Kashin-class destroyer explained

The Kashin class, Soviet designation Project 61, were series of anti-aircraft guided-missile destroyers built for the Soviet Navy since the 1960s., no ships remain in service with the Russian Navy, but three modified ships continue in service with the Indian Navy as s.

In the Soviet Union they were officially classified as "guard ships" (storozhevoi korabl – SKR), then "large ASW ships" (BPK) or "large missile ships" (BRK), but in the rest of world they are commonly regarded as missile destroyers due to their size and armament. They were the first Soviet purpose-built anti-air warfare ships and the first to carry an ASW helicopter.

Design

The design specification was approved in 1957; the first ship was laid down in 1959 and commissioned in 1962. Many new components were developed for these ships, including surface-to-air missiles, radars, and gas turbine engines. The gas turbines were arranged in two separate spaces and could be removed via the funnels for servicing. These were also the first Soviet ships designed to be closed down for nuclear fallout and had an operations room deep inside the ship rather than a large bridge.

The final ship in the class, Sderzhanyy, was completed to a modified design as the Project 61M or 61MP (Kashin-Mod), being fitted with four SS-N-2C Styx anti-ship missiles, new towed-array sonar, a raised helipad and four close range AK-630 Gatling guns. The two RBU-1000 ASW rocket launchers were mounted aft, but later removed. Six ships were modernised to this standard in the 1970s.

was modernised (Project 01090) at Sevastopol in the early 1990s and fitted with new Kh-35 (SS-N-25 Switchblade, Harpoonski) anti-ship missiles and MNK-300 sonar. In 2020 she decommissioned and opened as a Museum at Sevastopol.

The modification built for the Indian Navy has the aft gun turret replaced by a hangar for a helicopter, as well as SS-N-2C anti-ship missiles on the sides of the bridge.

Variants

Ships

In all, twenty ships were built for the Soviet Navy, one ship was later transferred to Poland, while five similar ships were built to a modified design for the Indian Navy as Rajput class.

Name NamesakeBuildersLaid downLaunchedCommissionedFleetStatusNotes
Project 61

(ex-SKR-25)
Komsomol of Ukraine61 Communards Shipyard15 September 195931 December 196031 December 1962Black SeaDecommissioned in 1991, scrapped in 1995

(ex-SKR-44)
Astute20 July 19604 November 196126 December 1963NorthernDecommissioned in 1992, scrapped in 1994

(ex-SKR-37)
Prompt10 February 196123 March 196225 October 1964Black SeaDecommissioned in 1990, scrapped in 1993In 1974–1977 SA-N-1 'Goa' replaced by SA-N-7& 'Gadfly' SAM launcher.
TalentedZhdanov Shipyard22 January 196311 September 196430 December 1965NorthernDecommissioned in 1990, scrapped in 1991Deployed in search for KAL 007 shot down in 1983.

(ex-SKR-2)
Exemplary29 July 196332 February 196420 September 1965BalticDecommissioned in 1993, scrapped in 1995

(ex-Orel)
Courageous61 Communards Shipyard10 August 196317 November 196431 December 1965Black SeaSunk after a fire on 30 August 1974 caused by a misfiring missile, with 24 fatalities
GuardingZhdanov Shipyard26 July 196420 February 196621 December 1966PacificDecommissioned in 1993, scrapped in 1994
Red Caucasus61 Communards Shipyard25 November 19649 February 196625 September 1967Black SeaDecommissioned in 1998, scrapped in 2000
Decisive25 June 196530 June 196630 December 1967Black SeaDecommissioned in 1989, scrapped in 1999
Strict22 February 196629 April 196724 December 1968PacificDecommissioned in 1993Sold to India, but on the way sank near Singapore in 1995.
Resourceful15 July 196626 August 196725 September 1969Black SeaDecommissioned in 2020,
opened as a Museum in 2021
Modernized in the mid 1990s, eight SS-N-25 'Switchblade' launchers fitted.
Red Crimea23 February 196828 February 196915 October 1970Black SeaDecommissioned in 1993, scrapped in 1996
Capable10 March 196911 April 197025 September 1971PacificDecommissioned in 1993, scrapped in 1995
Fast20 April 197026 February 197123 September 1972Black SeaDecommissioned in 1997, scrapped in 1998
Project 61MP

(ex-SKR-31)
FieryZhdanov Shipyard9 May 196231 May 196331 December 1964Decommissioned in 1989, scrapped in 1990
Slim61 Communards Shipyard20 April 196328 July 196515 December 1966Decommissioned in 1990, scrapped in 1994
GloriousZhdanov Shipyard26 July 196424 April 196530 September 1966Decommissioned in 1991, scrapped in 1995
Intelligent61 Communards Shipyard15 August 196522 October 196627 September 1968Decommissioned in 1993, scrapped in 1994

(ex-Smely)
Warsaw
(ex-Valiant)
15 November 19666 February 196827 December 1969Decommissioned in 2003, scrapped in 2005Leased to Poland in 1988, bought by Poland in 1992-1993.
Project 61M
Restrained61 Communards Shipyard10 March 197129 February 197230 December 1973Decommissioned in 2001, scrapped in 2002
Project 61E (Rajput class)

(ex-Nadezhny)
Rajput61 Communards Shipyard11 September 197617 September 197731 November 1979Decommissioned on 21 May 2021[1]

(ex-Gubitelny)
Maharana Pratap29 November 197627 September 197830 September 1981Active

(ex-Lovky)
Ranjit Singh29 June 197716 June 197920 July 1983Decommissioned in 2019Sunk during TROPEX-21 exercise.

(ex-Tvyordy)
Hero of battle24 October 198112 March 198330 December 1985Active

(ex-Tolkovy)
Victor of battle19 March 19821 February 198615 October 1987Active

See also

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: INS Rajput to be Decommissioned on 21 May 21. PIB. 2021-05-20.