In the context of the development of the Soviet Navy, the late fifties and early sixties of the last century were remembered for two main trends. First, the construction of new American submarines with ballistic missiles on board forced the Soviet military and designers to engage in the design and construction of anti-submarine ships, which in the near future were to hunt for enemy submarines. Secondly, by this time the combat potential of the helicopters became clear, including their anti-submarine capabilities. As a result, several projects were launched, which eventually led to the creation of a new type of anti-submarine helicopter cruisers.
"Moskva" - Soviet and Russian anti-submarine cruiser-helicopter carrier, lead ship of Project 1123
Appearance and design
Initially, it was assumed that the new ship would be a further development of the Project 61 patrol ships, developed in the mid-fifties, but at the same time it would carry different weapons, and also increase its capabilities thanks to several helicopters on board. In this regard, and also wishing to save time and effort, TsKB-17 (now the Nevsky Design Bureau) in August 1958 completed work on a technical proposal. According to this document, promising ships had to be built on the basis of the already built hulls of the 68-bis cruisers. At that time, the construction of such ships was frozen and a new project could help to use the already manufactured units.
The customer, represented by the Ministry of Defense and the relevant departments of the Navy, considered the proposal of TsKB-17 and recommended starting a full-fledged development of a new anti-submarine helicopter cruiser. In December 1958, a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers was issued, according to which TsKB-17 was to develop Project 1123 "Condor" over the next few years. The delivery of the lead ship was scheduled for 1964. In addition, the construction of new ships was included in the shipbuilding plan for the first half of the sixties. The customer's requirements were as follows. The ships of the project 1123 were supposed to search and destroy strategic enemy submarines at a great distance from their bases.
A month after the resolution of the Council of Ministers was issued, the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy, Admiral S. G. Gorshkov approved the terms of reference. The fleet wanted a ship with a displacement of about 4500 tons, capable of accelerating to 30-35 knots. In addition, the terms of reference determined the main capabilities of the anti-submarine helicopters placed on board. It was required to place on board the cruiser as many helicopters, auxiliary equipment, etc., as needed for round-the-clock patrol work of two rotorcraft at the same time. Thus, taking into account the capabilities and characteristics of the proposed Ka-25, the project 1123 ship was supposed to carry eight helicopters at once.
In the future, views on the required number of helicopters changed significantly. So, in the early fall of 1959, employees of TsKB-17 presented their views on the combat work of the cruiser's anti-submarine helicopters. According to the ideas expressed, helicopters with sonar buoys were to take off from the ship at certain intervals. At the same time, the ship itself would be at a distance of several tens of kilometers from the intended area of the submarine so that it could not notice it. Further, at least one helicopter would provide communication with the most distant buoys and several rotorcraft would search for targets using their own sonar stations. With this tactic, on one cruiser of the 1123 project, it was required to use from 5 to 14-15 helicopters. In the case of the largest number, the ship could conduct search work around the clock and without interruption.
Based on the results of all analyzes and surveys in the same 1959, the customer revised his requirements for the number of helicopters. Now it was required to place at least ten such vehicles on the cruiser, three of which could simultaneously search for enemy submarines. The maximum number of helicopters that met the requirements was 14. However, the change in the requirements for the helicopter group made it necessary to adjust other parameters of promising cruisers. According to the updated assignment, the ships of project 1123 were supposed to have a displacement of more than 7000 tons and larger dimensions. In addition, the customer demanded to equip the new cruisers with anti-aircraft missile systems and other self-defense weapons.
It was the updated requirements of January 1960 that determined the appearance of the future Condor cruisers. The head enterprise of the project was TsKB-17 (chief designer A. S. Savichev), OKB N. I. Kamov was instructed to complete the development of an anti-submarine helicopter, and the Air Force Research Institute-15 was involved in work on the creation of an anti-submarine helicopter complex. The entire 60th year was spent on the development of draft designs and the choice of the optimal architecture of the ship. At this stage, several options for the placement of the flight deck and accompanying volumes were considered, as well as the layout of other structural elements, equipment, weapons, etc. depending on them. Perhaps the most daring proposal was the creation of a helicopter-carrying cruiser of the catamaran system. The double-hulled design would have made it possible to make a relatively large flight deck, but it significantly complicated the design and construction of the new ship. Therefore, in the end, they chose a less daring scheme.
