Patrol ship "Sharp-witted. Large anti-submarine ship "Smart"
The Smetlivy ship is the only operational vessel of the domestic fleet of all the developments of Project 61. For the Soviet Union, the “sixty-first” were considered truly revolutionary products among the existing BODs. A distinctive feature of these ships was a multi-mode gas turbine installation. In the navy, the “sixty-first” were dubbed singing frigates for the melodic whistling of gas turbines and the elegance of their silhouette. For the project, 61 were a kind of calling card.
Short story
The TFR was built in Nikolaev and joined the flotilla on September 25, 1969. Since then, the ship “Sharp-witted” has taken part in numerous exercises, armed conflict, transported the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called and was involved in many other events. Despite its age, TFR still has something to snap back at. Eight launch containers of the Uran anti-ship missile system are installed on board the ship.
In 2015, on September 18, the TFR "Smetlivy", bearing the number "810" on board, after repairs at the thirteenth shipyard, was part of the 30th division of the Black Sea Fleet. The group entered the Mediterranean Sea for combat service from Sevastopol.
With the start of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ operation in Syria as part of a flotilla led by the cruiser Moskva and the patrol ships Pytlivy and Ladny, the anti-submarine ship Smetlivy participated in exercises off the Syrian coast, which grew into patrols between Syria and Cyprus. The group provided air defense for Latakia and Tartus from the coastal direction. There was also a convoy of Syrian Express ships.
Relics of St. Andrew the First-Called
The patrol ship "Smetlivy" took part in the international event. And he entered the Greek ports of Lafkada and Corfu. During the call to the port of Patras on September 22, the Metropolitan of Patras handed over the ark with the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called as a gift to the Black Sea Fleet. By order of the Foundation, an ark was made to preserve the sacred relic, which is located in the Sevastopol Church of the Archangel Michael. This was facilitated by the Fleet Commander, Admiral Alexander Vitko. After the events, the ship continued to perform tasks in the Mediterranean Sea as part of the Russian Navy formation.
Modern weapons
Russian ships of Project 1155 were equipped with modern weapons. Deep modernization was not advisable, but further improvements are still being gradually carried out. The main direction of modernization is equipping with modern weapons. The updated ships can serve for more than ten years after repair.
Today, the Navy includes eight large ships of Project 1155 and one built according to the improved program 1155.1. Apart from the latter, ships of this type are equipped with anti-submarine systems and air defense systems without cruise missiles that hit coastal and surface targets.
Russian-Turkish relations
On the morning of December 13, further events occurred that contributed to the formation of today's Russian-Turkish relations. The Black Sea Fleet ship Smetlivy, anchored off the coast of the island of Lemnos at a distance of twelve, was forced to fire a warning shot in the direction of movement of the Turkish seiner Balik Geciciler Chilik in order to avoid a collision. This event increased the tension in interstate relations that arose on November 24, 2015 after the attack of our Su-24 bomber in Syria.
Theoretically, the TFR had the opportunity to start the gas turbine unit within ten minutes and move forward. But, according to the Ministry of Defense, the anchor was at the bottom at that time. If at the same time the ship was in combat readiness, then it could only be unanchored within 15-20 minutes. Our TFR clearly did not have the ability to set sail or weigh anchor to prevent a collision from occurring. Seiner, at his usual speed, would have reached the anti-submarine ship in just three minutes.
Warning Shot
Having no way to move away from the course of the Turkish ship on their own, the commanders of the Smetlivy ship made an attempt to attract attention. Messages were sent by radio, visual warning by light semaphore, and the Seiner did not respond, despite the efforts of the TFR crew.
It was impossible to avoid a collision. Seiner did not deviate from his course. In this situation, the ship's commanders ordered a warning shot. In accordance with the order, shots from a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a machine gun were fired several times in the direction of movement of the seiner from six hundred meters.
The Turkish ship abruptly changed direction and then simply left the scene. "Sharp-witted" immediately reported to the flagship "Moscow". The cruiser relayed the message to the capital of the Russian Federation.
Possible reasons
After familiarizing yourself with all the available information, it would be advisable to inquire about the reasons that prompted the seiner to take such risky actions. Since the motivation of the Turkish fishermen remains unknown, one can only speculate. It remains simply to list some possible reasons. One of them may be a simple lack of professionalism of the crew members of a fishing vessel.
Perhaps the reason lies in the Turkish side’s desire to push the Smetlivy patrol ship against a seiner. This incident could be used as a reason to close the straits to the movement of our ships. Also, the possibility of connecting this event with the conduct of their operations by the Turkish intelligence services cannot be ruled out. The fact is that the fishing seiner was quite often spotted near NATO military piers in the Mediterranean.
