"Admiral Ushakov" (cruiser): history and characteristics

One-sixth of the land was occupied by the Soviet Union. Partly due to the geographical location, partly to technological opportunities, the development of the Navy ships in the country was given a lot of time. However, this is still engaged in any major state.

Boats and cruisers, submarines and aircraft carriers, light and large - lists of technological solutions can be continued for a very long time. One such was Orlan, or Project 1144. The heavy nuclear missile cruiser Admiral Ushakov is the flagship of the project, which has no analogues in any fleet of the world. It is about him, his capabilities, characteristics, military and technical data, we'll talk about in the article.

Evolution of the name

It should be noted that the name "Admiral Ushakov" cruiser was not immediately received. Admiral stripes appeared after the collapse of the Union in 1992. Then he and 3 more "Orlan" got new names. However, only one - the 4th - bears the name "Peter the Great". The first three became "admirals". These are Ushakov, Lazarev and Nakhimov. At the descent from the stocks, the vessels were named "Kirov", "Frunze", "Kalinin", respectively. The fourth cruiser was first named "Kuibyshev", then, before the end of construction, he received a new name - "Yuri Andropov".

To date, only "Peter the Great" is in the service. "Nakhimov" is on modernization. The first two, perhaps, will also be updated, but for "Nakhimov".

The Orlan Project

The idea of creating a ship, as the nuclear cruiser Admiral Ushakov later became, did not come at once. Initial projects date back to the 50s of the last century. Then it was decided to create two types of ships - one was to become a cruiser (project 63), the second - a ship of air defense (draft 81). For both types, it was planned to use an atomic reactor as a power unit.

Then project 81 was closed, and work on both types was reduced in one direction. The vessel was to become not very large, but to have the capabilities of both air defense and a simple cruiser. Unfortunately, the 63 project did not last much longer, and it was soon closed.

Return to the "atomic" project comes only in the late 60's, when the Leningrad Central Design Bureau is entrusted with the creation of an "inexpensive" nuclear watchdog vessel. The ship must have a displacement of about 8,000 tons (for comparison, the flagship of this project - the Admiral Ushakov missile cruiser - received 24,000), to be able not only to escort other ships, providing them with fire support, but also to track down and, if necessary, Enemy. One of the main "chips" was to be an unlimited range of navigation. The original project envisaged the construction of about 40 such vessels, but as it turned out, the industry was simply not ready to issue a vessel of such displacement, not to mention its possible price.

"Fugas" + "Orlan"

Despite these inconsistencies, the project 1144 receives a green street. Nuclear, artillery installations, torpedo tubes and even an unmanned helicopter are being developed. It is worth noting that the development of these aircraft in the Union began long before this idea dawned on the Americans. However, the ship did not see the helicopter. But there is another, no less important moment for the then "Kirov" (later "Admiral Ushakov"). The cruiser passes from the category of "ship tracking" to the category of "antisubmarine ship".

The thing is that parallel to the "Eagle" was the development of a purely shock vessel, the project of which was code-named "Fugas" (or "product 1165"). And in May 1971, when the development of weapons was already under way for both ships, the projects were being combined. The future ship gets the best weapons options, before being developed for each type.

Descent to the water

A year after the merger of the projects, the military appears to be the final version. Then in March 1973 at the Baltiyskiy Plant, Ordzhonikidze laid the head cruiser. In the final version of the project, five ships were planned, four of which were built. But it should be noted that the fourth ship - "Peter the Great" - immediately received several differences from his brothers. In particular, he has greater autonomy of navigation, improved anti-submarine and hydro-acoustic weapons, more modern cruise missiles.

Four years later, on New Year's Eve, 1977, the heavy nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Ushakov was launched and enlisted in the Soviet Navy. This year was marked for the project "Orlan" by another event. That's when the Navy introduces a new classification, and "Kirov" from the category of a simple anti-submarine ship becomes a heavy nuclear missile cruiser.