Further changes in customer requirements have led to corresponding consequences. So, by the time the technical project was approved at the very beginning of 1962, the displacement had increased to 10700-10750 tons, and the maximum speed, in turn, had significantly decreased. Nevertheless, the overall set of technical characteristics and combat capabilities was considered acceptable and continued work on the project. In the middle of the same year, the technical documentation for the project 1123 "Condor" was sent to the Nikolaev shipyard No. 444, where on December 15 the laying ceremony of the lead cruiser "Moscow" took place.
Design
The new anti-submarine cruiser-helicopter carrier, due to the specific tactical niche, received the original architecture of the hull. The high-side aft part of the hull was completely retracted under the flight deck. In order to provide the necessary area for it, the shape of the case was modified in an original way. In the bow, its contours were of the usual V-shape for warships, but already in the middle part, the camber of the sides increased, which made it possible to bring the flight deck area to 2,400 square meters. With all the courage and originality of this approach, it should be recognized that the increase in the camber of the sides had a negative impact on seaworthiness and running characteristics. Nevertheless, when discussing the feasibility of using such an architecture of the hull, it was decided that the main priority was to ensure the combat operation of helicopters, and not the running capabilities of the ship.
A hangar for helicopters and related equipment was placed directly under the flight deck. It is noteworthy that the hangar upper ceiling, which at the same time served as the flight deck, was installed on the minimum possible number of supports. As a result, it was possible to obtain an optimal balance between the free space inside the hangar and the strength of the deck.
In front of the hangar, there was a superstructure with antennas for electronic systems. A chimney was placed on its back surface. The shape of the superstructure is interesting. In fact, it was an aggregate formed by several intersecting planes on which antennas, etc. are placed. According to some sources, this form of superstructure was chosen to reduce the ship's radar signature. How much these statements correspond to reality is unknown, but several decades after the construction of the head cruiser of Project 1123, such forms of superstructures became one of the elements of the so-called. stealth technologies used in shipbuilding.
The hull with original contours had a double bottom, turning into a double side. To increase survivability, the project included 16 watertight bulkheads. In the aft part of the hull, they reached the hangar deck. It is worth noting that there was no reservation at all in the 1123 project. Nevertheless, by means of some design solutions, it was possible to ensure acceptable survivability of the ship in the event of being hit by enemy missiles or torpedoes. For example, to compensate for the roll after a torpedo hit, the bottom fuel tanks had a Z-shape. Tanks of this shape, according to calculations, would fill with water evenly if damaged. As a result, the damaged ship could no longer lean heavily on the damaged side. In addition, several emergency tanks were provided near the sides, the filling of which could compensate for a roll of up to 12 °.
In the fifties and sixties of the last century, the possibility of using nuclear weapons against ships was seriously considered. In the event of a nuclear attack, the ships of Project 1123 had a minimum number of windows. They were available only in the cabins of the aviation group and officers, in the infirmary and in several living quarters. All other rooms of the ship, the number of which exceeded 1,100, were equipped with electric lighting and a forced ventilation system. As shown by theoretical calculations, the project 1123 anti-submarine cruiser could withstand an air explosion of a 30-kiloton atomic bomb at a distance of more than two kilometers. With such an explosion, all of the ship's electronics remained operational, and the shock wave could only tilt the cruiser by 5-6 degrees. With the existing stability, the Project 1123 ship could capsize only if a nuclear warhead of the specified power would explode at a distance of less than 770-800 meters from it.
All design solutions used, as well as constantly updated customer requirements, ultimately led to another increase in displacement. The standard value of this parameter eventually reached the level of 11,900 tons, and the total displacement increased to 15,280 tons.
Power plant
Directly under the hangar deck, TsKB-17 engineers placed two engine rooms. Each of them contained two boilers KVN-95/64 and one turbo-gear unit TV-12. The power plant of project 1123 was developed on the basis of the corresponding systems of project 68-bis, but at the same time it received a number of innovations. For example, some modifications of the boilers made it possible to increase their productivity by three tons of steam per hour and bring this figure to 98 t / h. In addition, all units of the ship's main power plant were installed on shock absorbers that damped vibrations. The power plant of the project 1123 cruisers was equal to 90 thousand horsepower. If necessary, it was possible to increase the power: with a decrease in the temperature of the cooling water of the condensers to 15 ° C, the power of the power plant increased to 100 thousand hp. The ship's tanks held 3,000 tons of naval fuel oil, 80 tons of fuel for diesel generators and up to 28 tons of oils. This stock of fuel and lubricants was enough for a trip of more than 14 thousand miles at a speed of 13, 5 knots. The design of the chimney, in which the exhaust gas cooling devices were located, is interesting. At an air temperature of about 15 degrees, the gases cooled to 90-95 degrees. According to calculations, the ship's visibility in the infrared range has decreased by about ten times compared to the cruisers of the 68-bis project.
