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RFS Vice-Admiral Kulakov (626)

15/6/2013

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Picture
A picture taken in Liverpool on 25 May 2013 of the Russian Udaloy Class Destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov (626). 

She was visiting Liverpool as part of the Battle of the Atlantic Celebrations and was open to the public. Although access was not allowed into the ship itself and was limited to a circuit of the main deck terminating at the heli-deck at the stern it was good to get on board. 

Classed as a large Anti-Submarine Destroyer her complement is 293 including 46 officers.

She has a standard displacement of 6840 tons which increases to 7570 tons  when fully loaded. Total length is 163m with a 19m Beam and 5.2m draft.

Top speed is noted as 29.5 Knots and range is 6882 nm @14 knots or 4000 nm @18 knots.
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Vice-Admiral Kulakov was built by the Leningrad Shipyard as part of Project 1155 as yard number 731. She was laid down in November 1977, launched in May 1980 and commissioned in December 1982. 

In total twelve Project 1155 Udaloy Class Destroyers were built between the Leningrad and Kaliningrad, Pribaltiyskiy Shipyards although four of her sister ships have since been decommissioned.

She was on combat duty with the Russian Northern Fleet until March 1991 when she was laid up for repairs in Severomorsk before being transferred to Kronshtadt. Due to serious financial problems the overhaul process was drawn out and stopped completely in 1996, in 2000 the ship was transferred to Severnaya Verf shipyard and the repair and overhaul works continued. 

The work was completed in April 2010, later in December 2010 the destroyer arrived in Severomorsk and was re-commissioned into Russian Navy's Northern Fleet.

Weapon systems include 
  • 2 x 4 SSN-14 anti submarine missiles
  • 8 x vertical launchers for SA-N-19 surface to air missiles
  • 2 x 1 AK-100 100mm/70 Calibre guns
  • 4 x 30 mm guns
  • 2 x Altair CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS
  • 2 x 4 553 mm Torpedo tubes with Type 53 ASW/ASuW torpedoes
  • 2 x RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
Picture
A view from the rear looking up the port side of the ship.

The security guard in the picture is coming to tell me off for being the wrong side of a barrier that was open at each end and had gaps in it!
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A layout which reminded me of WWII destroyers is the above view of the two forward 100mm/70 Calibre guns. A Russian arsenal factory design, this weapon was originally designated ZIF-91 and was trialled in 1973 and brought into service around 1978. They are recoil-operated automatic weapons using a water-cooled barrel. The entire weapon system is designated AK-100 while the gun itself is designated A-214.

Rate of Fire is between 50 - 60 rounds per minute and stowage per gun is 350 rounds. Many different types of ammunition are available although the maximum ballistic range is noted as being 21,000m with a maximum range against aircraft of 10,000m. Weight of the AK-100 is just short of 34 tons and the weapon can traverse from an elevation of -10 to 85 degrees.
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Side view of the AK-100 100mm/70 calibre guns.
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A view of the bridge and SSN-14 anti-submarine missile launchers. Originally designed by the Novator Bureau in the 1960's these have been in service since about 1969. It is essentially a solid-fuel rocket powered drone which drops a torpedo or depth charge near a suspected submarines position. It can also be used against warships. Range is noted as up to 25nm aganist submarines or 26nm in an anti-ship role although it seems that these ranges can be increased with helicopter guidance. Missile cruising altitude is 1300ft at a speed of between Mach 0.94 and 0.95. Maximum effective depth of the weapon is up to 500m.
Picture
A view of the RBU-6000 Smerch-2 launchers. This is a 213 mm calibre anti-submarine rocket launcher which operates on a similar principle to the Royal Navy Hedgehog system used during WWII. The system entered service in the 1960's and is fitted to a wide range of Russian surface vessels. 

It consists of twelve launch barrels, that are remotely directed by the fire control system. It fires unguided rockets/depth charges in salvos of 1, 2, 4, 8 or 12 rounds. Reloading is automatic with individual rounds being fed into the launcher by the loading system from a below deck magazine. Typical magazine capacity is either 72 or 96 rounds per launcher.
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Russian officers on the flight deck.
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View of the rear of the flight deck control room with adjoining hanger doors.
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Russian Navy Ka-27PS Anti-Submarine helicopter on the flight deck at the stern of the ship.

The Kamov Ka-27 was introduced in 1982 and over 260 examples have been built. The helicopter can accommodate a crew of three in addition to three other specialists.

The helicopter is 11.3m long and 5.5m high and is powered by 2 Isotov TV3-117 turboshaft engines generating 2230 hp each. This gives a maximum speed of 168mph and a normal cruising speed of 127mph. Range is 529 nautical miles and service ceiling 5000m.

Armament consists of a single torpedo or 36 sonobouys.
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    My interest in ships and the sea started back in 2006 when I worked for a couple of years  on the banks of the River Mersey. I have since been on a couple of cruises around the Med and in the Far East and have started to take more interest in researching and photographing some of the ships and other vessels seen on my travels.

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