Description and construction

At the time of designing, and then building a ship, composites were widely used in the world. Therefore, the developed superstructures of the floating craft are mainly made of aluminum-magnesium alloys. Most of the weapons are installed in the stern and bow. The additional armored chambers close the engine room, the ammunition cellar, and practically all the important posts of the ship "Admiral Ushakov".

The cruiser has an elongated half-tank and a double bottom for the entire length of the ship. The surface part consists of five decks (also all over the body). In the rear - a deck below the hangar, designed to permanently locate three helicopters. In the same place, a lifting mechanism is designed and rooms are provided for storing all materials necessary for flights. In a separate compartment there is a lifting and lowering system for the antenna of Polynom complex.

The construction of such a ship put forward very large requirements for possible manufacturing plants. Firstly, in the final design, the vessel received a displacement of more than 24,000 tons. Secondly, the maximum length of the hull was to be more than 250 m. There was still a whole series of requirements that only one plant in the Soviet Union could satisfy - Leningradsky.

Armament

Before talking about weapons, it should be noted that the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Ushakov had to strike at the enemy's shipborne carrier groups, track down and destroy submarines, and, of course, provide air defense and (in the future) missile defense of its territories. Proceeding from all the above tasks, the ship received a whole list of all kinds of weapons. Since more than one article will be required for a detailed description of each type, we will have to confine ourselves to brief characteristics.

The main strike arms are represented by the Granit system, an anti-ship missile system located in the bow. It includes 20 missiles, the maximum range of flight is 550 km, the combat part is nuclear. 500 kg of warhead.

Anti-aircraft weapons are the Fort missile system. The cruiser has 12 drum sets with 8 rockets each. In addition to air targets, it is possible to strike enemy ships in class before the destroyer. The launching of the rocket engines takes place after its release from the installation, which provides for the explosion and fire protection of the ship. The flight range is 70 km (limited to control systems on the ship).

The anti-submarine equipment includes the "Metel" missile complex - 10 rocket-torpedoes. The firing range is up to 50 km, the depth of attack is up to 500 m. In addition to this system, two five-tube torpedo tubes are used.

Also on the deck is a large number of small guns, guns and small six-barreled machine guns.

I serve the homeland

Among the many exercises and combat missions to which the "eagles" came out, it is worth mentioning one thing, in which "Admiral Ushakov" participated. The cruiser was in our waters when, in December 1983, NATO ships, on the side of Israel, launched military operations against Syria and Lebanon, the allies of the USSR. The ship was ordered to go to the Mediterranean. Here begins the curiosity. When it entered those waters, and it was only a little less than a day before the destination, NATO ships immediately ceased fire and fled to the island area. Approaching closer than 500 km to the "Ushakov" Americans did not dare.

Execute can not be pardoned

The phrase from the old fairy tale, cited above, very well describes the situation with the ship at the dawn of the new century. In 1989, when the cruiser was on assignment, the main reducer broke. Then the problems with the main power plant begin, and in 1991 the captain receives an order: a repair order must be made. The ship is going to the parking lot, but during the following years only one important event takes place - the transition of the floating craft to the Russian Navy and the renaming of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Ushakov. Modernization and medium repairs begin only by the year 2000.

The further destiny completely corresponds to an old fairy tale - all depends on where the comma stands. For 20 years (from the moment of staging to the parking lot), this comma changed its position several times. That modernization, then recycling, then a new solution and even a return to the Navy, but it's not final. What will happen next, and whether the "Admiral" will appear in the sea, is still unknown.

Conclusion

One of the few ships in the Russian Navy, the cruiser Admiral Ushakov boasts a power plant based on a nuclear reactor. Even today there is no ship in the world's fleet, comparable in firepower to Ushakov. The emergence of the flagship on the horizon in many cases radically changed the alignment of forces in some situations, and it would be very unfortunate if a vessel of this class was simply allowed to scrap.