Testimony from sailors indicates that there was a lot of electronic equipment on board the Turkish boat. This is not normal for It is also possible that a third party had a hand in increasing tensions between Russia and Turkey. It will be possible to shed light on the real reasons for this event only after an appropriate investigation.
Not for the first time
Russian ships have repeatedly become involved in conflict situations with Turkish ships. So, in 1985, on September 25, the P325 under the Turkish flag began to impede the maneuvering of the Soviet 1st rank training ship "Hasan" during passage through the Training ship, eventually ramming the boat and cutting it into two parts. The nose of the P325 capsized and 5 crew members were killed. Local authorities detained the ship "Hasan" until the circumstances were clarified; the guilt of the command of the Turkish boat was proven very quickly.
Once, on the way back, our submarine was almost rammed by a tugboat that managed to jump into the fairway of military ships at the wrong time. The reason for this for the captain was the need to go to the latrine, and his assistant at that moment just needed to go for cigarettes. The trainee remained at the helm. They showed him the course, but did not tell him how long he needed to follow it. The trainee walked exactly in the indicated direction until he almost rammed the side of the submarine.
I've had worse
If we consider the history of the Black Sea Fleet, the incident at Lemnos cannot be called something extraordinary. More serious events occurred than those in which the patrol ship Smetlivy participated. The condition of the crew members and the moral and psychological situation on board after the incident are, of course, in perfect order.
The incident is by no means unique. At the same time, it is not excluded that the Smetlivy ship could be lost as a result of another attempt by Turkey to “respond” to Russia for obstructing oil supplies from the territory of Syria, captured by ISIS terrorists. This incident will only worsen our relationship. It is difficult to understand the reasons for this behavior of the Turkish side. Perhaps further developments will shed light on many questions.
Conclusion
The anti-submarine ship "Smetlivy" is the latest operational development of the Soviet Project 61. The designers did everything possible to prepare the SKR for service in modern conditions. For this purpose, new weapons are installed on board. Gradually, further partial modernization of the patrol ship with tail number 810 is being carried out. The designers do not see the need to completely replace parts. Many outdated components function normally. The ship is equipped with modern radio equipment and performs well, even in comparison with some new frigate models.
We have the most beautiful warships. That's why I love them, that's why I photograph them. There are many of them, different - different classes and projects. But the most beautiful, graceful, elegant ship design for me is the patrol ships of Project 61, “singing frigates”. At one time, exactly 20 of them were built, and they were everywhere - in the Baltic, in the north, at the Pacific Fleet, and of course in Sevastopol. As of now, only one remains in service - the Smetlivy TFR of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The last of the "singing frigates". Already history. Therefore, when it became known that as part of their trip to the Mediterranean, the ship would visit, among other things. and to Malta (which is a colorful and beautiful place in itself), there were no special thoughts on the topic “to go or not to go.”
I won’t describe all the adventures associated with the trip (they would have been more than enough for three times), and most of them are not related to the “subject of filming.” The most important thing is that fifteen minutes before the ship entered Valletta harbor, I was standing in the right place.
2. So, November 1, 2013, around 07-15 am local time. Act one, Sharp appears at the entrance to Grand Harbor.
3. Some local fishing (?) boat passes by.
4. Tugs are positioned on the starboard side of the ship. That’s good - at least they won’t block the ship during filming.
5. Sharp-witted goes deep into the bay. In the background is a memorial bell in memory of the victims of the defense of Malta 1940-1943,
6. ... and other views of Valletta.
7.
8. Energetic turn,
9. and the ship is moored to the quay wall of the passenger port.
10. Literally half an hour later a huge cruise ship moored nearby, here they are together in one frame :)
11. The next morning, dawn views of Vallettuu from the “Sharp-witted”...
12. and the larger ship itself.
13. And here’s another angle.
14. And early in the morning of November 3, having replenished supplies, the ship left Malta. The liner in the background is not on its way out, but has just entered, turned around and is waiting for its berth to be cleared.
15. Views of the opposite shore of the Grand Harbor - the Sengi Peninsula.
16. and Birgu (on the right is Fort Saint Angelo)
17. On the bridge everyone is busy with their own business:)
18. Mooring crew.
19. Very lucky with the sky. 15 minutes earlier would not be the same, 15 minutes later would be the same.
20. Covering the entrance to the bay, Fort Ricasoli
21. And already the exit from the bay.
22. The tugs are turning the ship to the exit.
23.
25. Last frame. The tugboats and pilot boat return to their berths, and Smetlivy goes on to solve the assigned tasks.
I immediately warn you about questions like: “..why is it singing?..” The ship has such a nickname because of the melodic whistling of gas turbines.
