The most advanced air defense system will be installed on the MRK of project 21631
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to radically strengthen the protection of Buyan-M small missile ships — the main carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, sources told Izvestia. Their air defense will be improved due to the anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex "Pantsir-M". This will protect the MRC not only from aviation, but also from high-precision weapons and anti-ship missiles of the enemy. Now these ships are practically unable to cope with serious air targets, experts say.
Will knock down any target
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is working on the issue of arming small missile ships of project 21631 "Buyan-M" with the latest anti-aircraft missile and artillery complexes (ZRAK) "Pantsir-M", sources in the military department told Izvestia, and also confirmed a source in the military-industrial complex. The last ship in the series, the Stavropol, may become the first carrier of the unique ZRAK, the interlocutors of the publication noted. It is currently under construction.
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| MRK project 21631. |
| Source: iz.ru |
According to Izvestia's sources, it is necessary to conduct research, as well as to redesign the ship's systems. If the work is recognized as successful, and the tests on the Stavropol will be successful, then in the future the "Shells" will appear on other ships of the project.
— MRCS can be attacked not only by enemy ships, but also by aircraft and missiles. And the Pantsir-M shoots down not only airplanes and unmanned, but also anti—ship missiles," Admiral Valentin Selivanov, ex-chief of the Navy's General Staff, told Izvestia. — That is, it hits all air targets, and very successfully. Small missile ships in a military conflict are a priority target. We have practically no cruisers, battleships and aircraft carriers. The dimensions of the "Shell-M" are small, and the efficiency is very high against all air targets.
The launcher of the 3M-47 "Flexible" anti-aircraft missile system (in the foreground) and the A-190 100 mm caliber artillery installation (in the background) on board the Vyshny Volochek small rocket ship of project 21631 (code "Buyan-M")
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Sergey Malgavko
The marine version of the Pantsir-M is the latest system, an analogue of the land complex of the same name, which has proven itself well on the fields of special operations in Ukraine in the fight against missiles, aircraft and enemy UAVs, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia.
— The installation of such an air defense system will seriously increase the capabilities of ships of this type in the organization of air defense, — the expert explained. — "Buyany M" serve on the Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas, if necessary, they can be transferred between fleets along rivers. During the operation, the ships have proven themselves well. It is important that Buyany-M are carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, which play an important role in delivering high—precision strikes against targets deep in enemy territory. And, of course, they need protection. For the enemy, this is an important goal.
The expert noted that in the course of its operation, the "Pantsiri M" proved themselves well in the fight against Ukrainian aviation, missiles and drones.
"Pantsir-M" is the most advanced ship—based air defense system to date. This is a marine version of the well-proven land complex "Pantsir-S1". It can hit targets flying at altitudes from one meter to one and a half dozen kilometers. At the same time, the ship's version has improved characteristics. The Pantsirya-M radar station detects targets at a distance of up to 75 km. The complex provides security from air attacks within a radius of 40 km and at an altitude of 15 km, while the Pantsir-S strikes targets within a radius of 20 km.
Anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex "Pantsir-M" on a small rocket ship of the project 22800 "Odintsovo"
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Vitaly Nevar
In the arsenal of the marine "Shell" there are eight missiles and two six-barreled 30-mm rapid-firing automatic guns. It can simultaneously fire at four targets. And objects that have broken through at close range are destroyed by artillery fire. It is extremely difficult to pass two such air defense lines.
Marine "Shells" with a new control system are capable of repelling massive attacks on the ship by all means of air attack, ranging from airplanes and helicopters to anti-ship missiles and drones.
Small, but strong
The MRK of the Buyan-M project are small ships with a displacement of 850 tons, but they carry an impressive arsenal on board. Initially, they were designed to protect the maritime economic zone, but then their functionality was revised. This happened in connection with the adoption of Kalibr cruise missiles. In October 2015, three MRCS of project 21631 — "Uglich", "Grad Sviyazhsk" and "Veliky Ustyug" — struck with "Calibers" at terrorist targets in Syria. The launches were carried out from the Caspian Sea. In 2016, two other MRCS of this series — "Green Dol" and "Serpukhov" — launched missiles at terrorists in Syria while in the Eastern Mediterranean.
To date, ten representatives of the series serve in the Navy — three each on the Baltic Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla and four on the Black Sea.
The Buyans carry eight launchers for Kalibr cruise missiles or Onyx anti-ship missiles on board. They also have a 100-mm A-190 artillery piece. The "Calibers" are equipped with a penetrating high-explosive warhead weighing up to 450 kg and have a range of about 1.5 thousand km. Supersonic "Onyx" have a warhead weighing 300 kg, they can strike ships and ground targets at a distance of up to 500 km.
Small rocket ship of project 21631 "Buyan-M" "Veliky Ustyug" during the naval parade
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Elena Afonina
In October, Izvestia reported that the military department had carried out work to study the possibilities of basing and performing combat missions by small missile ships in Lake Ladoga. As a result, this water area is recognized as suitable for the actions of the MRC project 22800 "Karakurt" and 21631 "Buyan-M".
The research work took several months. Hydrographic information was studied, possible threats to small missile ships from a possible enemy were analyzed. The MRC checked the routes and performed maneuvers.
The commander of the MRK "Sovetsk" project 22800 reported that they were the first of the ships of the connection to master the new theater of navigation — Lake Ladoga. The crews of these ships passed the Neva River without tugs, despite the fact that the ships of the project 22800 "Karakurt" are less suitable for hiking on rivers than the MRK of the project 21360 "Buyan" — the latter are specially designed for movement on inland waterways.
The commander of the Sovetsk said that the sailors were based at the old Soviet base, which was closed in 2004: it was necessary to assess the capabilities of the Leningrad naval base in terms of providing ships. In addition, it was necessary to test how the hulls of ships would behave in fresh water.
Roman Kretsul
Alexey Ramm
Bogdan Stepovoy