ORP Metalowiec, a Polish Navy Tarantul-I missile corvette in Gdynia |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators: | Soviet Navy Russian Navy Bulgarian Navy Volksmarine German Navy United States Navy Indian Navy Polish Navy Romanian Naval Forces Ukrainian Navy Vietnamese People's Navy Yemen Navy |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Missile corvette |
| Displacement: | 480 long tons (488 t) standard, 540 long tons (549 t) full load |
| Length: | 56.0 m (183.7 ft) |
| Beam: | 10.5 m (34.4 ft) |
| Draught: | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shaft COGAG turbines at 11000 hp each, plus 2 cruising engines at 4000 hp each (there were diesel and turbine versions of the cruising engines), |
| Speed: | 32.48 knots (60 km/h) |
| Range: | 1650 at 14 knots (26 km/h), operational autonomy for 10 days |
| Complement: | 50 |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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The Project 1241.1 Molniya ("Lightning") are a class of Soviet missile corvettes. They have the NATO reporting name Tarantul (not to be confused with the Stenka class patrol boat, whose official Soviet name is also "Tarantul"). These ships were designed to replace the Project 205 Tsunami (NATO: "Osa") missile boats.
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In the late 1970s, the Soviets realised the need for a larger, more seaworthy craft with better gun armament and higher positioned air search radars. The need for these improvements was underscored by the First Gulf War, when 12 Iraqi 'Osa-I's' were destroyed or damaged by short ranged Sea Skua anti-ship missiles. They were attacked by British Lynx helicopters, but the Osa crews didn't notice them because they flew below their radar horizon. In the Tarantul, both the single 76 mm main gun and the two 30 mm Gatling-type guns are used for air defence, together with a comprehensive electronic warfare suite. The boats are built by the Petrovsky yard (Leningrad), Rybinsk and Ulis yard (Vladivostok). A version of these ships for coastal anti submarine warfare and patrol was developed as the Pauk class corvette or Project 1241.2. The Indian navy paid approximately $30 million each to license-produce Tarantul-I in the early nineties. With over 30 sales on the export market the Tarantul has been a relative success for the Russian shipbuilding industry.
First version, based on the Pauk-class hull, though with a significant added amount of weight. Equipped with four SS-N-2 'Styx' ship-to-ship missiles (either the 40 km range P-15 'Termit' missile or the later P-20 variant with 80 km range) and the associated 'Plank Shave' radar targeting system (45 km range in active mode of surveillance, 75–100 km range in passive mode, with an added air surveillance capability). 1 x AK–176 76.2 mm main gun and 2 x AK-630 30 mm six-barreled Gatling guns, the latter CIWS system supported by the 'Bass Tilt' targeting radar. Furthermore, there is a Fasta-N SA-N-5 quadruple MANPAD lancher and two PK-16 decoy launchers. Propulsion is a COGOG system (COmbined Gas Or Gas)consisting of two NK-12M high power gas turbines with a combined 24200 horsepower output for full power and two cruise gas turbines with a combined output of 6000 hp. Top speed is 42 knots. Although the Soviet Navy only used two Tarantul-I's, mainly as trails platforms and for the training of foreign crews, the Projekt 1241's became a relatively successful export product, with about 33 export sales.
Second version, with the same propulsion as the previous class but with a rather different superstructure on the basic 'Pauk' class hull. The reason for this was the installation of four SS-N-22 'Sunburn' supersonic ship-to-ship missiles with a range of at least 100 km. The associated radar system is the L-band 'Band Stand' radar, with a 120 km active and 500 km passive range and the capability to track 15 different targets. The missiles can also receive third party guidance through the 'Light Bulb' uplink (from other ships, helicopters or long range patrol aircraft). Cannon armament is retained, as were the PK-16 launchers, although Soviet Navy ships benefited from the improved SA-N-8 quadruple MANPAD launcher. At least one ship had an SA-N-11 Kashtan gun+missile CIWS installed instead of the AK-630's.
Although highly capable, the ships had to be heavily modified and were rather overweight and very cramped, further adding to the limited sea-endurance. Other problems occurred with electronic interference and the high electric power consumption. However, as at least 18 Tarantul-II were built for the Soviet navy, most of these problems got solved one way or the other.
Retaining the main armament and basic hull form of the 1241.1M, the third version received nonetheless important upgrades. Apart from a modest but useful internal redesign, the Tarantul-III had a new motorisation, consisting of a CODAG(COmbined Diesel And Gas) system. Two PR-76 gas turbines (rated at 12000 hp each) and two M504 (rated at 5000 hp each) diesel engines were used, being a big improvement over the earlier COGOG system both in terms of serviceability (the two cruise diesels being almost something of a Soviet 'classic'), fuel efficiency and, most importantly, service life expectancy compared to the older NK-12M's.
Apart from these modifications, Soviet naval engineers still considered the design to be insufficiently protected against air attack. The Tarantul-III, built from 1987 on, received an improved ECM (Electronic countermeasures) suite, consisting of 2 'Half Hat' and 2 'Foot Ball' jamming systems, coupled to 4 improved PK-10 decoy launchers. At least 24 of these ships were built for the Soviet Navy before production ended in 1992.
Project 1242.1 and project 1241.8 are further developments of the Molniya family boats. The two projects has been modified and rearmed with modern missile systems like the Uran-E. The projects are maufactured by the Russian Vympel Shipyard.[1] Russia recived atleast one boat for trials in the 1990s and in 1999 Vietnam orderd two vessels. Vietnam has also started its own production line of 1241.8 boats with the assistance of Almaz Central Design Bureau in St. Petersburg and has of 2011 four boats in construction.[2][3] In 2009 Libya orderd 3 ships.[4]
98 ships built.
Currently (2005) - 23 in service
One ship in service: 101 "Мълния" ("Lightning")
Five ships built - all retired, including Hiddensee, which is currently a museum ship in Fall River, USA
The Indian variants are known as the Veer class corvettes. At least 12 are currently in active service.
Four built, two in service
Three ships, all in service, homeport Mangalia
The Hiddensee was briefly in service with US Navy, after it was transferred from the German Navy.[5] The ship has been retired and has since become a museum ship in Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Two ships, both in service
9 ships in service; 10 on order.
One ship in service. Another 1 ship unknown status.
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