk, which can shoot down space satellites, the Zamvolt is ideal for repelling attacks from low-flying anti-ship missiles).
Yankees, as you know, are big fans of standardization and unification - now let them choose which is better …
Unlike the American Aegis and Zamvolts, the Russian nuclear-powered cruiser carries on board a complete set of detection and fire control equipment to engage air targets at any distance. Even now, taking into account the deliberate weakening of its characteristics, due to the well-known political and economic events, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Peter the Great remains the strongest combat unit, whose air defense capabilities are equivalent to two or three American Aegis destroyers.
The design of this giant has a huge potential - replacing the outdated Voskhod radar with a modern radar with an active phased array, similar to the European S1850M and equipping the ship with S-400 missiles with replacing part of the ammunition with anti-aircraft missiles with active homing heads - will turn the cruiser into an impregnable sea fortress …
