In order to understand how large and small anti-submarine ships were born, what factors influenced the tactics of their use and the current state, one should delve into history.
A trip to history
At the end of the 20th century, the problem of protecting fleets from destroyers was actively discussed in European countries. With the invention in 1865 by the Russian scientist Aleksandrovsky of the torpedo, which at that time was called the "self-propelled mine", the maritime powers around the world began to actively develop their mine forces, which resulted in the fact that by the end of the century most of the fleets of all countries of the world consisted mainly of armed with torpedoes of small vessels, called "destroyers".
The question arose of countering these nimble ships, capable of inflicting colossal damage on the enemy fleet. The solution was found in Great Britain, where in 1881 the rammed destroyer Polyphemus left the stocks of the shipyard in Chatham, becoming the only ship in the British fleet equipped with a ram. "Polyphemus" was the forerunner of destroyers (destroyers), which, in turn, were the ancestors of anti-submarine ships.
World War Experience
Rise of destroyerscame to world wars. In World War I, because of the fear of losing large ships in an open combat clash, the warring parties actively used destroyers in combat operations. And it was in World War I that they encountered submarines, becoming the main means of combating them. During World War II, destroyers underwent a series of major changes, getting even closer to anti-submarine ships. Along with the gradual abandonment of torpedo weapons and their replacement with bombers and depth charges, the anti-aircraft weapons of destroyers began to grow, and they themselves began to be used as multi-purpose ships, becoming the "cannon fodder" of enemy fleets.
In the USSR during World War II, there was a special class of ships designed primarily to fight submarines. We are talking about the so-called submarine hunters. It is from them that modern anti-submarine ships came.
From destroyer to anti-submarine ship
The appearance of anti-submarine ships is associated primarily with the Cold War and the development of submarines. After World War II, the question of nuclear war arose. The military doctrines of the USSR and the USA assumed the infliction of nuclear strikes on enemy territory using all available means: bombs and ballistic missiles. The latter, in addition to stationary positions and mobile platforms, were also located on nuclear submarines, completely protected from nuclear strikes and capable of launching missiles in close proximity toenemy. The question arose of countering these boats, for which work began on the construction of ships, sharpened exclusively for the fight against submarines.
Experience of the USSR
In the Soviet Union, issues of anti-submarine warfare were taken care of in the 1960s. Various ideas were put forward, and especially hotheads at the headquarters of the Navy in the early 70s even suggested creating an anti-submarine defense system similar to the air defense system that guarded the sky of the Land of the Soviets. This scrupulous approach ensured that by the end of the existence of the USSR, the Soviet fleet had a full range of anti-submarine ships, mainly designed to search for and destroy submarines or protect large attack ships. The escort service, which the destroyers mainly did, was not included in the range of tasks of the new subclass.
ASW ships of the USSR Navy, according to the classification of 1990, were divided into anti-submarine cruisers (ASC), large anti-submarine ships (BOD), patrol ships (SKR) and small anti-submarine ships (MPK).
First Generation
In the 60s, the first generation of anti-submarine ships entered service with the Soviet Navy, represented by project 61 models, project 159 and project 31 patrol ships and project 204 small anti-submarine ships. They carried the most advanced sonar stations at that time and were armed with anti-submarine torpedoes and rocket-propelled bombers. But due to the short range of the stations, the insufficient range of weapons and the lack of helicopters, the first anti-submarine ships had a lowefficiency and were quickly replaced by new ones whose designs began to be embodied in metal from 1967.
Second Generation
The first ships of the second generation were Project 1123 anti-submarine cruisers, which did not have the ability to base helicopters and powerful anti-submarine anti-aircraft weapons. Next, large anti-submarine ships of projects 1134A and 1134B, specially adapted for operations in the ocean and armed with helicopters, modern sonar stations, rocket-torpedo and anti-aircraft missile systems, entered service.
But the capabilities of the USSR shipbuilding industry were very limited, and it was difficult to produce the required number of large anti-submarine ships, which made it almost impossible to implement the plans of the USSR Navy command to build up the potential of the anti-submarine forces of the fleet. The solution to this problem was the deployment of the production of patrol ships of projects 1135 and 1153M, unlike the BOD, which had a smaller displacement, but without helicopters and anti-aircraft missile systems.
The guards were supposed to be used in combat together with helicopter carriers and aircraft-carrying cruisers, which was the reason for the absence of helicopters. Simultaneously with the production of patrol aircraft, the conversion of obsolete 57bis missile ships into large anti-submarine ships and the modernization of individual first-generation anti-submarine models began.
