Shipborne anti-aircraft missile system M-2 "Volkhov"
About a couple of weeks ago, walking around the St. Petersburg Central Naval Museum in the company of Vladislav (known in VO as Kote Pan Kokhanka), we, standing in front of the model of the cruiser pr. 68bis, discussed the armament of this ship. During the conversation, I remembered the cruiser pr. 68bis "Dzerzhinsky", later converted into pr. 70e and equipped with anti-aircraft rocket medium-range complex M-2 "Volkhov".
In a good way, a separate article should have been devoted to this ship complex in the recent series about the S-75 family of air defense systems, but, frankly speaking, I forgot about it, and today I will try to correct my omission.
Cruiser pr. 68bis "Dzerzhinsky" and its conversion into pr. 70e
The Project 68bis ships differed from the previous Project 68k in their increased dimensions and displacement, all-welded hull, improved habitability, more powerful main power plant, and a larger number of universal and anti-aircraft artillery, the presence of special artillery radar stations, more modern navigation and radio equipment and communications equipment, increased autonomy and cruising range.
The cruiser pr. 68bis "Dzerzhinsky" was accepted into the Black Sea fleet in August 1952. The standard displacement of the ship was 13 tons, the total displacement was about 230 tons. Length - 17 m, width - 000 m. The power plant consisted of six water-tube steam boilers with a total capacity of 210 liters. With. provided speeds of up to 22,8 knots. The range at 118 knots could reach 100 miles. Autonomy – 33 days. Crew – 16 people.
The main armament was twelve 152-mm B-38 guns with a firing range of 30 km, housed in four MK-5bis turrets. The universal artillery was six twin 100-mm gun mounts SM-5-1.
Near-area air defense was provided by sixteen twin 37-mm B-11M assault rifles. In addition to artillery weapons, there were two five-tube 533-mm torpedo tubes. Also, 132 sea mines could be taken on board. The thickness of the armor varied from 10 to 130 mm.
To detect surface and air targets and identify them in the “friend or foe” mode, there was a meter-range radar “Guys-2”. This station could see surface objects at a distance of 20 km, airborne objects - 80 km.
The cruisers “Dmitry Pozharsky” and “Dzerzhinsky” were equipped with a powerful P-500 two-dimensional decimeter-range radar with a range of up to 300 km against large high-altitude air targets.
The placement of the bulky antenna post of the P-500 radar required significantly strengthening the strength of its installation site.
To detect surface targets, provide target designation for 152-mm naval artillery and navigation tasks, there was a centimeter-range “Reef” radar with a range of up to 40 km. Measuring the distance to surface targets with an accuracy of 15 m was carried out using the Stag-B radio rangefinder, which also operated in the centimeter range.
The Yakor-M centimeter range station, with a range of about 30 km against air and surface targets, was intended for targeting 100 mm universal artillery mounts.
Centralized weapons control was carried out by the Zveno combat information and control system.
By the standards of the mid-1950s, the Project 68bis cruisers were considered quite modern and effective warships. In total, it was planned to build 25 cruisers of this project, but in reality the fleet received 14 units.
Project 68bis was the “basic” for subsequent modifications: Project 70e, control ships: Project 68u-1 and 68u-2. The service of the Project 68bis cruisers was long and lasted on average more than 30 years.
In the first post-war decade, weapons systems and military equipment progressed at a very rapid pace, and in the late 1950s it became clear that large warships with purely artillery weapons no longer fully meet modern requirements. In connection with the advent of the “jet era”, combat capabilities aviation potential enemy has increased sharply.
The command of the USSR Navy, wishing to keep cruisers in the fleet, initiated the creation of ships on the basis of Project 68bis Defense, capable of operating at a significant distance from their shores for an extended period of time.
Initially, within the framework of Project 70, it was planned to eliminate all the towers with 152-mm guns, placing in their place the M-2 medium-range air defense system with a total ammunition load of 44 anti-aircraft missiles. After a detailed review of the project, the admirals decided to leave the two front turrets and place the missile launchers in place of the rear 152 mm guns.
This option, known as Project 71, was considered a compromise, but it also raised many questions among experts. As a result, in order to develop technical solutions and gain experience before starting the construction of ships of Project 71, one cruiser, Project 68bis, was allocated from the fleet to create an experimental ship, Project 70e.
At the stage of consideration of the project, it was planned to install 10-cm range guidance equipment and the B-750 missile defense system, which were used as part of the SA-75M medium-range air defense system. But by the time work began, more advanced SNR-75, operating in the 6-cm range, and V-753 (13DM) missiles, intended for the S-75 air defense system, had already appeared. To increase noise immunity and increase the target detection range without increasing the transmitter power, two parabolic antennas of a “narrow beam” probing the target were used.
According to this project, the cruiser "Dzerzhinsky" was rebuilt at the Sevastopol Marine Plant named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze from October 15, 1957 to December 24, 1958. It can be assumed that the choice of the Dzerzhinsky for conversion into an air defense ship was due to the fact that it had more advanced radio equipment than most cruisers of Project 68bis.
During the work at Dzerzhinsky, the third MK-5bis turret, the aft command and rangefinder post, eight 37-mm B-11M anti-aircraft guns and a torpedo tube were dismantled. In place of the removed weapons and equipment, the M-2 Volkhov anti-aircraft missile system was installed, which included a twin SM-64 launcher, a missile storage and loading device and a Corvette-Sevan control system.
