In the seventies of the last century, several new types of anti-ship missiles entered service with NATO countries. The use of the latest technology made these ammunition especially dangerous for enemy ships. A high-speed missile, equipped with an effective homing head and flying several meters above the water, posed a great danger to the ship, since its interception was a very difficult task. To protect ships from such threats, a new anti-aircraft weapon system was required, superior in its characteristics to the existing ones.
Combat module 3S87 ZRAK 3M87 "Kortik" (Kashtan - air defense gun / missile system (booklet). Rosoboronexport. 2000s)
At the end of the seventies in the Tula Instrument Design Bureau, work began on the "Dagger" theme. The project manager was A. G. Shipunov. As part of scientific and design work, it was planned to create a new anti-aircraft complex designed for installation on ships and capable of combating all types of existing and prospective threats. To complete the tasks, it was necessary to eliminate several problems inherent in the old shipborne anti-aircraft systems. So, it was required to significantly improve the capabilities of the anti-aircraft complex in the field of detection and tracking of targets, including high-speed ones; increase the likelihood of hitting a target; as well as increase the ready-to-use ammunition and speed up reloading.
As a result of analyzing the capabilities of modern and promising anti-ship missiles, it was decided to make not an artillery or anti-aircraft missile system, but a system that combines the best qualities of both of these means of protection. As a result, "Kortik" became rocket and artillery. By this time, the Tula designers already had some experience in creating such systems, since not long before that they had created the Tunguska land-based anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex (ZRAK). It was decided to use some of the existing developments. In particular, some of the nodes of the Tunguska went almost unchanged to the Kortik.
A pair of combat modules 3S87 ZRAK 3M87 "Kortik" on the aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" pr.11435, photo probably 2010 (https://china-defense.blogspot.com)
However, most of the elements of the shipboard ZRAK "Kortik" (GRAU index 3M87) was redesigned. Such novelty can be traced even in the structure of the complex: depending on the need, one ship can receive one or two command modules ZRAK "Kortik", equipped with a target detection radar station and a digital control system, and up to six combat ones. Thus, a small ship or boat can carry only one combat module with missiles and guns, and a large destroyer or cruiser receives several sets of anti-aircraft weapons, which meets the needs of a particular class of ships.
The combat module 3С87, with some restrictions, can be installed practically on any part of the ship's deck, depending on the need. The total weight of the module is 9500 kg (12 thousand kg with ammunition). The main equipment of the combat module is mounted on a common rotary platform, which allows directing missile and artillery weapons in a horizontal plane. In the upper part of the rotary module, there are radar and optoelectronic stations designed to aim weapons at a target. On the side surfaces of the 3S87 combat module, cannons and missiles are placed.
The artillery unit of the "Kortik" complex includes two automatic cannons AO-18 of 30 mm caliber. Six-barreled guns are capable of firing at a rate of up to 4, 5-5 thousand rounds per minute and effective fire at ranges of up to 1500-2000 meters. The maximum sighting range is 4 kilometers. To avoid damage to the missiles by powder gases, the barrel blocks of both guns are covered with cylindrical casings. Ready-to-use ammunition for each of the cannons is 500 rounds. It is interesting that, unlike the previous artillery systems, the Kortika ammunition system uses a screw linkless supply of shells to the guns. Ammunition is stored in two drums next to the cannons, and not in the turret volume.
Shipborne anti-aircraft missile and artillery system Kortik on the TFR "Guarding" pr.20380
Above the cannons in the combat module are missile launchers. On the sides of the upper part of the 3C87 module there are two swinging platforms on which blocks of transport and launch containers for guided missiles are mounted. Standard ready-to-use ammunition for the missile part of the Kortik ZRAK is six or eight missiles. After the use of these missiles, it is possible to supply new ones from the cellar. To simplify production and operation, the 9M311 rocket was borrowed with minimal changes from the Tunguska land-based anti-aircraft complex. According to some sources, for some time the missile for "Kortik" was called 9M311K, but later the last letter disappeared as unnecessary. A two-stage rocket with solid-propellant engines and a launch weight of about 43 kg (60 kg in a container) in flight accelerates to a speed of about 900-910 meters per second. The maximum range is 8000 meters. The height of the lesion is up to 4000 m.
9M311 missiles are displayed at the target using a radio command guidance system. The capabilities of the radar and optoelectronic stations allow simultaneous tracking of up to six targets. At the same time, according to some reports, one combat module can attack only one target at a time. The 9M311 missile with radio command guidance destroys the target using a fragmentation-rod warhead, first used on guided munitions for a ship's anti-aircraft system. When an explosive is detonated, rods 600 millimeters long and 4 to 9 mm in diameter are crushed into fragments. In addition, for additional target destruction, light ready-made fragments are located on top of the rods in the warhead. The greatest effectiveness of destruction is achieved when the warhead is detonated at a distance of 3-5 meters from the target.
