From 1990 to August 1992, the destroyer "Timișoara" underwent modernization: in order to increase the stability of the cruiser, a number of superstructures were cut, the chimney and mast were shortened, and the heavy launchers for the P-21 "Termit" missiles were moved one deck below. To do this, under the bow complexes, special cutouts had to be made in the sides and deck, and in the aft part they sacrificed part of the area of the helicopter hangar: the corners of the hangar were cut out for the aft launchers. After that, I have never seen information about the basing of more than one helicopter on board this ship.
This photo clearly shows the cutouts for the nasal PU "Termit"
Cutout in hangar and upper deck for stern PU "Termit"
At the same time, the RBU-1200 “Uragan” rocket launchers were replaced with RBU-6000 “Smerch-2”.
During the renovation in August 1990, the destroyer Timișoara was renamed to Mărăşeşti, inheriting the name of the decommissioned destroyer Mereshesti, which was part of the destroyer fleet of the Royal Romanian Navy. On April 1, 2001, the destroyer Mărăşeşti was reclassified as a frigate (they say, the Americans thought it over), and it was assigned the side number F 111.
On March 29, Romania applied to join NATO, and on April 2, 2004, the Romanian national flag was already raised in front of the NATO headquarters.
In June 2004, the frigate “Mărăşeşti” completed its first mission during the Istanbul Summit.
In the same year, the frigate "Mărăşeşti" was brought into line with NATO standards and it gave way to the flagship of the Romanian Navy to the frigate "Regele Ferdinand".
In 2011, the ship was successfully re-certified by the experts of the NATO alliance and was assigned the highest level: No. 2. Regarding what - I do not know, but they write that this is the highest degree of evaluation of the ships.
The frigate “Mărăşeşti” was put up for sale in 1995, but no one dared to become the proud owner of this miracle of Romanian shipbuilding, and therefore it still stands vigilantly guarding the borders and guards the carefree sleep of Romanian children.
And recently, he often, together with his loyal partners in the NATO bloc, has risen to defend democracy around the world.
The frigate “Mărăşeşti”. Constanta, August 2013. His international callsign is YQXB (Yankee Quebec X-Ray Bravo)
Photo of the scheme of the frigate Marasesti. Open House Day 13 August 2011
The frigate "Marasesti" is a ship that has become the first in many ways:
- the first Romanian ship, which after the Second World War entered the Mediterranean Sea;
- the first Romanian ship, which after the Second World War entered the Atlantic Ocean, and carried a helicopter on board. At the same time, the first flight of a Romanian helicopter over the Mediterranean Sea was made;
- the first Romanian ship that operated under the command of NATO in the framework of the NATO summit in Istanbul (2004);
- the only Romanian ship that three times commanded the NATO group "PfP Blackseafor". We are talking about the Black Sea naval group of operational interaction "Blackseafor" (navă comandant in 2005, 2010 and 2011).
Training marches:
Constanța-Toulon-Barcelona (1994);
Constanța-Varna (1994);
Constanța - Cartagena - Napoli - Pireu (1995);
Constanța-La Spezia (1995);
Constanța - Lisabona - Brest - Lisabona (1998).
International missions:
Cooperative Partner '94 - Bulgaria;
Cooperative Marmaide-Classica '95 - Italy;
Strong Resolve '98 - Bay of Biscay;
"Storm 2000" - Bulgaria;
Cooperative Partner 2003 - Ukraine.
The fate of the enterprise
The fate of the enterprise on which this wonderful ship was built is also of interest.
Mangalia Shipyard, currently a joint venture called “Daewoo-Mangalia Heavy Industries” or “DMHI”. The ill-fated bridge can be seen in the background
The frigate Marasesti (F 111) in front of the May 2 shipyard. The photo was posted on September 2, 2010 on the website incomemagazine.ro
A rusty vessel against the background of the May 2 shipyard. The photo was posted on February 14, 2011 on the website observator.ro Hull number 271 is vaguely visible. In this case, this is a minelayer "Vice-Amiral Ioan Mugescu" of the "Kosar" type
Apparently, the same ship, moored at the pier at the May 2 shipyard. On the wheelhouse, the motto is traditional for Romanian ships: “Onoare şi Patrie” (Honor and Homeland). The photo was posted on 07.02.2012 on the website ziaruldeinvestigatii.ro
The military shipyard “Şantierul Naval Mangalia” is now called “Parcul Industrial Mangalia”: industrial park Mangalia. In other words, they lease office, residential and warehouse premises, as well as areas and hangars to everyone. In particular, the Daewoo-Mangalia Heavy Industries campaign has settled part of its personnel on the territory of Mangalia Park and stores fuel for its CHP. In the same place “NIK CONSALT” is engaged in the design and construction of ships, floating structures and social housing, and JSC “Uranus” has organized a point of reception and storage of recyclable materials. The area is rented by a private office "Special Intervention Group" with a list of services: underwater diving, mountaineering, speleology, geology, hydrogeology. In the same place, two enterprises are renting areas, whose activities are metal and woodworking, the company "Comilex" organized a warehouse for meat products, and another - a car service. It seems to me that the presence of an alcoholic beverage shop suggests itself …
In general, I found out what happened to the only specialized shipyard in Romania, but I could not find out who is currently engaged in the maintenance and repair of ships of the Romanian Navy.
The fate of the director of the enterprise
In 2007, criminal cases were initiated against the General Director of the Mangalia military shipyard (Eugen-Lucian Tudor), who was in 2004-2006, his deputy and the administrator of the private company Brenav Trans SRL. It turned out that gentlemen shipbuilders abused their official position: they used equipment, port cranes, trucks for free for personal purposes and forged documents of strict reporting. In the course of the investigation, it turned out that they began the procedure for writing off several ships, and then cutting them into metal. The amount of metal declared in official documents was, to put it mildly, greatly underestimated. And the unaccounted metal was sold “to the left”: with the help of the campaign administrator Brenav Trans SRL, which specialized in the collection of scrap metal. The losses are estimated at more than 100 thousand euros. In general, everything turned out naturally: "They will put you in trouble, but you don't steal!"
The author would like to thank Bongo and Professor for the advice.