Each cruiser of the Condor project received two power plants at once with a diesel and a turbine generator with an output power of 1,500 kilowatts per generator. Thus, the total capacity of the power plants was 6,000 kW. It is noteworthy that almost all elements of power plants, such as generators, transformers, switches, etc., were developed specifically for Project 1123. A relatively small resource has become a characteristic feature of power plants. They gave more power in comparison with the stations of older ships, but at the same time they worked less. In addition, in practice, most of the time, both power plants produced only a third of the maximum possible capacity.
Equipment and weapons
The basis of the target equipment of the Project 1123 anti-submarine cruisers was the MG-342 Orion hydroacoustic station. Its antenna was placed in a special retractable fairing at the bottom of the hull. The fairing, 21 meters long, dropped seven meters relative to the keel of the ship. It is worth noting that the Condor cruisers became the first surface ships in the world to have such a hydroacoustic station installed. Due to the large radome of the antenna during its use, the draft of the cruiser increased by several meters. This change was offset by ballast tanks. Together with Orion, the MG-325 Vega station operated, the antenna of which was towed.
On the superstructure of the ships, places were provided for installing the antennas of several radar stations. This is the MR-600 "Voskhod" for the detection of surface and air targets at a distance of up to 500 kilometers; MP-310 "Angara" of a similar purpose, but with a range of 130 km; as well as navigation radar "Don". It was originally planned that Angara would become the main radar station for the new ships, but after the start of Voskhod development it was made a reserve one. In addition, the ships of the project 1123 were supposed to be equipped with state identification equipment, electronic warfare stations, electronic reconnaissance systems, communications, etc.
The cruisers of Project 1123 became the first Soviet ships equipped with an anti-submarine missile system. On the tank of the cruisers, a two-girder launcher MS-18 of the RPK-1 "Whirlwind" complex was installed. Inside the hull, next to the launcher, a drum loader was provided with ammunition for eight missiles. The 82P unguided ballistic anti-submarine missiles could deliver a special (nuclear) warhead to a distance of up to 24 kilometers. According to various sources, its capacity ranged from 5 to 20 kilotons. In the sides of the ship, in their middle part, under the superstructure, there were five torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber. The ammunition load of ten vehicles was equal to only ten torpedoes of the SET-53 or SET-65 types. On the bow of the ships were two RBU-6000 rocket launchers with a total ammunition of 144 rocket depth charges.
For defense against enemy aircraft and missiles, the Condor ships received a new medium-range anti-aircraft missile system M-11 "Storm". Two launchers of this complex were located on the deck, one behind the Vortex anti-submarine launcher, the other in front of the superstructure. The Shtorm missile system worked in conjunction with the Thunder control system. The latter was equipped with its own antenna post to search for targets and guide missiles. Each "Storm" launcher had automatic drum loaders with a capacity of 48 missiles. Thus, the total ammunition load of anti-aircraft missiles on board the Project 1123 cruiser was 96. It is interesting that the M-11 "Storm" complex also had a certain anti-ship potential. If necessary, it was allowed to use its missiles to destroy surface targets.
The artillery of the Project 1123 ships included two double-barreled 57-mm installations ZIF-72 with the Bars-72 fire control system, coupled with the MR-103 radar stations. Also on the "Condors" were provided for two more barrel systems: two salute guns of 45 mm caliber and two double-barreled launchers of jamming projectiles.
Moscow. Visit to Algeria. 1978 year
Aviation group
By the time the technical project was created, the anti-submarine cruisers-helicopter carriers received two hangars. One of them, the largest, as already mentioned, was placed under the flight deck, the second - in front of it, inside the superstructure. It is worth noting that it was possible to find a volume in the superstructure to accommodate only two Ka-25 helicopters. The remaining 12 rotary-wing vehicles were transported in an under-deck hangar with an area of about two thousand square meters. The Kondor ship was to simultaneously host an air wing of the following composition: 12 Ka-25PL anti-submarine missiles, one Ka-25Ts target designation helicopter, and one Ka-25PS search and rescue helicopter.
