Riga class frigate

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The Riga class was the Nato reporting name for class of frigates built for the Soviet Navy in the 1950's. The Soviet designation for these ships was Strozhevoi Korabl (escort ship) Project 50. The Riga class were analogous to World war II era destroyer escorts. These ships were a smaller and simpler version of the Kola class frigate. According to Conway's this simpler group of ships were ordered by Stalin himself who was concerned about the cost of large ships. The class introduced high pressure steam turbines and new radars into Soviet service. A total of 68 ships were built by Nikolayev yards (20 ships), Komsomolsk na Amure (7 ships) and Kaliningrad (the lead yard 41 ships). Most ships were decommisioned by 1980. The programme was cut short by Khruschev in 1956 as the ships were becoming obsolete.

[edit] General Characteristics

From Conway's All the World's fighting ships 1947-1995

Displacement: 1,160 tons standard, 1,416 tons full load
Length: 91 m
Beam: 10.2 m
Draught: 3.16 m
Machinery: 2 shaft steam turbines, 2 boilers 21,000 hp
Speed: 28 knots
Range: 1950 nm at 14 knots
Armament:
- 3 × 100 mm guns (3×1)
- 4 × 37 mm guns (2×2)
- 4 × 25 mm guns (2×2)
- MBU 600 anti submarine rocket launchers (replaced by two RBU 2500)
- 2 or 3 × 533mm torpedo tubes (1×2 or 1×3)
Crew: 175

[edit] Export Sales

Bulgarian Navy - 3 ships
East German Navy - 5 ships
Finnish Navy - 2 ships
Indonesian Navy - 8 ships
Five modified ships were built for the People's Liberation Army Navy under licence as the Kiangnan class frigate