These two Tarantul class ships looking fairly ready for action were sighted today on the way into Kaliningrad, I called them Pauks before but I have done a bit more research and I think I was wrong before.
Anyone who is extremely clever and can read cyrillic backwards will be able to know what these boats are named, please be my guest and leave a comment if you are such a person, respect in advance by the way!
The money in Russia is beginning to show it’s effect here in the Oblast, a bit more paint is evident and new coast guard patrol boats and tugs and the like. The coastal breakwater is being substantially repaired and there are more new and to the lay man functional warships. The big bear is obviously getting new fur.
Of course all things are not changing so fast, further on down the jetty a tug is moored and has been since I came here first more than 6 years ago, and was probably there before I ever knew about Kaliningrad, she is a floating power source and heating generator for a nearby factory, the pipelines that are attached to the tug look like they are of a fairly permanent nature.
UPDATE I have to go with Buck who so kindly left a comment earlier that the ships are Nanuchkas, not Tarantul or Molinya class also Russian Corvettes.
I think they’re Nanuchkas. No forward deck gun.
I’ll guess at Geyzer and Zyb’ for their names.
Nice photos!
I watched a documentary about the Russian Navy the other night on TV. I learned that these little ships carry cruise missles on their hips. Apparently, the Russians were the first navy to really exploit ship to ship missiles - in response to the might of the US Navy during the Cold War. They pack a punch.
See, I can know some maritime stuff!
Buck thanks for the information, I have updated my blog accordingly, still waiting for more suggestions on the names, but you are in the lead so far!
John, thanks for the comment, this place (Kaliningrad) was full of these small ships, so the Baltic was fairly hot during the Cold War!
I got a new flag by the way…….our server is located in Milton Keynes or some other similar place near London…Rule Brittania:-(
Yep, they appear to be a pair of Nanuchka III’s and the names match hulls 3 and 19 (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/row/rus/1234.htm). Been told they aren’t the best rides in heavy weather and they run out of ammo real quick in a moving engagement. But for a late 70’s patrol craft, not too shabby. Personally, I’d go for a nice, quality deck gun forward and perhaps a little lower CG.
I am playing a computer game at the moment that allows me to design fairly detailed ships. I am designing a Tarantul type vessel but can’t find the type of radar (not fire control) anywhere. Anyone here know if the Soviet ships of that type had a surface/air search radar and if so, what type?
Steve
Please ignore last comment. I tracked it down almost immediately afterwards. Its a Garpun Bal-E (NATO: Plank Shave) radar at I-band frequency with an MR 352 Positiv-E (NATO: Cross Dome) radar fitted on K91 and K92.
Steve