Granite "Peter"

"Peter the Great" - the most powerful non-aircraft carrier ship of not only domestic but also world military fleet

Twenty years ago, the Baltic Shipyard hosted the launching ceremony of a heavy nuclear power plant rocket cruiser (TARKR) "Yuri Andropov" of project 11442 - the fourth type "Kirov". It was laid down three years earlier under the name "Kuibyshev". But the completion of the ship stretched out for seven years. Only in 1996, in the presence of the first President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin, the cruiser, which received the new name "Pyotr Velikiy", was handed over to the sailors for testing.

It must be admitted that not least due to the name, this TARKR managed to survive. Perhaps, he would have been allowed on needles, as in those days mercilessly cut many other unfinished and undeserving deadlines for ships and submarines of the Navy. But the 300 anniversary of the domestic regular Navy was approaching and on the threshold of this holiday, “execution” of “Peter” was an obvious blasphemy. Therefore, the cruiser survived.

True, it was also somewhat "sequestered". For example, due to insufficient funding, only the aft Kinzhal SAM system was placed on it, although space was reserved under the bow. But this TARKR received the latest Fort-M (S-300FM) zone defense SAM system, which was not envisaged by the original project, which can hit 6 highly maneuverable and low-visibility aerodynamic targets at a distance of up to 120 km at low and high altitudes.

In general, "Peter the Great" is the most powerful non-navigating warship of not only the domestic, but also the world military fleet. Its length is a quarter of km, the total displacement exceeds 24800 T. The range of navigation is unlimited, autonomy for reserves of provisions is 60 days. The crew - more than 740 people, of which 101 - officers. Main shock weapon - the Granit anti-ship complex, whose P-700 (3М-45) missiles can be equipped with 500 CT nuclear warheads and conventional 750 kg combat units, which, if hit at the target, guarantee its destruction or, at a minimum, decommissioning. "Granite", in fact, is a reconnaissance-strike system. When firing a volley, the first rocket flies higher and gives target designation to other missiles. In the arsenal of "Peter the Great" is 20 P-700. Very impressive arsenal!

The ship's defensive armament is also varied. Anti-missile defense and Defense At the close range, 6 combat modules of the Kortik air defense missile system provide anti-submarine and anti-torpedo protection, while the Vodopad-NK, RBU-6000, and Udav-1 PLRK systems provide anti-submarine and anti-torpedo protection. Three Ka-27 helicopters perform a wide variety of missions, from anti-submarine to search and rescue. A twin universal 130-mm artillery The installation is capable of hitting targets at a range of over 22 km.

"Pyotr Velikiy" is rightfully considered the flagship of not only the Northern Fleet, but the entire Russian Navy. And the ship's crew never tires of confirming its high title. On March 10 of this year, the cruiser returned from a long six-month voyage, during which it set a record for its cruising range, having furrowed the Atlantic and Indian Oceans up and down. In a word, "Pyotr", as the sailors affectionately call this ship, has proven itself to be a fine fellow.