Would you like to see a Krivak III (Nerey-class) frigate in-game?
What tree should a Krivak III class frigate be added in?
- Bluewater
- Coastal (Likely after the MPK-33)
- Indifferent
- I don’t want to see it added
Menzhinsky
Underway in 1985
Background
The Menzhinsky was the first of nine Project 11351 Krivak III (also known as Nerey) class anti-submarine frigates launched between 1982 and 1992. This series of ships was a subclass of the Project 1135 Krivak class of ships (with a total of 40 ships being built), primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare, and the increasing threat of submarines required the addition of long-range standoff ASW weapons. The highlight was the SS-N-14 ‘Silex’ anti-submarine missile. However, the Pr.11351 (Krivak III) subclass notably lacked this weapon as it was designed for the Soviet Border Troops and had less need for long-range anti-submarine purposes, instead opting for a helicopter hanger and stronger artillery. These ships were meant to replace the aging Riga class of frigates built in the 1950s which lacked advanced sensor suites and ASW equipment to combat a growing NATO threat. Menzhinsky was laid down on the 14th of August, 1981, launched on the 31st of December, 1982, and commissioned on the 29th of December, 1983.
The Krivak III subclass was developed specifically for the KGB Maritime Border Troops. Due to the vast coastline of the USSR, patrol ships of the naval service were much heavier armed than other coast guard vessels around the world during the period. These frigates were significantly modified from their Krivak I siblings. The two rear AK-726 turrets and the rear SA-N-4 launcher were removed and replaced with a helicopter hanger and helipad. The front SS-N-14 “hotdog pack” anti-submarine missile launcher was removed and replaced with a single AK-100 turret. This series of ships was also meant to mount the highly advanced MR-760 “Top Plate” 3D search radar (seen on destroyers like the Sovremenny-class). However, due to development issues, Menzhinsky only equipped with the MR-310A “Head Net A” search radar. Later ships of the class were equipped with the upgraded MR-760 system.
Upper: Krivak III equipped with the MR-310 search radar.
Lower: Krivak III equipped with the MR-760MA search radar.
Menzhinsky was the first ship in the Krivak III subclass, laid in Zaliv Shipbuilding Yard on August 14, 1981 in Kerch (where all ships of this subclass were built), and had a relatively uneventful service being commissioned in December of 1983 to the KGB Border Troops and serving in the Pacific Border District out of Nakhodka near Japan. Menzhinsky was decommissioned in 1998 and stricken from the coast guard in 2000.
Specifications
General
Displacement: 3,545 tons (full)
Length: 123 m (403 ft 7 in)
Beam: 14.2 m (46 ft 7 in)
Draft: 4.72 m (15 ft 6 in)
Propulsion: 4 gas turbines, 2 shafts
Speed: 32 kn (59 km/h)
Complement: 192 crew members
Sensors
MR-310A “Head Net A” 3D L-band air/surface search radar
MR-184 “Kite Screech” fire control radar
MR-123 “Bass Tilt” fire control radar
MGK-335S hull-mounted sonar
MG-345 towed-array sonar
Defensive Systems
PK-16 and PK-10 chaff launchers
Helicopter
1x Ka-27PS Search and Rescue helicopter
Armament
1x AK-100
Type: Naval Artillery
Caliber: 100mm
Elevation: -10/+85 degrees
RoE: 30 deg/s
Traverse: 360 degrees
RoT: 35 deg/s
RoF: 60 rounds/min
Ammo storage: 350 rounds
Ammo types: HE, HE-VT
1x ZIF-122
Type: Twin-arm retractable SAM launcher
Elevation: -10/+90 degrees
RoE: 30 deg/s
Traverse: 360 degrees
RoT: 40 deg/s
Reload: 16s
Ammo storage: 20 missiles
Ammo type: 9K33 “Osa-M” SAM
2x AK-630M
Type: Six-barreled rotary cannon (CIWS)
Elevation: -12/+88 degrees
RoE: 50 deg/s
Traverse: 360 degrees
RoT: 70 deg/s
RoF: 5,000 rounds/min
Ammo storage: 2,000 rounds
Ammo types: HEF-T/HEF-I
2x RBU-6000
Type: Anti-submarine rocket launcher
Elevation: -15/+65 degrees
Traverse: 180 degrees
Ammo storage: 120 rounds
Ammo type: HE mortar, RGB-60
2x4 533mm Torpedo Tubes
Ammo type: SET 53-65M passive/active homing anti-submarine torpedos or 65K wake-homing torpedos
Conclusion
The Krivak III class frigates would be an interesting addition of a large coastal frigate, with similar 100mm artillery to the Köln-class already in game. The addition of the SA-N-4 SAMs and the AK-630M CIWS paired with the AK-100 essentially make her a larger and more heavily armed cousin to the Grisha-I class corvette with significantly better artillery to contest larger vessels.
Sources
Wikipedia - Russian frigate Menzhinskiy
Wikipedia - Krivak-class frigate
Radartutorial - Head Net A
Пограничные сторожевые корабли Info
Naval encyclopedia - Krivak class
Weaponsystems - AK-100
Weaponsystems - RBU-6000
Navweaps - 533mm USSR torpedoes