Of interest is the equipment of the under-deck hangar. An automated helicopter towing system based on chain conveyors was created especially for Project 1123. In case of fire, the hangar was equipped with three protective asbestos curtains, designed to localize the source of fire, as well as a fire extinguishing system. To lift the helicopters to the flight deck, two cargo elevators with a carrying capacity of 10 tons each were provided. For the safety of the crew, an obstacle made of cables was automatically raised around the elevators during operation. While the elevator platform was level with the deck, the railing lay in special niches. For the transport of helicopters on the deck, the ships were equipped with tractors.
Cellars for helicopter ammunition were located under a large hangar. They accommodated up to 30 AT-1 torpedoes, up to 40 PLAB-250-120 anti-submarine bombs, up to 150 reference naval bombs, as well as up to 800 buoys of various types. In addition, there was a separate well-protected volume for storing eight special depth charges (according to some sources, the power of these bombs is 80 kilotons). When preparing the helicopter for a combat flight, the ship's crew removed the ammunition from the racks and, with the help of a telpher, sent it to the screw lift. That, in turn, delivered torpedoes or bombs with a total weight of up to one and a half tons to the hangar. Torpedoes, bombs or buoys were suspended from helicopters both in the hangar and on the upper deck.
Before takeoff, the helicopter was towed to one of the four take-off sites. They had appropriate markings and were equipped with a stretched mesh. There were no special devices for "catching" a landing helicopter - the size of the flight deck made it possible to take off and land without any special tweaks. All four sites received their own equipment for refueling helicopters with kerosene and oil. Another similar system was in the hangar. Aviation fuel tanks held 280 tons of kerosene.
The appearance of helicopters on the ship led to the appearance of a new warhead. All personnel of the aviation group were assigned to the BC-6. The workplaces of its commanders were located in the launch-command post, located directly above the upper hangar. There was all the equipment necessary to control the preparation for the flight, as well as tracking its progress.
Testing and service
The lead cruiser of the project 1123 "Moscow" was launched on January 14, 1965, after the completion of the afloat tests began. In their course, some specific features of the ship's architecture were revealed. The unconventional ratio of length to width of the hull resulted in the cruiser having a tendency to bury itself in waves. In addition, the deck was seriously flooded. In 1970, during a voyage to the Atlantic Ocean, the lead Condor was caught in a six-point storm. According to the commander of the ship, Captain 1st Rank B. Romanov, waves constantly beat on the glazing of the navigating bridge (22-23 meters above the waterline), and the bow and stern of the ship from time to time rose above the water. The water poured into the ship damaged some parts of the jet bomb launchers. In addition, because of the water, one of the motors of the antenna post of the fire control station burned out. Earlier on tests it was found that "Moscow" can use weapons and ensure the operation of helicopters in waves of up to five points.
During the tests, noticeable changes were made to the ship's crew. Initially, in accordance with the project, 370 people were supposed to serve on the ship: 266 the crew of the ship and 104 - the personnel of the aviation group. Due to the new sophisticated equipment, the required crew size increased to 541 people. Later, during the service, the regular crew increased to 700 people, and in fact, up to 800-850 sailors, officers and pilots served on the "Moscow" at the same time. It is noteworthy that the number of personnel of the aviation group all the time remained at the same level: about 105-110 people.
On the next laziness after the launch of the "Moscow", the second cruiser of the "Leningrad" project was laid down at the same shipyard in Nikolaev. It was launched in the middle of 1966 and by the end of 1968 was accepted into the USSR Navy. Both ships were included in the Black Sea Fleet. Previously, it was assumed that they will go to the Northern Fleet. The fact is that at the time the development of Project 1123 began, the Arctic Ocean was considered the most dangerous area in terms of the enemy's strategic submarines. By the time Moskva was put into operation, the United States had submarine ballistic missiles with a range that allowed them to be launched from the Atlantic. Therefore, both "Condors" went to the bases of the Black Sea Fleet, the least distant from the Atlantic Ocean.
