The Russian Navy has 203 surface ships and 71 submarines, including 23 nuclear submarines equipped with ballistic and cruise missiles. Russia's defense capability at sea is ensured by modern and powerful ships.
"Peter the Great"
The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great is the world's largest non-aircraft-carrying strike ship. Capable of destroying groups of enemy aircraft carriers. The only afloat cruiser of the famous Soviet project 1144 "Orlan". Built at the Baltic Shipyard and launched in 1989. Commissioned after 9 years.
For 16 years, the cruiser has covered 140,000 miles. The flagship of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, home port is Severomorsk.
With a width of 28.5 meters, it is 251 meters long. Full displacement of 25860 tons.
Two nuclear reactors with a capacity of 300 Megawatts, two boilers, turbines and gas turbine generators are capable of providing energy to a city with a population of 200 thousand. It can reach speeds of up to 32 knots, the cruising range is not limited. The crew of 727 people can be autonomous for 60 days.
Armament: 20 SM-233 launchers with P-700 Granit cruise missiles, firing range - 700 km. Anti-aircraft complex "Rif" S-300F (96 vertical launch missiles). Anti-aircraft system "Kortik" with a stock of 128 missiles. Gun mount AK-130. Two anti-submarine missile and torpedo systems "Waterfall", anti-torpedo system "Udav-1M". Rocket launchers RBU-12000 and RBU-1000 "Smerch-3". Three Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters can be based on board.
"Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov"
Heavy aircraft carrier "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (project 11435). Built at the Black Sea shipyard, launched in 1985. He bore the names "Riga", "Leonid Brezhnev", "Tbilisi". Since 1991 it has become a member of the Northern Fleet. He served in the Mediterranean and took part in the rescue operation in the case of the Kursk sinking. In three years, according to the plan, it will be spent on modernization.
The length of the cruiser is 302.3 meters, the total displacement is 55,000 tons. The maximum speed is 29 knots. A crew of 1960 can be at sea for a month and a half.
Armament: 12 anti-ship missiles "Granit", 60 missiles "Udav-1", 24 air defense systems "Blade" (192 missiles) and "Kashtan" (256 missiles). It can carry 24 Ka-27 helicopters, 16 Yak-41M vertical takeoff supersonic aircraft and up to 12 Su-27K fighters.
"Moscow"
"Moskva", guards missile cruiser. Multipurpose ship. Built at the shipyards of the 61 Communards plant in Nikolaev. It was originally called "Glory". Commissioned in 1983. The flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
He took part in the military conflict with Georgia, in 2014 he carried out the blockade of the Ukrainian Navy.
With a width of 20.8 meters, it has a length of 186.4 meters and a displacement of 11,490 tons. The maximum speed is 32 knots. Cruising range up to 6000 nautical miles. The crew of 510 people can be in "autonomous" for a month.
Armament: 16 P-500 "Basalt" launchers, two AK-130 gun mounts, six 6-barrel gun mounts AK-630, B-204 S-300F "Rif" air defense systems (64 missiles), Osa-MA air defense missile launchers (48 missiles), torpedo tubes, RBU-6000 rocket launchers, Ka-27 helicopter.
A copy of "Moscow" - the cruiser "Varyag" is the flagship of the Pacific Fleet.
"Dagestan"
The patrol ship "Dagestan" was commissioned in 2012. Built at the Zelenodolsk shipyard. In 2014 transferred to the Caspian Flotilla. This is the second ship of project 11661K, the first - "Tatarstan" is the flagship of the Caspian fleet.
"Dagestan" has more powerful and modern weapons: the universal RK "Caliber-NK", which can use several types of high-precision missiles (firing range is more than 300 km), ZRAK "Palma", AU AK-176M. Equipped with stealth technology.
With a width of 13.1 meters, "Dagestan" has a length of 102.2 meters, a displacement of 1900 tons. It can reach speeds of up to 28 knots. The crew of 120 people can be autonomous for 15 days.
Four more such ships have been laid down at the shipyards.
"Persistent"
The flagship of the Baltic Fleet, the destroyer Nastoichivy, was built at the Leningrad shipyard named after Zhdanov and launched in 1991. Designed to destroy ground targets, anti-aircraft and anti-ship defense of formations.
With a width of 17.2 meters, it has a length of 156.5 meters and a displacement of 7940 tons. The crew of 296 people can sail without calling the port for up to 30 days.
The destroyer is carrying a KA-27 helicopter. Equipped with twin gun mounts AK-130/54, six-barreled AK-630 mounts, P-270 "Mosquito" mounts, six-barreled rocket launchers, two "Shtil" air defense systems and torpedo tubes.
"Yury Dolgoruky"
The nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky (the first submarine of Project 955 Borey) was laid down in 1996 in Severodvinsk. Commissioned in 2013. Home port - Gadzhievo. It is part of the Northern Fleet.
The length of the boat is 170 meters, the underwater displacement is 24,000 tons. Maximum surface speed - 15 knots, underwater - 29 knots. The crew is 107 people. It can carry out combat duty for three months without entering the port.
Yuri Dolgoruky carries 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, is equipped with PHR 9R38 Igla, 533-mm torpedo tubes, and six REPS-324 Shlagbaum acoustic countermeasures. In the coming years, six more submarines of the same class will be built on the lines of Russia.
"Severodvinsk"
The multipurpose nuclear submarine "Severodvinsk" became the first submarine of the new Russian project 855 "Ash". The quietest submarine in the world. Built in Severodvinsk. In 2014 it entered the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. Home port - Zapadnaya Litsa.
With a width of 13.5 meters, it has a length of 119 meters, an underwater displacement of 13,800 tons,
The surface speed of the Severodvinsk is 16 knots, the underwater speed is 31 knots. Navigation autonomy - 100 days, crew - 90 people.
Has a modern silent nuclear reactor of a new generation. The submarine is equipped with ten torpedo tubes, cruise missiles P-100 Onyx, Kh-35, ZM-54E, ZM-54E1, ZM-14E. Carries strategic cruise missiles Kh-101 and can hit targets within a radius of up to 3000 kilometers. By 2020, Russia plans to build six more Yasen-class submarines.
Hello to all readers and subscribers of our online gaming blog. The Gamebizclub team is in touch and today we will tell you about the best ships in World of Warships. These combat vehicles are a dream come true not only for beginners, but also for experienced players. In this review, we will analyze in detail both premium ships and representatives of the main branches of development. It is quite possible that today you can find the ship of your dreams among them.
In this article, you will learn:
America
One of the main directions of shipbuilding in the United States in the 20th century was the creation of heavy ships with impressive air defense. In terms of firepower, American warships of that time were many times superior to their "classmates" of other nations. However, with all this, they significantly lagged behind the Japanese in terms of torpedo armament.
- Cruisers
St. Louis (III level) - is popular not only among beginners, but also among experienced gamers. The combination of firepower and solid armor makes this cruiser arguably the best ship of its kind. As many as 14 16-inch guns and 18 76 mm guns are installed along the sides, providing continuous firing. In terms of HP, Saint Louis can be compared to single-tier battleships. The disadvantages include the fact that there is almost no air defense on the ship. In addition, this cruiser is quite vulnerable to shrapnel shells from battleships. Nevertheless, even taking into account all the shortcomings of St. Louis, we advise you to swing this particular ship at level 3.
Omaha (Tier V) - for gamers who unlock the 5th level of the American cruiser tech tree, Omaha becomes a "pioneer" in several ways. He will delight players with the appearance on board of a gun turret and an aircraft catapult for a reconnaissance aircraft. The cruiser is the leader in its class in terms of firing range. And the presence of torpedo armament gives him a significant advantage in close combat. Omaha is ideal for silver farming. With relatively cheap content, it allows you to earn up to 200,000 per battle, even without a premium account.
Cleveland (Tier VI) - this type of cruiser is considered the most widespread in the history of the fleet. The ship has four gun turrets, in which all of its cannons are concentrated. This design allows for aimed shooting at one specific target on the side. The main advantage of Cleveland is the incredibly powerful air defense for this level, which turns it into the main threat to enemy aircraft.