I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time, because when “Sharply” returns, it’s luck.
"Smartie" is one of the oldest, and perhaps the oldest, of the warships in our fleet. It was laid down on July 15, 1966 at the shipyard named after 61 communards in Nikolaev. On August 26, 1967 it was launched, and on October 21, 1969 it was included in the Black Sea Fleet.
My acquaintance with “Smart” happened a long time ago, several years ago. I learned about this ship during a trip to Moscow in 2012, when I met Anton Blinov.
anton_blinov - a crazy person who can fly halfway around the world for the sake of a unique photograph. So in this case, for the sake of photographing the patrol ship "Sharp-witted", he flew to Turkey to photograph it in the Bosporus. He is also mad because in the bitter cold he is ready to sit for several hours in a sewer well to wait for the newest submarine to return to Severodvinsk. We sat together - a real shipspotter!
My acquaintance with the "Sharp-witted" took place like this: I learned about the imminent return of this ship: day and time. I came specially to the southern pier and began to wait for him. There was nothing on the horizon except the sea minesweeper "Ivan Golubets" and a couple of yachts. I decided to return to the Mokrousov boarding house to sunbathe and swim.
As soon as I arrived at Nakhimov Square, I decided to walk along the embankment, buy ice cream and photograph something unusual. At some point I saw smoke on the horizon; it turned out to be the minesweeper "Ivan Golubets", which I wrote about in one of my previous reports. I was upset, I was expecting to see the “Sharp-witted”, but here was a sea minesweeper that had been “circling” around Mokrousov’s boarding house for a couple of days.
Naturally, it was necessary to film it too, because for me the main thing is reporting about the fleet! There were a lot of people around me: mostly meeting sailors from the ship "Sharp-witted". Most of them, to my surprise, believed that this minesweeper was the “Smart.” I immediately convinced several people that this was not a patrol ship, so just be patient, it will probably be on the horizon soon. I was not mistaken.
A few minutes after the minesweeper Ivan Golubets passed us, a huge plume of smoke appeared on the horizon. It was he who was the most... "Sharp-witted."
I’m used to the fact that when submarines return, they simply pass by and stand at the pier (and, when leaving, they honk at each other, as if wishing a safe voyage). For the smart one, everything was different: the crew lined up in blue tropical uniforms along the side and greeted the city to the music of “Legendary Sevastopol.”
An amazing event, due to the fact that townspeople and tourists begin to prepare for the meeting in a few hours: flags of Russia and the Navy, cameras and even pipes. Perhaps it’s great that our visits and returns of submarines are not so advertised.
The “Events” program begins a series of reports from Sevastopol, where another sponsored ship of the Sverdlovsk region is located - the patrol ship “Smetlivy”. Alexander Misharin signed an agreement on patronage assistance with the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Rear Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov.
From Sevastopol itself to the bay where the patrol ship “Smetlivy” is located, it takes 15 minutes by boat. Here we are in Holland - a bay so named by analogy with the bay in St. Petersburg. In the 19th century there were timber warehouses for ship repairs. The Kronstadt sailors who worked for them, out of habit, retained the St. Petersburg name.
This is the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the large anti-submarine cruiser Moskva. Next to us is our sponsored one with tail number 810. This ship is unique. The patrol ship Smetlivy is the last of a series of so-called “singing frigates.” Here gas turbines are used as a power plant. When the ship sails, they make a melodic whistle.
They say whatever you name the boat, that’s how it will float. The ship was launched in 1969 and was first called the "Large Anti-Submarine". In the 90s, when other ships of this series were cut for scrap, the Smetlivy, or, as the sailors themselves call it, Smetlivy, was modernized and became a patrol ship.
Nikolai Grebnev, assistant commander for work with personnel: “The modernized ship was equipped with the Uran anti-ship missile system plus new radar weapons. It has already become essentially universal in terms of weapons - this means conducting combat operations with submarines, surface ships and aircraft.".
In addition, the ship has four engines of 20 thousand horsepower. With a length of 137 meters, the ship “runs” at a speed of 32 knots, or 64 kilometers per hour - the average speed of a car in the city. During the recent Russian-Italian exercises in the Ionian Sea, he even overtook the “Italians.” Then, together with the Italians, our sailors captured a ship of mock terrorists.
Sergei Malachly, commander of the electromechanical combat unit: “It happened, we were racing with Italians, Americans, the ship was not inferior to them”.
An Italian Air Force spokesman says: “According to tradition, when two sailors meet in any country, they become friends. We have the same form, we think in the same manner. Our goals and objectives are to defend the borders of our homeland and interact with each other.”.
