| Project 1123 "Condor" | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| View of the flight deck RCC "Moscow" | ||
| Summary | ||
| Type | Antisubmarine cruiser/helicopter carrier | |
| Flag state | USSR | |
| Accessory | Soviet Navy | |
| Succeeded by | Project 10 200 Khalzan | |
| Shipyard | Black Sea Shipyard | |
| The current status of | In service | |
| Options | ||
| Displacement |
17 500 tons of the tota
12 750 tons of standard | |
| Length | 176.0 m at the waterline
189.0 m maximum | |
| Width | 34.0 m maximum | |
| Height | Amidships 17.1 m | |
| Draft | Average (from OP)
in the normal displacement of 7.5 m at full displacement 7.7 m | |
| Booking | None | |
| Technical data | ||
| Power plant | Steam turbine-shaft
2 GTZA TV-12-1 4 boilers KVN 98/64 | |
| Power |
Steam turbine: 2 × 45 000 hp turbo: 2 × 1500 kW Diesel Generators: 2 × 1500 kW | |
| Screws | 2, with three | |
| Rate | 24 knots full speed
28.5 knots maximum stroke | |
| Cruising Range | 9000 miles at 15 knots
6,000 miles at a speed of 18 knots 3900 miles at a speed of 29 knots | |
| Endurance | 15 days | |
| Crew | 700 people, including:
130 officers 160 petty 410 sailors | |
| Armament | ||
| Electronic equipment | ASG "Orion"
CEO "Vega" CEO "Host" | |
| Armament | 2 × 2 AK-725 | |
| Antisubmarine armament | 1 × 2 RPK-1 "Whirlwind" (8 missiles)
2 × 12 RBU-6000 (240 bombs) | |
| Anti-aircraft Missiles | 2 × 2 SAM M-11 "Storm" (96 missiles) | |
| Torpedo-mine equipment | 2 × 5 PTA-53-1123 (later removed) | |
| Air group | 14 helicopters:
12 × Kamov Ka-25PL 1 × Kamov Ka-25TSU 1 × Kamov Ka-25PS | |
The Moskva class or Project 1123 Condor helicopter carriers were the first operational Soviet Navy helicopter carriers. The Soviet designation was Project 1123 Condor.
These ships were laid down at Nikolayev South (Shipyard No.444). The lead vessel was launched in 1965 and named Soviet helicopter carrier Moskva; she entered commission two years later. Moskva was followed by Soviet helicopter carrier Leningrad, which was commissioned in late 1968; there were no further vessels built, reportedly due to the poor handling of the ships in rough seas. A third ship, Soviet helicopter carrier Kiev, was commissioned in early 1968. All three were conventionally-powered.
The Moskvas were not true "aircraft carriers" in that they did not carry any fixed-wing aircraft; the air wing was composed entirely of helicopters. They were designed primarily as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessels, and her weapons and sensor suite was optimized against the nuclear submarine threat. Their strategic role was to defend the Soviet ballistic missile submarine bastions against incursions by Western attack submarines, forming the flagships of an ASW task force.
History
Development of anti-draft cruisers in 1123 was conducted in early 1960. in the CDB-17 (Nevsky PKB). The project was code "Condor".
The frame structure
The hull is made of steel with a double bottom throughout the ice and reinforcements. The housing consists of 16 compartments separated by watertight bulkheads that extend up to the hangar deck. Double bottoms designed to hold water and fuel.
The design of the flight deck and superstructure
In constructions superstructures widely used aluminum-magnesium alloys.
Design
The operational requirement was issued by Admiral Sergey Gorshkov in 1959. The aim of the ships was to counter North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Polaris submarines and act as a flagship for anti-submarine warfare. Initially it was hoped to operate 10 helicopters from an 8000 ton ship. The design evolved into a larger vessel capable of operating up to 14 helicopters with self defence armament.
Armament
Shipboard ASW armament included a twin SUW-N-1 launcher capable of delivering a FRAS-1 projectile carrying a 450 mm torpedo (or a 5 kiloton nuclear warhead); a pair of RBU-6000 ASW mortars; and a set of torpedo tubes. For self-defence, the Moskvas had two twin SA-N-3 SAM launchers with reloads for a total of 48 surface-to-air missiles, along with two twin 57 mm/80 guns.
Sensors
Radar
- Top Sail (air warning)
- Head Net
- 2 x Head Light (SAM guidance)
- 2 x Muff Comb (gun fire control)
- 2 x Don 2 (navigation)
Sonar
- Moose Jaw (low frequency bow mounted)
- Mare Tail VDS
Propulsion
Gas turbines were considered but were as yet untried in such a large vessel. Instead a high pressure steam plant similar to that used by the Kynda-class cruisers was used. The machinery of the Moskva had severe problems and had to be rebuilt in 1973 following a fire. Operational performance was disappointing with a practical maximum speed of 30 knots and 24 knot maximum sustainable speed. Sea keeping was also disappointing.
Vessels
Both vessels were part of the Black Sea Fleet, and were retired in 1991. Both ships were scrapped in the late 1990s. A third ship to be named Kiev was cancelled in 1969, which was to have been an anti-surface warfare vessel. The Moskva class was succeeded by the Kiev class aircraft carrier.
- Soviet helicopter carrier Moskva,
- Laid down 15 December 1962,
- Launched 14 January 1965,
- Completed 25 December 1967
- Soviet helicopter carrier Leningrad,
- Laid down 15 January 1965,
- Launched 31 July 1968,
- Completed 2 June 1969.