Atlanta (Tier VII) - This premium cruiser has a special place in the line of elite ships of the American fleet. 16 incredibly fast-firing 127-caliber twin cannons pour heavy fire on opponents, smashing everything that is not protected by a dense layer of armor to pieces. And his torpedo tubes can present a very unpleasant surprise to the gaping battleships. The greatest efficiency in Atlanta can be achieved in squadron combat.
Des Moines (level X) - 9 eight-inch cannons, making 10 volleys per minute, are the hallmark of this ship. Not surprisingly, with such weapons, he can easily send enemy ships to the bottom. In duels, this cruiser has no equal. However, like other members of this class, it should stay away from enemy battleships.
- Destroyers
Farragut (Tier VI) is a worthy destroyer class with excellent running characteristics and powerful weapons. Success in a direct collision is assured to him if a sufficiently light ship acts as an adversary. Still, in terms of armor, it is significantly inferior to single-tier cruisers and battleships. It is also worth noting that this destroyer's anti-aircraft defenses are good at shooting down enemy planes. And with a sufficient amount of ingenuity and skillful use of torpedoes in close combat, it can also fight heavier enemy ships.
Sims (Tier VII) - Despite its lightness, this premium destroyer can fight off not only ships of its class, but also armored cruisers. astounding speed, impressive artillery and first-class maneuverability are three reasons why the American destroyer Sims should be purchased.
- Battleships
North Carolina (Tier VIII) - This masterpiece of American shipbuilding does not have the best armor for its class, however, due to this, it demonstrates amazing mobility. In the right hands, the battleship North Carolina becomes an almost universal warship. Powerful air defense and impressive armament allows him to effectively destroy enemy cruisers, battleships and aircraft. The only thing his captain should fear is air raids and coordinated group attacks.
Montana (Tier X) - the battleship is interesting primarily because in reality the project for its creation was never implemented. Nevertheless, this did not prevent the developers from the Wargaming studio from giving him life in the vastness of the World of Warships game universe. In terms of characteristics, it may well compete with a similar Japanese battleship Yamato. Montana's leisurely speed is more than compensated for by its impenetrable armor and first-class armament, represented by four triple 406mm mounts.
- Aircraft carriers
Independence (Tier VI) - unlike the aircraft carriers of the previous tiers, this ship guarantees quite comfortable gameplay. Its improved handling characteristics and significantly increased aircraft quality compared to its predecessors allows players to realize the full potential of this class. Decent speed and powerful AA defenses allow the aircraft carrier to successfully evade enemy attacks. The Independence would be even more enjoyable to play with more versatile weapons on board. But due to their small size, their number is reduced to two. Thus, the ship is unlikely to be suitable for close combat. But he doesn't need it.
Midway (Tier X) - This ship can be called the first and, in fact, the last "aircraft carrier of the line" of the United States Navy. Its armored flight deck can even withstand a bomb attack. And on board the ship carries one of the most numerous aircraft groups represented in WoWS. Add to this good running characteristics and reliable armor - and you have an almost ideal vehicle for destroying enemy ships.
Japan
The shipbuilders of the Land of the Rising Sun were distinguished by rather original thinking. Having borrowed the best ideas from American and European colleagues, they were able to successfully combine them with their own developments and create a number of warships, unique in their characteristics.
- Cruisers
Kuma (Tier IV) is a ship that has rightfully earned the title of one of the most controversial in the game. With an impressive armament for this level, high rate of fire and impeccable running characteristics, it has a number of significant disadvantages that have to be reckoned with. Among them are insufficiently powerful air defense and low range indicators. In general, we can say that Kuma is an amateur ship. Although, this fact does not prevent him from remaining one of the most popular cruisers among WoWS players.
Yubari (Tier IV) is a premium light cruiser that can cause a lot of trouble for aircraft carrier commanders. On board are 16 anti-aircraft guns, which pose a serious threat to enemy aircraft. With an incredibly high speed of up to 35 knots, it has excellent maneuverability, which negates any attempts by the enemy to strike back. And for those who still have doubts about the combat potential of Yubari, we would like to remind you that this cruiser is equipped with the most powerful torpedoes of 610 mm caliber among ships of its level.
Mogami (Tier VIII) - this cruiser can give a worthy rebuff not only to similar ships, but also to ships of higher tiers. The presence of 15 rapid-fire 155 mm guns allows him to pour destructive heavy fire on opponents. Moreover, in the top-end configuration, the caliber can be increased. However, the rate of fire will decrease slightly. It is also worth noting that, like any cruiser that was born in Japan, Mogami has torpedo tubes in its design, allowing it to successfully attack heavy ships.
Atago (Tier VIII) is another premium Japanese ship that combines agility, toughness and incredible combat power. This cruiser is a real gift for all fans of tactical improvisation. The versatility inherent in all ships of this class has been maximized. In terms of "vitality" Atago will leave behind any classmate. And the speed of 35 knots allows him to move almost on a par with destroyers. Well, high-precision 203 mm guns and powerful torpedo armament act as the cherry on the cake.
- Destroyers
Minekaze (Tier V) - it would seem that this ship is no different from other destroyers of the Japanese branch. It has the entire set of shortcomings inherent in this line: thin armor, clumsy turrets, not the largest main caliber. However, Minekaze has several key advantages that allow it to compete for the title of one of the most popular ships in World of Warships. Due to its amazing speed, it becomes almost elusive to enemies. And powerful torpedo armament turns Minekaze into a serious enemy for all ships.
Shimakaze (lvl X) is a destroyer capable of taking first place in terms of combat power among all ships in the game. In his arsenal there are three five-tube torpedo tubes equipped with the legendary Long Lance torpedoes. And improved boilers with high steam rates allow this destroyer to reach speeds of up to 39 knots.
- Battleships
Ishizuchi (Tier IV), a premium battleship named after the highest mountain in western Japan, deserves special attention due to its unique design. On board it is very conveniently located five gun turrets, providing accurate and effective shooting. And thanks to lightweight armor, Ishizuchi develops an incredible speed for a battleship - up to 28 knots.
Fuso (level VI) - playing on this ship gives you the opportunity to feel the full power of Japanese battleships. It is equipped with six turrets for a total of 12 cannons. With such powerful weapons, combined with impenetrable armor, Fuso can fight on equal terms even with battleships that surpass him in level.
The Yamato (Tier X) is the largest and most impressive ship of the line in the history of shipbuilding. A huge advantage over opponents gives it the most powerful artillery in the game, represented by 480 caliber guns, and the most reliable side armor, which protects the battleship from enemy attacks at long and medium distances.
- Aircraft carriers
Zuiho (Tier V) is one of the lightest ships of this class, with an extensive air wing and deadly combat equipment. The weak defense of this Japanese aircraft carrier is fully compensated by its excellent driving characteristics.
Zuikaku (VIII level) - six aviation groups on board, atypical speed for this class and amazing maneuverability make this aircraft carrier the worst enemy of armored battleships. Even the most powerful AA defenses are sometimes unable to overcome the Zuikaku shockwave.
the USSR
The main distinguishing feature of the Soviet line of ships in WoWS will be the absence of aircraft carriers. According to archival data, during the declared historical period, the USSR did not have ships of this class. To date, the game has fully implemented the branch of Soviet destroyers. And among them, the following specimens deserve special attention:
Wrathful (Tier V) is a fast and maneuverable destroyer with almost a cruising caliber. It will appeal to fans of destroying enemy citadels and hunting enemy cruisers. In an open confrontation with identical ships of other nations, "Wrathful" takes an advantageous position thanks to the presence of four 130 caliber guns on board. And in terms of speed, it is inferior, perhaps, to the nimble Japanese Minekaze.