Smetlivy is one of the best ships of the Black Sea Fleet. He had just returned from live firing. Having stayed in the port of Sevastopol for only a few days, the ship again leaves for a three-week voyage - to guard the southern borders of Russia. The team consists of four Urals residents - two conscripts and two contract soldiers. How “ours” serve in the Black Sea is in the next report from Sevastopol in the “Events” program.
Ekaterina Khozhateleva
Project 01090 ships were created to provide anti-aircraft defense and air defense to fleet formations in far and near sea zones, patrol in specified areas of the seas and oceans, support convoy and landing operations of fleet forces. Project 61 ships became a milestone for the Russian Navy due to the use of an all-mode gas turbine installation, guided missile weapons and the saturation of the ships with radio-electronic equipment. When modernization was carried out, their combat capabilities increased significantly and they became universal ships. For three decades they were the “face” of the ocean-going nuclear missile Navy of the USSR. Smetlivy is the last operational ship of this project in the Russian Navy. It is the oldest warship in the Russian Navy.
In the fleet since 1969
Project 1135 ships are designed to search and destroy enemy submarine forces in far and near sea zones, provide anti-aircraft defense to fleet formations, cover convoy and landing operations of fleet forces, and patrol in specified areas of the seas and oceans. This project became the main type of patrol ship of the USSR Navy. The ships of the project are distinguished by excellent seaworthiness. "Ladny" is the last operational ship of this project.
In the fleet since 1980
Project 1135M ships are a further development of Project 1135. They received more powerful weapons and a new sonar. TFRs are designed to search and destroy enemy submarine forces in the far sea and ocean zones, provide anti-aircraft defense for fleet formations, cover convoy and landing operations of fleet forces, and patrol in specified areas of the seas and oceans. The ships of the project are distinguished by excellent seaworthiness. "Inquisitive" is the last operational ship of this project.
In the fleet since 1981
Project 877B submarines are designed to destroy enemy forces in far and near sea zones, operate on communications, and conduct mine laying. They are the most advanced non-nuclear submarines of the domestic fleet due to solving the issues of power supply, ensuring secrecy in all operating modes of the power plant, increasing the efficiency of weapons and electronic equipment. Instead of a propeller, ALROSA is equipped with a water-jet propulsion unit, which makes it the quietest among all submarines of the project. NATO calls them “black holes” because of the low noise and low level of the acoustic field of submarines.
In the fleet since 1990
Project 641B submarines are a further development of Project 641. They are distinguished by improved seaworthiness, more advanced batteries, and new electronic equipment. Project 641B submarines are designed to destroy enemy forces in far and near sea zones, operate on communications, conduct mine laying and patrol in specified areas. B-380 is the last operational submarine of this project.
In the fleet since 1983
NB: Some sources indicate that the boat was named “St. Prince George”. Since 2004, it has been under repair in Sevastopol, but currently all work on it has been suspended.
Landing ships of Project 1171 are designed to conduct landing operations on an unequipped coast, transporting troops with equipment, weapons and various cargoes. BDKs can load and unload equipment both from the shore and from the water. They are used as weapons transports in far and near sea zones.
"Nikolai Filchenkov"(1975, tail number 152),
BDK-65 "Saratov"(1966, tail number 150),
BDK-69 "Orsk"(1968, tail number 148).
Landing ships of Project 775-II are a further development of Project 775. The ships of this project are designed to conduct landing operations on an unequipped coast, transporting troops with equipment, weapons and various cargoes. BDKs can load and unload equipment both from the shore and from the water. Used as transport in far and near sea zones. Can be used to lay minefields.
As part of the Black Sea Fleet:
"Caesar Kunikov"(1986, tail number 158),
"Novocherkassk"(1987, tail number 142),
"Yamal"(1988, tail number 156).
Landing ships of Project 775-III are a further development of Project 775. It received new weapons and electronic equipment. The ships of this project are designed to conduct landing operations on an unequipped coast, transporting troops with equipment, weapons and various cargoes. BDKs can load and unload equipment both from the shore and from the water. Used as transport in far and near sea zones. Can be used to lay minefields.
In the fleet since 1990
Project 1239 rocket ships are unique in their design - they are catamarans made of aluminum-magnesium alloy with aerostatic air unloading (air cavity). As a power plant, they received a diesel-gas turbine unit in the form of two separate propulsion units with six propellers, which allows for a wide range of speeds and propulsion modes. Missile ships have powerful strike and defensive weapons and advanced electronic equipment. Their task is to destroy large surface ships and enemy fleet formations in the near sea zone. They have no analogues in any fleet in the world.
As part of the Black Sea Fleet:
"Bora"(1991, tail number 615),
"Simoom"(2000, tail number 616).
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