Shipborne anti-aircraft missile system M-2 "Volkhov"
The M-2 Volkhov shipborne air defense system was created through the efforts of NII-1, NII-49, and TsKB-34. The work was supervised by the chief designers: S. T. Zaitsev, P. D. Grushin, A. S. Grinshtein, E. G. Rudyak.
Taking into account the specifics of sea conditions and long-term storage in the cellar with constant refueling (in a state of intermediate readiness), the 13DM anti-aircraft missile was modified for use from the SM-64 launcher with a lower suspension. Unlike the ground launchers SM-63 and SM-90, on the SM-64 the missile was suspended on special yokes.
On the rotating part and beams of the SM-64 launcher there were platforms for maintenance and inspection of missile defense systems.
For safety reasons, refilling with oxidizer was carried out immediately before use.
Initially, the cruiser's powder magazines were not suitable for storing the B-753 missiles, which had a length of 10,4 m and a stabilizer diameter of 2,6 m. The volumes of the former artillery ammunition storage facilities for vertical placement of 10 missiles (5 units per drum) were not enough . In this regard, it was necessary to increase the size of the cellar, for which three decks were cut and a superstructure 3,3 m high was built.
It is clear that such a decision turned out to be extremely unsuccessful in terms of ensuring the survivability of the ship. A rocket that is very sensitive to mechanical stress, filled with toxic fuel and a caustic, flammable oxidizer, even with a slight leak of components, could very likely explode in the storage facility, followed by the detonation of nearby missile defense systems.
For a number of reasons, TsKB-34 specialists, who designed the SM-64 launcher, as well as the system for pre-launch preparation, supply and storage of missiles, were unable to create an automatic refueling system at the launch site, and therefore used a manual refueling system, which did not meet fire safety requirements. and explosion safety.
Although the naval version of the S-75 complex was initially planned to be installed on warships of various projects, problems with the operation and equipment of missile defense systems, the main engine of which ran on two-component fuel, were the reason for the refusal to further build ships armed with the M-2 air defense system, and the Dzerzhinsky became the only air defense cruiser built on the basis of Project 68bis.
In addition, the antenna post of the guidance station had very significant dimensions, and it could be placed on a fairly large ship.
Testing of the M-2 ship complex began in February 1958. The very first launch of an anti-aircraft missile shot down an unmanned radio-controlled Il-28, which was used as a target, flying at an altitude of 10 km. This made a great impression on the admirals; at that time, the Soviet fleet did not have air defense systems capable of destroying high-altitude targets with a high probability.
The M-2 Volkhov shipborne anti-aircraft missile system had a single-channel target, but it was possible to fire two missiles simultaneously. The maximum firing range was 34 km, the minimum – 3 km. Ceiling – 22 km. The maximum speed of the target being fired is up to 640 m/s. A number of sources claim that this shipborne air defense system could use improved B-755 (20D) missiles, capable of combating air targets in the altitude range from 0,4 to 30 km, and at a range of up to 40 km. But it was not possible to find out whether this is actually so.
Tests continued until July 1959. The official adoption of the M-2 air defense system installed on the cruiser Dzerzhinsky was formalized in 1962. But even before this, due to the obvious shortcomings of the complex, which used bulky liquid-fueled missiles, the operation of which on a ship created the preconditions for accidents and disasters, an order was issued to develop ship-based air defense systems of various ranges with much safer to use solid-fuel missiles suitable for long-term storage and do not require complex manipulations before use.
Service of the cruiser pr. 70e "Dzerzhinsky"
After testing and realizing that the M-2 Volkhov air defense system did not meet naval requirements in many respects, on August 3, 1961 (even before the M-2 complex was put into service), the Project 70e cruiser Dzerzhinsky was reclassified as a training cruiser.
Nevertheless, in the 1960s and 1970s, the ship was actively used, participated in maneuvers of the Black Sea Fleet, and also made a series of foreign visits.
So, on August 20–26, 1964, the cruiser visited the Romanian city of Constanta. In April 1967, he paid a visit to the Yugoslav port of Split. July 10–14, 1967 he was in Port Said, Egypt. August 9–12, 1969 – visit to Varna, Bulgaria. In October 1969, the cruiser visited Alexandria, Egypt. April 26–30, 1971 – visit to Le Havre, France. December 14–18, 1971 – mooring in Syrian Latakia.
On October 5–24, 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, it covered Egyptian territory from the sea. In March 1976, the cruiser moored in Syrian Tartus. In 1976, the cruiser revisited Yugoslav Split. June 30 – July 4, 1977 – visit to Tunisia. On October 20–25, 1978, the ship was in the Greek port of Piraeus. On November 16–20, 1978, the cruiser Dzerzhinsky visited Istanbul.
By the early 1980s, the main components and assemblies of the ship were severely worn out. In addition, the fleet command had reasonable doubts about the combat effectiveness of the M-2 air defense system. During an inspection carried out in 1982, it was discovered that most of the anti-aircraft missiles had fuel leaks, which made them unusable.
After this, it became obvious that there was no point in keeping the morally and physically outdated cruiser in combat service, and it was put into reserve. On October 12, 1988, the cruiser Project 70e "Dzerzhinsky" was expelled from the USSR Navy, and on December 9, 1988 it was handed over for cutting into metal.
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