Thundering (Tier V) is a premium ship that has already won the recognition of players during the open beta test. She carries on board one of the most destructive guns by the standards of a destroyer: 130-mm cannons can successfully attack not only light enemy ships, but also impregnable battleships. Another undoubted plus of the "Thundering" is the 8-kilometer range of torpedoes at a 7-kilometer distance of the ship's detection.
Kiev (Tier VII) - it is distinguished from other destroyers of the USSR branch by enhanced artillery, almost maximum speed and the presence of five-tube torpedo tubes on board. The ship is equipped with 130-mm guns, standard for Soviet models. However, it is not the caliber that matters, but the quantity: three pairs of guns located in three turrets.
Our review will be incomplete if we ignore the most prominent representatives of the cruiser and battleship classes presented in the Soviet branch:
Aurora (III level) - the legendary cruiser, created during the tsarist regime, fully reveals its combat potential in squadron combat. This premium ship is armed with 14 152-caliber guns, relentlessly destroying enemy destroyers and light cruisers with waves of high-explosive shells. And thanks to the increased profitability of the Aurora in credits, the owners of the cruiser can accelerate their development and movement along the upgrade tree.
Murmansk (Tier V) is another premium Soviet ship with powerful artillery and impressive torpedo armament. High speed and maneuverability, combined with a decent HP reserve, makes players take a closer look at the Murmansk cruiser. The main disadvantages of the ship are weak armor, a vulnerable citadel and a high degree of visibility.
Emperor Nicholas I (IV level) - the last word in the construction of battleships of the Russian Empire. Unfortunately, the revolutionary events of 1917 did not allow this first-class battleship to enter service. However, the creators of WoWS gave him a chance to compete for the title of favorite among the "classmates". "Emperor Nicholas I" can show itself perfectly even in confrontation with more advanced opponents due to its excellent armor and the optimal location of the gun turrets.
Germany
The introduction of the German development branch into the game began with the appearance of the cruiser line. According to the developers, the zest of the ships of this nation will be the amazing survivability and rate of fire of guns. How true these statements are, we can judge by the example of the best representatives of the German fleet available in WoWS at the moment:
Königsberg (V level) - one of the brightest stars of the German branch. This is a versatile cruiser that makes the perfect second line fighter. It opens up unlimited tactical potential for players through a beneficial combination of excellent artillery and good driving characteristics. And four three-tube torpedo tubes, located on both sides of the ship, are ready to attack opponents from a distance of up to 6 km.
Admiral Hipper (Tier VIII) is a German cruiser that will give odds to many ships of this class. Its precise and long-range guns guarantee effective shooting even at extreme distances. The Admiral Hipper will not be an easy target for enemies, as his armor can withstand even very aggressive attacks. This king of distance duels will show itself perfectly in close combat. Although its torpedo tubes cannot be compared in terms of damage to similar Japanese ones, their firepower is nevertheless quite enough to give a decent rebuff to the enemy.
The Hindenburg (Tier X) is an imposing ship with solid artillery, including 12 guns of 203 caliber. The main trump card of this cruiser is its amazing firing range - up to 17.8 km. Among other things, the Hindenburg is one of the most tenacious representatives of its class. An ingenious German reservation system protects the ship in close range battles.
Eventually
It is impossible to single out the best ship among those offered by the World of Warships game. Each class and nation has its own pros and cons. And each individual player gives preference to those ships that are most harmoniously combined with his style of play. And therefore, any assessment will be deliberately subjective.
We hope that our recommendations will help you navigate the variety of options and select the most preferable for yourself. And our article will help you to increase the efficiency of the game and improve your results -. That's all for today, everyone bye and see you soon.
The cruiser Aurora has become one of the main symbols of St. Petersburg, and the history of its service is steeped in myths and legends.
Russian naval commander, Admiral ZP Rozhestvensky loved a non-standard approach to standard processes. Among the admiral's favorite quirks was the sailors' habit of giving out "nicknames" to the warships under his command, which amused the sailors. Thus, the battleship "Sisoy the Great" became the "Disabled Shelter", the yacht "Svetlana" became the "Maid", the cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" was named "Idiot", and the "Aurora" was awarded the title "Prostitute Podzabornaya".
We are not responsible for Rozhestvensky, but he would have known what kind of ship he was calling!
The emergence of a legend
Contrary to the patriotic role of the ship in the history of the country, there is an opinion that the famous cruiser was built abroad. In fact, the miracle of shipbuilding arose in the same place where it ended its glorious journey - in St. Petersburg. The development of the project began in 1895, but only in July 1897 a contract was signed with the Society of Franco-Russian Plants for the manufacture of machines, boilers and all mechanisms listed in the specification. Such a late deadline for reaching an agreement was due to the reluctance of the management to share the drawings with the Baltic plant, and over the next six years the Admiralty Izhora and Aleksandrovsk iron foundries, the Ya.S. Perm. In total, four shipbuilders, officers of the Corps of Naval Engineers, were employed in the direct management of the construction of the cruiser from September 1896 until the end of sea trials, that is, in almost eight years. Unfortunately, the author of the cruiser project is still unknown - different sources name two names: K.M. Tokarevsky and De Grofe, and officially the construction was carried out at the New Admiralty plant, under the leadership of the society of Franco-Russian factories.
Combat glory
Many contemporaries know the Aurora only for the ambiguous fact of its naval biography, as a ship whose guns gave the signal to storm the Winter Palace. But the cruiser participated in neither more nor less than four wars and two revolutions. Emperor Nicholas II himself telegraphed the crew after the Tsushima battle: "I sincerely thank you, the commanders, officers and the crew of the cruisers Oleg, Aurora and Zhemchug for their unrequited, honest service in a difficult battle. May the consciousness of a sacredly fulfilled duty console you all. . Nicholas II ". In 1968, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the cruiser Aurora was awarded the Order of October Revolution, and in the harsh years of the Great Patriotic War, the sailors of the "Aurora" took an active part in the heroic defense of Leningrad on the Duderhof Heights, which is described in one of the paintings exhibited in the museum on the "Aurora".
Revolutionary character of the ship
The rebel ship is not famous for a single shot. A few years before the historical events of 1917, in 1905, the disarmed Aurora was stationed in the Manila port under American control after the Battle of Tsushima. The Philippine Islands turned out to be a prison for the miraculously surviving sailors forced to eat rotten food, unable to contact their relatives, seized by a brewing outburst of anger. An international signal was raised on the mast, symbolizing the outbreak of a riot, which entailed the arrival of local police and port officials on board. The Aurora men put forward their ultimatum - improved nutrition and the immediate distribution of letters addressed to the sailors. The conditions were accepted by the Americans, but immediately led to a new outbreak of rebellion - the opened envelopes and read letters finally alerted the sailors of the horrors of "Bloody Sunday." Upon returning to Russia, most of the sailors were decommissioned from the ship - thus the tsarist government sought to separate the existing combat crews in order to avoid revolutionary sentiments. The attempts were unsuccessful, and in the future it was the sailors, including the recruits, who formed the revolutionary backbone of Russia.
Historical shot
The salvo, which became the signal for the storming of the Winter Palace on October 25, 1917, is one of the most colorful legends about the cruiser. Rumor has it that, despite the well-known saying about a woman on a ship, the sailors not only did not chase away the beauty who had boarded the ship, but did not dare to disobey. A pale-faced, tall and slender girl of unearthly beauty gave the order "Pli!" And then disappeared from sight. At the moment, it is not known for certain who dared to become the ghost of "Aurora", but most historians are inclined to the version that they were the famous journalist, Soviet writer and revolutionary Larisa Reisner. They say that it was not by chance that they sent her to the Aurora; they calculated purely psychologically that no sailor would refuse such a beautiful woman. And the shot, according to historians, was fired at 21:40, while the assault began after midnight, which, alas, does not confirm the theory of the signal function of the Aurora in the capture. Nevertheless, the Cruiser "Aurora" is depicted on the Order of the October Revolution, which he himself was awarded in 1967.