The characteristics of the missile and artillery weapons of the Kortik complex allow it to destroy targets of various types located in a sector with a radius of up to 8 kilometers and a width of about 350 meters from the axis of the combat module. In the case of anti-ship missiles, the maximum effective range of fire is reduced to 5 km. The capabilities of the 3S87 combat module allow for a kind of echeloned air defense. So, at ranges from 1, 5 to 8 kilometers, the target is attacked using guided missiles. A target that breaks through the missile defense is attacked by two rapid-fire cannons. The applied architecture of the "Kortik" complex makes it possible to attack both aircraft and high-precision aircraft weapons and anti-ship missiles with high efficiency. The declared probability of hitting a target located in the range of the complex exceeds 95%.
When creating a new shipborne ZRAK "Kortik" it was assumed that in the future it would partially or completely replace the old artillery systems of a similar purpose. Because of this, for example, the shoulder strap diameter of the 3S87 combat module corresponds to the same parameter of the AK-630 artillery complex. In practice, however, both systems are adjacent to each other and are used in parallel. The fact is that the Kortik complex was put into service only in 1989, and due to subsequent difficult events in the life of the country, it could not become the main anti-aircraft armament of ships in the near zone. In addition, one characteristic feature placed this complex widespread. The combat module has a height of 2250 mm above the deck, which imposes certain restrictions on the choice of its location.
Nevertheless, a number of types of ships received new missile and artillery systems. The first carrier of the modules of the Kortik complex during their tests was the Project 1241.7 Molniya missile boat. Trial firing and fine-tuning of all systems were carried out on it. In the future, serial "Daggers" were installed on ships of other projects. So, the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" of project 1143.5 is equipped with eight combat modules at once ZRAK "Kortik". Two Project 1144 heavy nuclear missile cruisers (Admiral Nakhimov and Peter the Great) each carry six combat modules. The large anti-submarine ship "Admiral Chabanenko" of project 1155.1 has four combat modules. Two or one module with rocket and artillery weapons are installed on patrol boats of project 11540, as well as frigates of projects 1135.6 and 11661.
Back in the early nineties, a new designation ZRAK "Kortik" appeared in advertising materials. An option called "Kashtan" was offered for export. According to available data, the export version of the "Kortik" was almost no different from the base one designed for the ships of the Russian navy. In this configuration, the Kashtan air defense system attracted the interest of foreign buyers in the person of the Indian military. Project 1135.6 frigates built for India carry one combat and one command module of the anti-aircraft complex. From 2003 to 2013, the Indian naval forces received ten Project 1135.6 frigates equipped with the Kashtan air defense missile system.
In 2008, the Project 20380 guard ship "Guarding", armed with the new "Kortik-M" air defense missile system, was accepted into the Russian Navy. The modernized version differs from the base complex in some structural elements and weapons. All applied changes ultimately had a beneficial effect on the characteristics and capabilities of the entire anti-aircraft system. For example, it was possible to achieve a noticeable lightening of the structure. The total mass of the combat module with ammunition does not exceed 10 tons.
The artillery part of the complex is based on automatic cannons AO-18KD, which is a further development of the basic AO-18. The main difference between the updated guns is the muzzle velocity. With the help of longer barrels, the Kortika-M cannon accelerate high-explosive fragmentation projectiles up to a speed of 960 m / s, armor-piercing sub-caliber shells - up to 1100 m / s. Thus, using the same projectiles and having similar characteristics of range and height of destruction, the AO-18KD anti-aircraft guns provide greater efficiency in hitting the target. The total ammunition load for artillery pieces has been increased to 3,000 shells.
In addition to new cannons, the Kortik-M ZRAK received new missiles. Guided ammunition 3M311-1, while retaining the dimensions and weight of its predecessor, is capable of hitting targets at a maximum range of up to 10 kilometers. It should also be noted that the radio-electronic part of the ship's anti-aircraft complex has been updated. As stated, the reaction time "Kortika-M" is noticeably shorter than that of the previous model ZRAK. This indicator, according to various sources, ranges from 3-6 to 5-7 seconds. For comparison, the complex "Kortik" can attack a target only 6-8 seconds after it is detected.
In parallel with the "Kortik-M" complex, its export version called "Kashtan-M" was created. In the first half of the two thousandth, it was offered to the Indian military for installation on the aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" (later this ship was renamed "Vikramaditya"). After numerous negotiations, India abandoned these anti-aircraft systems. As a result, at the moment the updated "Kortik-M" is used only in the Russian navy.
