Missile hovercraft "Samum"

Writes Sergei Anashkevich:

Missile hovercraft "Samum" and "Bora", included in the 41-th brigade of missile boats Black Sea Fleet of Russia, considered one of the most extreme and somewhat unique warships.
It ships skeg type (hovercraft), in fact - a catamaran with two narrow hulls and very wide deck. They have unique qualities Shipbuilding - it transformability hydrodynamic platform and multi-variant - 36 uses of propulsion installation.
On one side of the ship - a catamaran with a speed range of up to 20 knots, the other - a high-speed hovercraft with a maximum speed of 55 knots, which allows the vehicle to not get in the seizure of homing missiles, and move faster than fired a torpedo.
38 photos

Due to anti-missile complex "Mosquito" from 8 missiles, these ships are optimal shock ships for sea ice-covered theater.
Today we visit one of these unusual warships - "Samum", hull number 616.

3. Missile hovercraft (RKVP, Project 1239) was created as a development of the existing fleets of the Soviet Union small missile ships of projects 1234 and 12341. The experience of these ships deployed in the Mediterranean Sea shows that the ships of a size and a classical education is limited in the placement of weapons. Catamaran Project 1239 different large deck that allows you to solve this problem, more comfortable conditions for the use of weapons and placing the crew. In addition, it has a high seaworthiness. When creating RKVP also widely used experience CMDB "Almaz" and shipbuilding industries acquired in the construction of landing craft air cushion type "Adelia", "Bison" and others.

4. The first missile hovercraft project became RKVP "Bora", founded in 1984 on the stocks of the shipbuilding plant "Red metalworker" Zelenodolsk near Kazan. In sentyarbe 1991 laid the second ship of the series - "Samum". On the water it was launched, the
12.10.1992 NATO-BCRA classification of ships of this type - «BORA CLASS»

5. After the construction of "Samum" was moved by inland waterway to the Black Sea, arriving in November 1992 in Kerch, and in March 1993 - in Sevastopol. Then the ship was sent back to the plant builder, in October 1993, arrived in Zelenodolsk. In September 1994, by inland waterway went to the Baltic Sea, and in December 1996 passed state tests in Baltiysk, officially put into operation 02.26.2000 was part of the 36th brigade of missile boats of the Baltic Fleet. In 2002, the RKVP was relocated from the Baltic to the Black Sea Fleet, joining the 41-th separate brigade of missile boats Black Sea Fleet.

6. The ship consists of two narrow body, covered with a platform 64 m length and 18 m width. Ahead is a flexible screen

7. As the weapons on the ship uses two quad launchers for anti-ship missile complex "Mosquito" (8 missiles 3M80), anti-aircraft missile complex "Osa-M" (20 missiles), one 76 mm gun mount AK-176-two 30- mm gun mount AK-630

8. gun mount AK-176 caliber 76 mm 2 is mounted on the tank (bow) of the ship is a powerful and easy at the same time universal automatic gun systems for weapons of small ships and boats. Its main purpose - to fight against low-flying cruise missiles such as "Harpoon" and "Tomahawk".

9. The sides 'sandstorm' has two quad installation antiship missile complex "Mosquito».
In this complex used cruise missiles 3M-80, which are designed to engage surface ships and transports from the ship strike groups, amphibious compounds convoys and individual vehicles. 4-ton missile has a length of nearly 10 meters and a range of up to 90 km.
After starting the rocket makes a "hill", and then decreases to march altitude of about 20 meters, at the approach to the purpose of a reduction of up to 7 meters (over the crest of the wave). The missile can perform intense flak evasive maneuver with overloads in excess of 10 units. Due to the enormous kinetic energy and its polubroneboynoy warhead "Mosquito" pierces the body of any ship and exploded inside.

10. Artillery 6-barrel 30mm gun mount AK-630 mm is a means of self-defense and the ship can be used to destroy air targets at slant range up to 4000 m and light surface forces of the enemy at ranges of up to 5000 m.
This gun mount has a very high rate (up to 5,000 rounds per minute) and range missile - to 8 km.

11. "Samum" is equipped with two 82-mm naval systems decoy PC-16. They are intended for the production of radar and optoelectronic distracting decoys to counter the guided weapons with radar and optical-electronic guidance systems.

12. Mine anti-missile system "Osa-MA". The system is designed to protect against air targets and firing at surface targets.

13. The two gas turbines with capacity of 36 thousand. Hp each ensure progress on an air cushion.
It is said that having two separate propulsion installation cruise and full speed, able to work separately and together, the ship can move in three main modes (catamaran, hovercraft-1 and -2), which provides almost one hundred percent guarantee of progress in any situation.

14. If necessary, turn on the air-cushion in the stern of the ship dropped two speakers mounted with screws tandem.
Engines allow the ship to develop speed up to 55 knots, even with wave heights of 2 m and at 5 points (wave 3, 5 m) - more than 40 knots