Explosions and drunken sailors
And where can we go without myths about alcohol and its consequences? Recently, from various sources, interesting information has appeared about the participation of the drunk revolutionary sailors of the "Aurora" in the explosion of the fort "Pavel" in 1923. It is even rumored that drunken sailors started a fire at a mine warehouse located there. In July 1923, several sailors from the battleship Parizhskaya Kommuna (formerly Sevastopol) sailed here by boat. The sailors' "rest" ended with a big fire. Cadets from the cruiser Aurora tried to extinguish a burning mine set on fire by sailors from the Paris Commune. The fort rumbled for several days, and, they say, not a single intact glass remained in the whole of Kronstadt. According to one of the members of the current crew of the cruiser, during the fire, four sailors were killed, and many were awarded medals for heroic assistance in extinguishing. The authors of the brochure "Forts of Kronstadt" were among the first to voice their version of the cause of the explosion. In Soviet books, this question was bypassed, it remained to think that the evil counter-revolution was to blame.
Star life of a cruiser
Every schoolchild who is going to visit St. Petersburg is sure to strive to visit the legendary ship that served faithfully in so many battles and is now a branch of the Central Naval Museum. In fact, in addition to military merit and excursion programs, the Aurora did not bypass the path of show business: in 1946, the cruiser played the role of a no less famous brother of the Varyag in the film of the same name. To match the "make-up artists" had to work: a fake fourth pipe and several guns were installed on the ship, a commander's balcony was built at the stern and the bow was altered. These two ships are completely different from each other, but for the undemanding viewer, the "fake" passed unnoticed. In parallel, the hull of the "Aurora" was reinforced with concrete, which already meant that the ship could not be restored, which determined the further fate of the ship.
Ship or layout
It is believed that the "Aurora" is the only domestic ship that has retained its original appearance to this day. The legendary cruiser was put to "eternal mooring" opposite the hotel "St. Petersburg", however, this is already half of the ship, about which the rumor has not ceased: the ship itself was towed to the village of Ruchi near the coastal strip of the Gulf of Finland, sawed into pieces, flooded and plundered by patriots of the 80s. During the reconstruction in 1984, most of the main part and superstructures of the unforgettable Aurora were replaced, the current museum ship on the new hull used the technology of welded seams instead of rivets that distinguished the original. The batteries, which included the guns removed from the cruiser, died at the Duderhof Heights, another gun was installed on the Baltiets armored train. The senior midshipman winked at us slyly and said about the historical weapon that ushered in a “new era of the proletarian revolution,” “Read carefully the plate on the shield, it says that a historic shot was fired from the cruiser's bow gun. And about the fact that they fired specifically from this weapon - it is not said anywhere. "
And also a number of other types of ships.
The first steam cruisers
In the middle of the 19th century, sail-propeller ships of various types began to perform cruising functions: frigates , corvettes , sloops , clippers.
The US Navy sloop "Kearsarge", which put an end to the career of the "Alabama".
A significant impetus to the development of cruise-class ships was given by American Civil War 1861-1865 years. Confederation of the Southern States, not having a large fleet, in the struggle at sea relied on the actions of sail-steam raiders. For the first time, the Confederation began to officially use the term "cruiser", although it still united ships by purpose rather than by design. Although there were actually few of them, they managed to capture more than 200 northerners' merchant ships. The Florida raiders ( English Florida), which captured 38 ships and "Alabama" (English Alabama), on whose account there were 69 prizes and the sinking of the enemy gunboat"Gaterras" ( English Hatteras). The two-year epic of Alabama was cut short on July 19, 1864, when she was sunk by the Northerners sloop Kearsarge ( English Kearsarge) in a fierce battle near the French port Cherbourg... The number of forces used against the raiders was also impressive. So, for the raider "Shenandoah" ( English Shenandoah), chased up to 100 enemy ships.
The successes of the raiders of the southerners gave rise to imitation on the part of the enemy. After the end of the war, the American fleet was replenished with Vampanoa-class frigates ( English Wampanoag), which were entrusted with the task of combating British shipping in the event of a military conflict. The ships turned out to be very fast, the head even set the world speed record - 17.75 knots, but in general they were considered unsuccessful. The wooden hull was too flimsy, the machines were exorbitant, and the cruising range under steam left much to be desired.
The British frigate "Shah" is a typical steam frigate of the 1870s, which performed cruising functions.
In Russia, the first steam vessels performing cruising functions were built in Arkhangelsk screw clipper"Robber", "Dzhigit", "Plastun", "Shooter", "Oprichnik" and "Rider" (1855-1857), as well as armored steam frigates(later renamed cruisers) "Prince Pozharsky" (1867) and "General-Admiral" (1873).
In 1878, the term "cruiser" officially appeared in the British and Russian classifications (although the definitions of cruisers did not coincide: in Russia, an auxiliary unprotected ship was called a cruiser). In the United States, the first cruisers were the Atlanta and Boston built in 1884. In 1892, reclassifications were carried out in Great Britain and Russia, as a result of which, in both countries, lightly armored and unarmored steam-powered artillery ships, including old steam frigates and sail-propeller corvettes, began to be classified as cruisers.
Cruisers at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries
Armored cruisers
Armored cruiser "Oleg".
Already the first experiments with unarmored cruisers showed their extreme vulnerability. The location of the artillery cellars and power plants below the waterline did not allow them to be provided with any reliable protection, and with the transition from horizontal to vertical steam engines it became completely impossible. However, the requirement for the cruisers to be cheap, and therefore of limited displacement, did not allow equipping most of the cruisers with side armor.
Protection scheme for an armored cruiser.
As a result, this led to a compromise solution - the installation of a special armored deck with bevels on the cruisers, which covered the vehicles and ammunition storage. Additional protection of the sides from shells was provided by "coal pits" that make up part of the hull, a layer of coal 2 feet was roughly equivalent to 1 in steel armor. In the navies of that time, new ships began to be called "armored" or "protected" ( protected cruisers). The first representative of the new class was the British Komus, founded in 1878. Later, due to the relative cheapness, armored cruisers began to form the basis of the cruising forces of most naval powers.
Armored cruisers
German armored cruiser "Gneisenau".
The vulnerability of unarmored cruisers pushed Russian shipbuilders on a different path. Since in the second half of the 19th century, the Russian naval ministry was carried away by the idea of a cruising war against British shipping, a desire arose to increase the combat stability of Russian raiders in the fight against the numerous cruisers of the potential enemy. In 1875, the composition Russian Imperial Navy the frigate entered "General-Admiral", which became the world's first armored cruiser. Unlike armored cruisers, these ships had not only an armored deck, but also armored sides in the area waterline.
Initially, only the Russian and British fleets developed the type of armored cruiser, but in the 1890s all the leading maritime powers began to build such ships. At the same time, it was believed that armored cruisers are capable of supplementing, and, if necessary, replacing armadillos- the main striking force of the fleets of the late 19th century.
In the wars for the redivision of the world that took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, armored cruisers played a very important role and showed themselves very well. This was especially true of Japanese ships, which proved to be excellent in battles. Russo-Japanese War... Inspired admirals of various countries hastily ordered new cruisers of this class, but it was at this time that the armored cruisers suddenly and irrevocably became obsolete. Advances in the field of engine building, metallurgy and the development of fire control systems led to the emergence battle cruisers capable of easily overtaking and destroying any armored cruiser.
In addition, unarmored cruisers remained in the fleets of some countries. Small and lightly armed, they were intended for service not associated with participation in serious hostilities, for example, to intimidate the population colonies or the role of the in-patient.
During wartime, a number of states used auxiliary cruisers... They were usually armed commercial ships and were intended to carry out patrols or raiders.
Cruisers in World War I
"Birmingham" (Great Britain) - a typical light cruiser of the First World War.
