The Kresta II class, Soviet designation Project 1134A Berkut A (golden eagle), was a class of guided missile cruiser (large anti-submarine warfare ship in Soviet classification) built by the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy. The NATO lists the class as "cruisers" mainly due to the Metel (SS-N-14 Silex) anti-ship missile system capable to strike not only submarines but also surface vessels.
The Kresta II class was an anti-submarine derivative of the, and were armed with a new anti-submarine missile (SS-N-14), new surface-to-air missiles (SA-N-3) and advanced sonar. Conway's states that the first three ships were to have been armed with the SS-N-9 anti-ship missile but Soviet naval doctrine changed with greater emphasis on anti-submarine warfare. The surface-to-air missiles comprised more advanced SA-N-3 missiles with two twin launchers. New 3D search radar and new fire control radars were also fitted. 4 30mm CIWS guns were also fitted for improved anti-missile defence. A more advanced sonar led to the bow being more sharply raked. The machinery suite comprised two TV-12 steam turbines with high-pressure boilers, identical to the Kresta I class.
The Kresta II-class cruisers were long with a beam of 16.9m (55.4feet) and a draught of 6m (20feet). They displaced 6000 tons standard and 7800 full load. They had a complement of 380-400 and were equipped with a hangar aft to stow away a Kamov Ka-25 Hormone-A helicopter.[1]
Kresta II-class vessels were propelled by two TV-12 steam geared turbines powered by four high pressure boilers which created .[1] This gave the cruisers a maximum speed of .[1] They had a range of at and 5200nmi at 18kn.
For their primary role as anti-submarine cruisers, the Kresta II class mounted two quadruple launchers for eight SS-N-14 anti-submarine missiles. They were also equipped with two RBU 6000 12-barrel and two RBU 1000 6-barrel rocket launchers.[1] The Ka-25 helicopter embarked on the cruiser was also capable of aiding in the search and destruction of submarines.
Against aerial threats the cruisers were armed with four 57mm L/80 DP guns situated in two twin mountings. They also had four 30mm AK-630 CIWS mountings. They were armed with two twin launchers for the 48 SA-N-3 surface-to-air missiles they carried.[1]
The ships also mounted two quintuple mountings for 533mm dual-role torpedoes.[1]
The Kresta II class were equipped with MR600 air search radar MR-310 Angara Don navigational and Volga navigational radars. For anti-submarine warfare they had MG-322 hull mounted sonar. For fire control purposes they had Grom SA-N-1 fire control, MR103 AK725 fire control and Drakon RP33 fire control. They also had a MG-26 communications outfit and a MG-35 Shtil.
The first four ships of the class to be completed were not equipped with the MR-123 Vympel fire control radar for the AK-630, and relied on manual targeting instead.
All the ships were built by the Zhdanov Shipyard in Leningrad.
| Name | Russian | Namesake | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Кронштадт | 30 November 1966 | 10 February 1968 | 29 December 1969 | 24 June 1991 | |||
| Адмирал Исаков | 15 January 1968 | 22 November 1968 | 28 December 1970 | 30 June 1993 | |||
| Адмирал Нахимов | Pavel Nakhimov | 15 January 1968 | 15 April 1969 | 29 November 1971 | 31 January 1991 | ||
| Адмирал Макаров | Stepan Makarov | 23 February 1969 | 22 November 1970 | 25 October 1972 | 3 July 1992 | ||
| Khabarovsk (ex-Marshal Voroshilov) | Хаба́ровск (Маршал Ворошилов) | City of Khabarovsk (Kliment Voroshilov) | 20 March 1970 | 8 October 1970 | 15 September 1973 | 3 July 1992 | |
| Адмирал Октябьский | Filipp Oktyabrskiy | 2 June 1969 | 21 May 1971 | 28 December 1973 | 30 June 1993 | ||
| Адмирал Исаченков | Nikolai Isachenkov | 30 October 1970 | 28 March 1972 | 5 November 1974 | 3 July 1992 | ||
| Маршал Тимошенко | Semyon Timoshenko | 2 November 1972 | 21 October 1973 | 25 November 1975 | 3 July 1992 | ||
| Василий Чапаев | Vasily Chapayev | 22 November 1973 | 28 November 1974 | 30 November 1976 | 30 June 1993 | ||
| Адмирал Юмашев | 17 April 1975 | 30 September 1977 | 30 December 1977 | 13 July 1992 |