In the second half of the 1970s, small anti-submarine ships of project 1124M were laid down. Followed byanother model followed. These were small anti-submarine ships of project 1124. They were characterized by the presence of two hydroacoustic stations, which differed in design. Most of these ships became part of the KGB Border Troops under the code "Albatross". At the same time, the construction of small anti-submarine ships of project 12412, developed on the basis of the project 1241 Molniya missile boat, began.
Ships of the second generation were already obsolete by the mid-1980s, and the designers faced the question of replacing obsolete equipment. But the planned modernization program was not implemented due to lack of funds and the same limited capabilities of the shipbuilding industry.
Several project 1135 patrol ships were partially upgraded. In general, the ships of the second generation almost did not undergo systematic repairs. This led to the fact that in the 90s most of them were scrapped. Currently, the Russian Navy has 22 small anti-submarine ships. Two of them deserve special attention. Among them is the Urengoy small anti-submarine ship.
Iron Albatross
The first small anti-submarine ship "Albatross" left the stocks of the Zelenodolsk shipbuilding plant in 1967 and was immediately noted by military experts because of its speed and maneuverability. The lead ship of the series was visited by Leonid Brezhnev during his vacation in Y alta. The emergence of new anti-submarineships quickly ceased to be a secret for a potential enemy. The Albatrosses were classified as corvettes and given the code name Grisha.
The armament of the ship consists of a 57mm artillery mount, a 30mm art. installations, the Osa-M air defense system, two jet bombers, 533-mm torpedo tubes, depth charges and mines. The speed of 35 knots is provided by a gas turbine plant.
"Kazan" in the service of the B altic Fleet
In the 1970s, an anti-submarine ship was developed in the GDR, code number 1331. It was developed on the basis of the Soviet project 1124 with the participation of Soviet specialists and was one of the first military ships created in the GDR. Thus, the Soviet leadership wanted to give the Germans the opportunity to gain experience in the independent design and construction of warships. In the West, these ships received the code name Parchim-II class.
One of the ships of the series is the Kazanets small anti-submarine ship currently in the B altic Fleet. It was laid down on the slipway of the shipyard in Wolgstad by order of the USSR on January 4, 1985 and launched on March 11 of the same year. Since 1986, it has been on the lists of ships of the USSR Navy, in 1987 it officially became part of the B altic Fleet, in 1992 - into the Russian Navy.
Kazanets has powerful anti-submarine, artillery and anti-aircraft weapons, two sonar stations and a long-range radar station. Travel speed in 25knots provides a three-shaft installation.
It should also be noted that the ship is distinguished by the quality of construction, quality factor and reliability, like any German technology.
Also, the Russian Navy also includes the Kazanets' twin brother, the Urengoy small anti-submarine ship.
Third Generation
In the 80s, a new anti-submarine ship building program was launched, which resulted in the construction of two series of ships: large anti-submarine project 1155 and patrol boats of project 11540. Work was carried out at an accelerated pace.
Large anti-submarine ships of project 1155 were equipped with two helicopters, a long-range sonar station "Polynom" and an anti-submarine missile system "Rastrub-B". The equipment of the guards was much more modest: one helicopter, a hydroacoustic station and an anti-submarine missile system.
The ships of both projects are equipped with multi-channel anti-aircraft missile systems and 100-millimeter artillery systems. Also, project 11540 patrol boats have the ability to be equipped with the Uran anti-ship missile system, thus being the first domestic multi-purpose frigates.
Current State
In 2001, the Amur Shipyard laid down the lead ship of a new series of large anti-submarine ships of project 20380, which are designed to be the first in the era of Russian shipbuilding. This is a fundamentally new type of anti-submarine missile ships designed to detect and destroy enemy submarines, surface targets of any rank, including aircraft carriers,latest generation fighters, cruise missiles and torpedoes. The ships also have powerful enough artillery weapons to support landings with fire. The B altic Fleet now has 4 copies of project 20380. These are the Guardian, the Smart, the Steadfast and the Courageous.
The new ships are equipped with powerful weapons that allow them to fight on equal terms with any enemy. The speed of 24 knots is provided by 4 diesel engines.
Prospects for the development of anti-submarine ships
Based on the current political map of the world and recent events, the task of ensuring the security of the borders of our homeland comes out on top in the list of priorities. The threat of a nuclear war after the Cold War not only did not disappear, but, on the contrary, increased, because our country needs anti-submarine ships capable of fighting on equal terms with the submarines of a potential enemy.