Advances in shipbuilding and related industries have led to significant changes in naval technology. The emergence steam turbines, which had noticeably better mass-dimensional characteristics and specific power, as well as the transition to liquid fuel made it possible to introduce fundamentally new classes of ships into the combat composition of the fleets. Although the coup in naval affairs is usually associated with dreadnoughts, major changes took place in the construction of cruisers. First, the new power plants made it possible to equip even relatively small ships with side armor, which led to the appearance in the 1910s light cruisers... Secondly, the turbines with enormous power allowed the construction of battle cruisers, on which special hopes were pinned.
By the beginning of the First World War, cruisers occupied an important place in the system of naval weapons. A large number of tasks were assigned to the cruising forces:
- Violation of enemy communications;
- Fight against enemy raiders;
- Long-range reconnaissance in the interests of the main forces of the fleet;
- Light Forces Support;
- Carrying out torpedo and artillery attacks during a general engagement;
- Blockade actions;
- Raiding operations.
The largest and most modern cruising forces were possessed by Great Britain due to its dependence on sea communications and Germany, which was going to interrupt these communications. At the same time, the dreadnought race led to a situation in which a number of respectable sea powers could not pay due attention to the construction of adequate cruising forces. So the United States and France until the end of the war did not have a single modern cruiser.
| State | Battle cruisers | Armored cruisers | Light cruisers | Armored cruisers | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austro-hungary | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | |
| United Kingdom | 10 | 34 | 36 | 22 | plus about 40 old armored cruisers |
| German empire | 7 | 9 | 6 | 33 | plus about 13 old armored cruisers |
| Italy | 0 | 10 | 3 | 9 | |
| Russia | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | |
| USA | 0 | 12 | 6 | 16 | |
| Ottoman Empire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| France | 0 | 19 | 0 | 13 | |
| Japan | 2 | 13 | 3 | 10 |
Relatively numerous and far less valuable than dreadnoughts, cruisers were actively used by all warring parties. The most striking cruising battles of the First World War include the battles at the Cape Coronel , Falkland islands, Heligoland bays, Dogger banks.
Battle cruiser "Ripals" (diagram).
In the last three, the British battle cruisers performed well. However, in Battle of Jutland 1916... they suffered heavy losses due to design flaws and illiterate tactics, after which the confidence in this type of ships fell sharply.
As a blockade force, the British cruisers proved to be quite successful. The German cruisers could not, despite individual successes, disrupt British communications and their usefulness was reduced to the diversion of some enemy forces from the main theater of operations.
Mass construction of cruisers during the war years was carried out only by Great Britain and Germany. During the war years, the British fleet was replenished with 4 battle cruisers and 42 light cruisers, the German - 1 battle cruiser, 12 light and 2 armored cruisers. In other countries, cruising forces increased slightly: Japan built 2 battle cruisers, Austria-Hungary - 1 armored deck. In Russia, before the war, laid down 4 battle cruisers of the type "Izmail" and 6 lung types "Svetlana", but could not complete a single one.
Development of the cruiser class between the world wars
Heavy cruisers
The first generation of heavy cruisers
The appearance of heavy cruisers was the result of the Washington Naval Conference. In the course of the debate about cruising forces, a proposal arose for a qualitative limitation of newly built ships of this class. The British, who had recently completed the construction of the world's strongest cruisers of the type Hawkins, it was extremely undesirable to scrapped these very expensive ships and they, with the benevolent attitude of the United States and Japan, insisted on accepting the restrictive characteristics of those close to the Hawkins. Thus, the future cruisers were supposed to have a displacement of no more than 10,000 tons, and the artillery caliber should not exceed 203 mm.
Heavy cruiser "Cornwall" -class "Kent"
Heavy cruiser "Colbert" -class "Suffren"
The first "Washington" cruisers of France of the type "Duquesne" built in duplicate. Their protection was limited to the thin armor of the artillery cellars, but their speed and seaworthiness met the highest standards. The next type of French cruisers of the type "Suffren" received noticeably more powerful booking, and it was strengthened from ship to ship. As a result, all 4 units turned out to be quite different.
The Italian fleet traditionally relied heavily on speed, neglecting seaworthiness, range and, in part, armor. Pair of cruisers type "Trento" formally it was considered the fastest "Washington" in the world, although in real operation their record speed was not confirmed.
Heavy cruiser Pensacola
The US Navy, after long hesitation between the projects of the defenders of trade and the squadron cruiser, chose something in between. In terms of armament, they even somewhat surpassed their foreign counterparts, had high speed and long cruising range, but unsatisfactory protection. Besides cruiser types "Pensacola" and Northampton due to the miscalculations of the designers, they turned out to be underutilized. Fully negotiated displacement was used only in the following type - "Portland" with enhanced booking. In total, the American fleet received 10 heavy cruisers of the first generation.
The Japanese fleet, considering heavy cruisers as powerful reconnaissance squadron, sought to obtain solid ships, but the smallest possible size. As a result, 4 cruiser types "Furutaka" and "Aoba" suffered from significant overload, were weaker armed than any foreign ship of a similar class, had weak armor, but very powerful torpedo armament.
The development results of the first generation heavy cruisers were disappointing for sailors. Without sufficient experience, shipbuilders of all countries were unable to create balanced combat units. A common drawback of all ships was their weak armor. As a result, the cruisers were unsuitable for participation in the battle of the main forces, but they were excessively armed and too expensive to fight on communications.
Heavy cruiser "Deutschland"
Another unpleasant surprise was the appearance of the German battleships of the type Deutschland, often referred to as "pocket" battleships. Bound only by the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles, but not signing the Washington Treaty, Germany was able to create, within the limits of close to 10,000 tons, combat units that were inferior to the Washingtonians in speed, but had a huge superiority in firepower due to the installation of 283-mm guns.
Second generation heavy cruisers
Meanwhile, the active diplomatic struggle of the leading powers for naval domination led to the conclusion of 1930 year London Maritime Treaty... According to his decisions, the number of cruisers with 203 mm artillery, henceforth referred to as heavy, was limited to 18 units for the United States, 15 for Great Britain and 12 for Japan. France and Italy did not sign the London Treaty, but a year later they signed the Pact of Rome, which limited the number of heavy cruisers to 7 units for each of the fleets. V 1936 year a new one was signed London Treaty, with the participation of the USA, Great Britain and France. He prohibited the construction of heavy cruisers until 1942 year.
Great Britain, which already had 13 heavy cruisers in service, limited itself to completing a pair of ships of the type York... They were distinguished from the County by a reduced displacement, weakened armament, but also a reduced cost. It was necessary to abandon the bookmark for the improved Surrey-class cruisers.
Heavy cruiser "Algeri"
The French fleet was only able to build one heavy cruiser. It became Algeri, considered the most advanced European ship of the class. Its main features are solid armor protection and excellent anti-torpedo protection.
Heavy cruiser "Zara"
4 Italian cruisers of the type "Zara"... Yielding to cruisers of other countries in seaworthiness and range and having an outstanding speed, these ships were considered the most protected cruisers of pre-war construction. However, the fighting qualities of "Zar" sharply decreased due to unsatisfactory artillery. Another heavy cruiser of the Italian fleet was Bolzano, in general, repeating the type of "Trento". On trials, he managed to set an absolute speed record for heavy cruisers - 36.81 knots. In real operation, the speed turned out to be much lower.
The US Navy received 7 cruisers of the type New Orleans... On these ships, the protection was finally sharply strengthened, due to which the American command considered them their first full-fledged cruisers. The further development of the class was the cruiser Wichita, built in a single copy due to the restrictions of the London Treaty. After the outbreak of the war in Europe, the American leadership ordered a series Baltimore... Developed on the basis of "Wichita", but without limiting the displacement, these cruisers had powerful booking, and were also distinguished by sharply enhanced anti-aircraft artillery. They began to enter service already during the Second World War.