"Leningrad", 1990
During their service, the cruisers "Moscow" and "Leningrad" repeatedly went on patrols in the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. During its first combat campaign in the fall of 1968 alone, the cruiser Moskva covered 11,000 kilometers in a month and a half and provided about 400 helicopter sorties. Every day, the helicopters "looked" up to two thousand square kilometers of the water area. A little later, in 1970-71, "Leningrad", located off the coast of Egypt, provided assistance to a friendly country. In 1972, "Moscow" was involved in testing the Yak-36 aircraft. A heat-resistant metal sheet was laid on the flight deck, on which the plane sat down. About two years later, both Condors were helping the Egyptian armed forces. At the same time, the ships worked not as anti-submarine cruisers, but as helicopter carriers. Helicopters, in turn, used trawls to make passages in minefields.
On February 2, 1975, a tragedy struck the cruiser Moskva. A fire started in the hold due to a short circuit on one of the switchboards. Due to some design features of the ship, the fire quickly spread throughout the premises. The crew of the "Moscow" requested the help of the rescue vessels. By the evening, 16 fire brigades managed to localize and extinguish the fire, but by this time 26 people were injured and three died.
In the same 1975, the planned repairs of both anti-submarine cruisers began. All torpedo tubes were removed from the ships as unnecessary, and the "Thunder" anti-aircraft missile systems control system was replaced by the more advanced "Thunder-M". Also, some other systems have been updated and modernized. A number of sources claim that it was during the repairs of the mid-seventies that Moscow and Leningrad received a new combat information and control system MVU-201 “Root”, but according to other sources, this CIUS was installed on ships initially and was only updated.
Two flagships - "Leningrad" and "Springfield"
Later, until the mid-eighties, Project 1123 cruisers regularly patrolled the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and also made friendly visits to ports of foreign countries from time to time. For example, in 1978 and 1981, "Moscow" and "Leningrad" entered the Algerian ports, and in March 1984, "Leningrad" visited Havana.
Unfortunately, this was the last such trip of "Leningrad". At the beginning of 1986, it was overhauled, which lasted until the end of 1987. By the end of this repair, the country was going through hard times and anti-submarine cruisers-helicopter carriers went out to sea less and less. The fate of "Leningrad" ended with the fact that in 1991 it was withdrawn from the fleet, disarmed and decommissioned. In four years it will be sold for scrap by some Indian company.
"Moscow" lived a little longer. At the end of 1993, this cruiser went to sea for the last time. After about a year and a half, he was taken to the reserve and made a floating barracks. However, "Moscow" was not destined to serve for a long time in its new status. At the end of autumn 1996, the flag was lowered from the PKZ-108 floating barracks and taken out of the fleet. The following year, the Russian Ministry of Defense and Indian merchants signed another contract, according to which the second anti-submarine cruiser was sent for scrapping.
Third "Condor"
It is worth noting that there could be not two, but three "Kondors". Back in 1967, the Nevsky Design Bureau (formerly TsKB-17) received the task to improve the 1123 project to the "1123M" state. The requirements for the new project included an increase in the overall dimensions of the ship, an increase in the number and size of crew cabins, a general improvement in conditions for sailors, as well as an increase in weapons and an upgrade of electronics. The aviation part of the project was also to undergo adjustments: it was necessary to fit six take-off sites on the flight deck, as well as to ensure the operation of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft Yak-36. In accordance with the updated project, they were going to build at least one anti-submarine cruiser. The lead ship of Project 1123M was planned to be called "Kiev".
According to available information, "Kiev" would have had larger dimensions in comparison with its predecessors. In addition, the flight deck, unlike the "Moscow" or "Leningrad", could be located in the aft and middle part of the ship, above its left side, as on aircraft carriers. With a displacement of about 15 thousand tons, "Kiev" could transport and use at least 20 aircraft and helicopters for various purposes. It also provided for the installation of anti-ship missile systems and the strengthening of anti-aircraft weapons.
The ceremony of laying the "Kiev" was held on February 20, 1968. Nikolaev shipbuilders began to assemble metal structures, but at the very beginning of September a new order came: to stop work. Project 1123M deviated too much from the original concept of an anti-submarine cruiser-helicopter carrier and approached the appearance of a full-fledged aircraft carrier with a corresponding tactical niche. For this reason, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the shipbuilding industry decided to give the slipway of the Nikolaev plant No. 444 for the construction of a new aircraft carrier, which was supposed to be developed in the near future. This is how the project of aircraft-carrying cruisers 1143 "Krechet" appeared. The lead ship of the new project received the name intended for the cruiser "1123M" - "Kiev". The new cruiser with an air group had twice the displacement and had other tasks characteristic of the then views of the Soviet command on aircraft carrying ships.
Moscow 1972, refueling at sea