Heavy cruiser "Takao"
The Japanese naval leadership, after a failure with early types of heavy cruisers, decided to build the most powerful ships. 4 cruisers of the type "Myoko" and the following 4 cruisers of the type "Takao" were very heavily armed, possessed high speed and relatively reliable armor protection, but their actual displacement was significantly greater than the contractual one. At this, the quantitative limit of heavy cruisers was exhausted for the Japanese, but during the construction of light cruisers of the type "Mogami" the possibility of replacing 155-mm guns with 203-mm was initially provided, which was done before the start of the war. The last Japanese heavy cruisers of the "Tone" were also laid down as light, but entered service with 203-mm artillery. Their feature was the placement of all heavy guns in the bow, which made it possible to free the stern section for seaplanes.
In the second half of the 1930s, Nazi Germany also wished to acquire classic heavy cruisers. Total Kriegsmarine replenished 3 cruisers of the type "Admiral Hipper", and one more unfinished was sold the USSR... These ships had a displacement of significantly more than 10,000 tons, but did not stand out for the better in terms of artillery weapons and armor protection. The advantages of the project included a perfect fire control system, but there were also major drawbacks - the unreliability of the power plant and the limited cruising range, which did not allow the cruiser to be effectively used as raiders.
In addition to the great naval powers, heavy cruisers acquired Spain and Argentina, two units each. Spanish type cruisers "Canarias" generally repeated the British "Kent", Argentine Almirante Brown were a scaled-down version of the Italian Trentos.
The USSR also made an attempt to build heavy cruisers. In the final version of the cruiser type "Kronstadt" were linear rather than heavy. The huge ships were supposed to carry 305 mm artillery and heavy armor. V 1939 year 2 of these ships were laid down, but with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, their construction was stopped.
In general, the second generation heavy cruisers turned out to be significantly more balanced combat units than their predecessors. Protection underwent a particular improvement, but this was achieved either by reducing other characteristics, or by tacit violation of international treaties.
Light cruisers
Light cruiser "Duguet Truin"
1920s light cruisers
In the first post-war decade, relatively little attention was paid to the construction of light cruisers, since the efforts of the leading naval powers were focused on heavy cruisers. As a result, the supply of light cruisers to the fleets was limited.
Great Britain limited itself to completing the cruisers of the type laid down during the war. "D" and "E"... The French fleet, which did not have modern nationally built cruisers at all, received in 1926 year three light cruisers of the type "Duguet Truin"... The ships proved to be excellent walkers and became the first cruisers in the world to be equipped with main battery artillery placed in towers in a linearly elevated pattern. However, the armor protection was only symbolic.
The USA, which also did not have modern light cruisers, built in the first half 1920s years 10 units of type Omaha... These very fast ships were poorly protected, and their formally powerful artillery was deployed according to an already outdated scheme.
Light cruiser "Omaha"
The Japanese navy developed a very specific type of cruiser - the leader of the destroyer flotillas. Japanese light cruisers 1920s years were distinguished by their high speed, but weak armament and armor. V - 1925 years 14 cruisers of similar characteristics were built "Kuma" , "Nagara" and Sendai.
Germany, shackled by the Versailles restrictions, was forced to build cruisers with a displacement of no more than 6,000 tons and with guns no more than 150 mm. The first post-war German light cruiser "Emden" was only a slightly improved version of the project of the First World War. Further Reichsmarine received 3 cruisers of the type "K"... Equipped with turret artillery, they were too weakly protected, and most importantly, they were extremely low seaworthiness.
Sendai
The minor maritime powers also showed some activity. The Netherlands completed the construction of 2 cruisers of the type laid down during the First World War "Java", which were outdated even when they entered service.
Spain was building light cruisers with British help. As a result, the cruiser Navarra became a variant of the British "Birmingham", 2 cruisers of the type "Mendes Nunez" broadly repeated the British "Caledon", and 3 ships of the type Principe Alfonso- British type "E".
The British Admiralty approached the design of a new generation of light cruisers, begun even before the signing of the London Treaty, in the face of severe budgetary constraints. New cruisers of the type "Linder" and their improved version "Sydney" should have moderate performance at an equally reasonable price. The main focus was on seaworthiness and autonomy, armament included only 8 152-mm main guns, and booking was limited. Even smaller, but also less expensive, were cruisers of the type "Aretyuza", on which the number of main battery guns was reduced by a quarter. These small cruisers were intended for service with squadrons. In total, the British fleet received 5 Linder-class cruisers, 3 Sydney-class and 4 Arethyuz-class.
Light cruiser Belfast.
News of the bookmark in Japan of cruisers of the type "Mogami" armed with 15 155-mm guns forced the British to dramatically improve the fighting qualities of the new cruisers. V 1934 year construction of a series of 5 ships of the type was started Southampton- large cruisers armed with 12 152-mm guns. Their improved versions of the steel cruiser type "Manchester", built in an amount of 3 units. The culmination of class development in the Royal Navy was a pair of cruisers of the "Belfast"... With the same armament, they were well protected and had reinforced anti-aircraft artillery. However, the cost of the cruisers turned out to be very high.
The limitations of the Second London Treaty forced the successful project to be squeezed. This is how cruisers of the type "Fiji" (Colony series 1). With a standard displacement of about 8,000 tons, the armor had to be weakened and limited to 9 152 mm guns. They began to enter into service already during the war.
The United States, influenced by news from Japan, began to build cruisers of the type Brooklyn, also armed with 15 152 mm guns. In total, the American fleet received 9 cruisers of this type. Already in 1940 year started building cruisers such as Cleveland, ordered in a record quantity - 52 units, although only 29 were built. By that time, the treaty restrictions had lost their force, but to save time, the project was based on the "Brooklyn" with the reduction of main caliber guns in favor of universal and anti-aircraft guns.
The Italian fleet continued to develop the Condottieri series. Displacement increased from type to type, armor and armament increased. Latest "Condottiere" type Giuseppe Garibaldi were quite consistent with the best foreign models, but their artillery still had serious shortcomings. Before the outbreak of war, the idea of a cruiser scout was revived in the Italian navy. V 1939 year a large series of cruisers such as "Captain Romani"- small, weakly armed and practically unarmored, but at a speed of up to 40 knots.
The Kriegsmarine leadership was more interested in heavy cruisers. V 1930s years, only 2 cruisers of this class were built, Leipzig and "Nuremberg"... In terms of their characteristics, they generally did not surpass the K-class cruisers. The seaworthiness was especially bad.
The Japanese navy did not attach much importance to light cruisers. Before the war, only three small series of highly specialized cruisers of the type "Agano" , "Oyodo" as well as educational type "Katori"... Their combat power was very limited.
A number of small cruisers were replenished with the fleets of the Netherlands and Sweden, with the Swedish air cruiser "Gotland" turned out to be also a very original, albeit unsuccessful, light cruiser. The Dutch fleet received a single cruiser De Ruyter and a couple of small cruisers like "Tromp".
The USSR Navy received project cruisers 26 and 26 bis... Designed with Italian help, they were distinguished by powerful armament (9 180-mm guns), high speed, but weak armor, low seaworthiness and short cruising range. Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, the fleet received 4 ships of these types. V 1940 year started building cruisers project 68 with artillery of 152 mm caliber, but noticeably more protected and seaworthy. With the beginning of the war, their construction was suspended.
Mine-layer cruisers
Minelayer cruiser "Abdiel".
In the navies of Great Britain and France, the class of mine-layer cruisers was developed to some extent. Interest in these ships was associated with the successful actions during the First World War of German ships of this class type "Brummer".
The British first built in 1920s years experimental cruiser minesag "Adventure". The relatively large ship had a low speed for a cruiser, but it became the first ship in the Royal Navy, equipped with a partially electric power plant. V 1939 year the British have begun construction of the Ebdiel series, 6 units in total. Small ships were armed only with universal artillery, but they took on board up to 156 mines and differed in an unusual rate for British ships at the maximum possible speed - more than 39 knots.
A similar evolution has undergone and similar projects of the French fleet. First, the fleet received a relatively slow-moving ship of the type "Pluto", although superior in speed to its British counterpart. Then, in 1935 year the cruiser minesag was commissioned "Emile Bertin"... The lightly armored ship, capable of taking up to 200 mines, had a full-fledged cruiser armament of 9 152-mm guns and developed a speed of more than 30 knots during tests.
The fleets of other countries did not build specialized mine-laying cruisers, but often provided for the possibility of placing mines on ships of conventional types.
Air defense cruisers
Air defense cruiser Atlanta.
The growing threat from the air and the restrictions of the Second London Treaty led naval sailors to the idea of building relatively small but armored cruisers with universal artillery of the main caliber, capable of fighting an air enemy and acting as destroyer leaders. In the British Navy, such ships were cruisers of the type "Dido"... In total, the fleet received 16 units of the original project and its improved version, armed with universal 133-mm guns.
The American fleet has been replenished with cruisers of the type Atlanta 3 series - 12 units in total. The main armament of the cruisers was represented by universal 127-mm guns in the amount of 12 to 16 pieces. How air defense cruisers were designed and type Worcester, laid down at the end of World War II in duplicate.
In addition, air defense cruisers were planning to acquire a fleet of Italy and Japan, but the lack of shipbuilding capacity did not allow these intentions to be realized.
Cruisers in World War II
Before the start of the war, the main powers participating in the conflict had the following number of cruisers in their fleets: Great Britain - 65 (18 heavy, 47 light), USA - 37 (18 heavy, 19 light), France - 19 (7 heavy, 12 light), Germany - 11 (6 heavy, 5 light), Italy - 20 (7 heavy, 13 light), Japan - 38 (18 heavy, 20 light), Holland - 4 light, USSR - 7 light cruisers.
Baltimore (USA) - Possibly the most advanced WWII heavy cruiser.
In World War II, cruisers, which were an important component of the fleets, were used very actively. Among the most striking and characteristic combat clashes with the participation of cruising forces are battle at the mouth of La Plata December 13, 1939 battle in the Java Sea February 27, 1942 battle off the island of Savo August 9, 1942, fighting in the area of the island Guadalcanal in September - December 1942 and a number of others.
The construction of new cruisers during the war years was carried out on a large scale in the United States and Great Britain. The Americans managed to build 47 cruisers before the end of the war - 2 large, 12 heavy and 25 light and 8 air defense cruisers. The British acquired 35 cruisers - 19 light and 16 air defense. Japan limited itself to the completion of 4 light cruisers, Italy commissioned 3 cruiser scouts.
The outbreak of war annulled international agreements and made it possible to create truly harmonious and powerful cruisers. The culmination of the development of artillery cruisers was the American Baltimore (English Baltimore). A class of "large" cruisers such as "Alaska" (English Alaska), but they were not further developed.
The development of the cruiser class in the first post-war period
In the first post-war period, the construction of new cruisers was very limited. The USA and Great Britain already possessed huge fleets, far superior to any possible enemy. In particular, the American Navy numbered 83 cruisers, the British 62. The difficult economic situation affected the shipbuilding programs of other countries, and for the defeated, the unclear military-political status. Uncertainty associated with the emergence of new means of struggle - nuclear weapons and guided missiles - also greatly influenced the development of the fleets of that time.
In the first post-war period, the United States limited itself to completing a number of cruisers that were in a high degree of combat readiness. Eight heavy cruisers of the "Baltimore" ( Baltimore), "Oregon" (Oregon city) and Des Moines (Des moines), 3 light cruisers of the type Atlanta (Atlanta, reclassified as air defense cruisers in 1949), type 1 Cleveland (Cleveland), 2 types Fargo (Fargo) and 2 types Worcester (Worcester). At the same time, the construction of 23 cruisers was stopped, and a significant part of the rest was put into reserve. 6 Cleveland-class cruisers were sold to Latin American countries.
Great Britain, in a difficult economic situation, took the path of a large-scale reduction of the fleet. In 1945-1955, 32 cruisers were scrapped, 2 cruisers were transferred to India, and 1 to Kuomintang China. Construction of 3 type cruisers "Tiger" (English Tiger) was frozen.
The French navy consisted of 9 cruisers after the war, 2 of them were decommissioned in 1945-1955. Cruiser construction "De Grasse" (De grasse( De Zeven Provincien). Italy had 9 cruisers by 1946. Of this number, 4 remained in the ranks, 1 was scrapped and 4 handed over for reparations (France - 2, Greece - 1, USSR - 1).
By the end of 1945, the USSR had 8 cruisers, and two more cruisers received reparations from Germany and Italy. Two cruisers ( "Red Caucasus" , "Red Crimea") were decommissioned in 1953. Nevertheless, the cruising forces of the Soviet Navy could count on a great future, since I. V. Stalin was a fan of large ships and dreamed of waging a cruising war against the former allies.
The preliminary version of the first post-war shipbuilding program of the USSR provided, in particular, the construction of 92 cruisers of various types. In view of the obvious inadequacy of such projects, the construction program of the "Big Fleet" for 1945-1955 was planned to build 34 cruisers - 4 heavy and 30 light. By 1950, according to an adjusted project, the cruisers of the "Chapaev" type (project 68K), laid down before the war, were completed. In 1953-1957, 15 cruisers of the 68-bis project were commissioned, another 6 cruisers of this type were scrapped in a high degree of readiness. In terms of their main characteristics, they corresponded to the American ships of the 1940s. Three heavy cruisers of the Stalingrad class (Project 82) were laid down in 1951-52, but in 1953 their construction was discontinued. In addition, intensive development of new projects of artillery cruisers was carried out.
Missile cruisers
Cruisers USA
With the advent of usable air defense systems by the mid-50s, work began on installing these systems on warships. Rocket weapons originally appeared on converted artillery cruisers. In 1955-56, two Baltimore-class cruisers were commissioned on which, due to the removal of the aft gun turrets, two twin launchers were placed SAM "Terrier" (Terrier). In 1957-60. for missile systems "Terrier" and Talos (Talos) have been refitted six Cleveland-class cruisers and also three cruisers of the "Baltimore" received a combination of SAM "Talos" and "Tartar" ( Tartar).
Due to the extremely high cost, the Long Beach project did not develop. In the 1960s and 70s, the US Navy preferred to build smaller cruisers. In 1962-64. 9 ships of the type were commissioned "Lay down" (Leahy). The atomic version of this project was named Bainbridge (Bainbridge) and was built in a single copy. In 1964-67. the American fleet received 9 several larger cruisers of the type "Belknap" (Belknap). This type had its atomic version "Trakstan" (Truxtun), which also remained the only one. Subsequently, they were rearmed by the "Standard" air defense system ( Standart) of various modifications.
In 1974-75. two nuclear-powered cruisers of the type were built "California" (California) and finally in 1976-80. finished with the construction of 4 nuclear-powered cruisers of the Virginia (Virginia). These series were originally armed with the "Standard" air defense system. The main task of the American missile cruisers of that time was to provide air defense for aircraft carrier formations. Until 1980, these ships did not have anti-ship missile weapons.
It should be noted that due to the peculiarities of the national classification, all American missile cruisers of special construction up to 1975 reclassification were listed frigates.
Cruisers of European countries
Missile cruiser "Colbert".
The construction of missile cruisers in European countries was extremely limited. France in 1972 converted the cruiser Colbert in a rocket launcher with the installation of a twin "Masurka" launcher. Italy has commissioned two Andrea Doria-class cruisers. Eight county-class light missile cruisers have appeared in the British navy, but most sources classify them as destroyers.
Cruisers of the USSR
The development of the cruising forces of the Soviet Navy left a big imprint on rejection N. S. Khrushchev large surface ships. The unfinished cruisers of Project 68 bis were the first victims of this policy. Attempts by the leadership of the fleet to save 7 unfinished cruisers by converting them into missile ones according to projects 64, 67, 70 and 71 were unsuccessful. In fact, the cruiser "Dzerzhinsky" was re-equipped for experimental purposes, which received one twin PU SAM M-2 "Volkhov-M". As for the latest projects of "classic" cruisers - light 84 and heavy 66, these programs were stopped at the stage of preliminary design. The design of the Project 63 nuclear cruiser was also discontinued.
Thus, the only Soviet missile cruisers of special construction in the 60s. steel 4 type ships "Grozny" (project 58) laid down as destroyers. In addition, in 1977, they were reclassified into missile cruisers. BOD project (4 units), due to the shortcomings of their anti-submarine weapons. Note that Western military experts ranked BOD types as missile cruisers 1134-A and 1134-B (17 units in total).
Helicopter cruisers
Helicopter cruiser "Vittorio Veneto".
The rapid development of submarine forces after World War II made it necessary to strengthen anti-submarine forces. This acquired particular importance by the beginning of the 60s, when nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles began to go out on combat patrols. One of the ways to resolve the issue was considered the introduction of special helicopter-carrying ships into the combat composition of the fleets capable of conducting an effective search for submarines at a great distance from the coast. The United States, which had a large number of specialized anti-submarine aircraft carriers, did not need to build special ships of this type, so helicopter-carrying cruisers appeared in the fleets of European countries and the USSR.
European helicopter cruisers
The first ship - anti-submarine helicopter carrier was the French cruiser "Jeanne d'Arc" ( Jeanne d'Ark), which entered service in 1964 and is also capable of acting as an amphibious helicopter carrier and training ship. In the same year, the Italian fleet received two cruisers of the Cayo Duilio class ( Caio duilio), and later their enlarged version "Vittorio Veneto" ( Vittorio veneto). The latter could take on board up to 9 anti-submarine helicopters. British Navy 1964-69 rebuilt two purely artillery cruisers of the Tiger class ( Tiger) in helicopter-carrying cruisers that received 4 helicopters. The assessment of this type of ships turned out to be so high that the future light aircraft carriers of the Invincible class ( Invincible) initially, too, were supposed to become helicopter-carrying cruisers with an air group of six heavy vehicles.
Soviet helicopter cruisers
The first proposals for the construction of helicopter-carrying cruisers were put forward in 1958 as attempts to save the almost finished cruisers of Project 68-bis from cutting by rebuilding them into ASW ships with anti-submarine weapons. However, the size of the cruisers then seemed excessive to the command of the Navy, and the development of Project 1123 "Condor" began in 1960 from a "blank slate". The first cruiser of the project "Moscow" entered service in 1967 and proved to be quite effective for the purposes PLO thanks to the presence of 14 anti-submarine helicopters and a powerful GAS. Second cruiser "Leningrad" entered the fleet two years later. The ships spent their entire service in the Black Sea Fleet, usually operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Initially, it was supposed to build a series of 12 cruisers of this type, but a sharp increase in the combat capabilities of nuclear missile Pls, especially in terms of the firing range of ballistic missiles, forced us to limit ourselves to two ships. The construction of the third cruiser of Project 1123 was canceled in 1968 even before the laying. Nevertheless, the Condors played an important role in the development of domestic aircraft carriers.
Modern cruisers
American cruisers
The latest cruisers to date US Navy are ships of the "Ticonderoga" type (Ticonderoga). The lead in a series of 27 units entered service in 1981, becoming the first ship equipped with a multifunctional weapon system. Aegis ( Aegis), which sharply increased the capabilities of air defense and missile defense. Starting with the sixth ship of the Bunker Hill series, the cruisers received Mk41 vertical launchers for missiles "Standard" , "Tomahawk" (Tomahawk) and
Ticonderoga-class missile cruiser
The cruisers took part in operations against Iraq (,) and Yugoslavia (1999) as missile and artillery support ships. In 2004, the first five ships of the series were decommissioned from the fleet. The remaining 22 units, starting from the year, are undergoing modernization, including the adaptation of ships to new anti-aircraft missiles, replacement of artillery and electronic equipment.
Presumably from 2016-2019, these cruisers will be replaced by 19-24 new ships CG (X) created on the basis of the project Zumwalt DD (X). At the moment, the project is at the research stage.
Soviet / Russian cruisers
In the last period of its existence, heavy nuclear missile cruisers of the type "Kirov"(project 1144 "Orlan"). The lead ship entered service in city B and two more were added to it, the last of the laid down ships entered service after the collapse of the USSR under the name of "Peter the Great". These are the largest surface warships (other than aircraft carriers) built after World War II, which gave Western experts a reason to call them battle cruisers. On the cruisers, almost the entire range of modern naval weapons produced by the Soviet military-industrial complex is represented, due to which all ships of the series differ significantly from each other in terms of combat systems.
Each of the four nuclear-powered missile cruisers pr.1144 ("Orlan") had such significant differences in armament that the head "Admiral Ushakov" (formerly "Kirov") and the last - "Peter the Great" (former "Andropov") - you can considered different ships. This practice also had its own ideological foundations. One of the influential GUK admirals called this "modernization during construction" and sincerely considered it an objective need to introduce the fruits of "scientific and technological progress." However, the fact that, due to such quasi-progressive decisions, the fleet as a result became a "vinaigrette" of ships of various projects and "sub-variants", apparently did not bother the higher echelons.
In 2007, the only operating cruiser of this type was Peter the Great. The cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" is under repair, the completion of which is scheduled for 2011, "Admiral Lazarev" and "Admiral Ushakov" will be modernized and accepted into the fleet until 2020.
There are various opinions about the ships of the Orlan project, from enthusiastic to sharply critical:
As you can see, the cruiser pr. 1144, purely mechanically and spontaneously, turned out (it turned out) multipurpose. This required adjustments to his tasks (note that the process proceeds according to the principle of "a cart before a horse": first, a ship "turns out", and then problems are invented for it). These were supplemented by the requirement to defeat the enemy's NK groupings, or, more precisely, aircraft carrier strike formations (AUS). But at that time no one even thought of how to "pull away" the solution of the new problem from the old one that had survived. In the end, even the "latest" cruiser, which has absorbed virtually the entire range of weapons and weapons for the NK (except, perhaps, mine sweeping), cannot simultaneously smash and chase enemy SSBNs and smash the AUS. In other words: it's good that the ship is multipurpose, but it's unclear why something is good?
The construction of gas-turbine-powered missile cruisers was also resumed. It was supposed to build 6 units project 1164... 1979 to 1990 the fleet included three ships of the type "Glory"... The fourth ship of the series "Admiral Lobov" in 1991 at 75% readiness became the property of Ukraine, renamed into "Galicia", then into "Ukraine", remains unfinished. Attempts to sell the cruiser were unsuccessful. The remaining two ships were not laid down.
The main purpose of these cruisers was the fight against NATO aircraft carrier formations with the help of Basalt anti-ship missiles, due to which they were called “aircraft carrier killers”. The cruiser received an air defense system as the main anti-aircraft weapon. "Fort".
The cruising composition of the fleets of the world for 2011
A modern cruiser is an expensive product of shipbuilding, missile and electronic technologies. Only a few states can afford a ship of this type. Only two countries have significant cruising forces - the United States and Russia. Cruisers of other powers were built in the 50-60s. XX century and are already obsolete.
Cruisers of the fleets of the world in 2007 USA - 22 URO cruisers of the "Tikondenrog" type, Russia - 2 heavy nuclear missile cruisers of the type 1144 (Eagle) and 2 on storage, 3 missile cruisers of type 1164, Peru - 1 cruiser- helicopter carrier De Reuters-class Admiral Grau.
Notes (edit)
- gramota.ru - the word Cruiser
- Nenakhov Yu. Encyclopedia of cruisers. 1860 - 1910. - Minsk: Harvest, 2006. - P. 51. - (Library of military history). - ISBN 985-13-4080-4
- Nenakhov Yu. Encyclopedia of cruisers. 1860 - 1910 .-- S. 48.
- Nenakhov Yu. Encyclopedia of cruisers. 1860 - 1910 .-- S. 49.
- Nenakhov Yu. Encyclopedia of cruisers. 1860 - 1910 .-- S. 50.
- Nenakhov Yu. Encyclopedia of cruisers. 1860 - 1910 .-- S. 52.
- Content
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