The oblivion of the ship "Voronezh Komsomolets" is on our conscience. He set a record for the longevity of large landing ships not only in the Black Sea Fleet, but throughout the entire Navy (photo)

20.05.2005 00:00

Ships, like people, each have their own destiny. Born for glory, warships suffer most painfully not from the wounds they receive, but from the betrayal of people, from oblivion. The fate of the large landing ship “Voronezh Komsomolets” is proof of this. 40 years ago, on December 5, 1965, Deputy Commander of the twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral V.V. Mikhailin, presented the commander with just...

Stranger to our own

Ships, like people, each have their own destiny. And it is most often determined not by circumstances, but by people. Born for glory, warships suffer most painfully not from the wounds they receive, but from the betrayal of people, from oblivion. The fate of the large landing ship “Voronezh Komsomolets” is proof of this.

Forty years ago, on December 5, 1965, Deputy Commander of the twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral V.V. Mikhailin, handed over to the commander of the large landing ship (LHD) that had just passed the state test, Lieutenant Commander I.G. Makhonin (currently Admiral of the Navy Russia) Naval flag of the USSR. Solemnly rising on the ship's flagpole, he announced the birth of the Voronezh Komsomolets - the first ship of this class in the Soviet Navy. The creation of the lead BDK was awarded a State Prize, the laureate of which was the chief designer I. Kuzmin and his colleagues.

Built at the Kaliningrad Shipyard with funds earned by Voronezh youth on community clean-ups, the Voronezhsky Komsomolets BDK was the first domestic ship capable of carrying out combat missions in the ocean zone. He could come close to the unequipped coast and land up to 50 units of military equipment and a battalion of marines on the shore.

Fourteen ships of the Voronezh Komsomolets class were built for all four naval fleets. The government and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense showed great interest in the new strategic weapon. In 1966, Marshal of the Soviet Union A. Grechko, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Admiral S. Gorshkov, and Commander of the Baltic Fleet Admiral A. Orel visited the Voronezh Komsomolets.

In the same year, the patronage of the Voronezh region over its “Komsomol paratrooper” was born. Then the ship met the first delegation of its Voronezh bosses - Colonel A.I. Kuznetsov, workers of the regional committees of the CPSU and Komsomol Yu. Ereminsky and E. Akhshov. Since then, the Voronezh region has annually provided humanitarian and material assistance to its sponsored ship, and the ship’s crew has been replenished with 8-10 Voronezh recruits with each call-up.

One of the combat units of the ship was also commanded by a naval officer from Liski, Yuri Lisovsky, who would later become one of the discoverers of the Ikoretsk shipyard. For many generations of Voronezh residents, service on the Voronezh Komsomolets became a good school of combat training, and the ship’s motto: “Decisively and boldly!”, inscribed on its pennant, became their everyday life motto. And the very fact of patronage of the Voronezh region - the cradle of the Russian fleet - over a warship with a native word in its name seemed to confirm the inviolability of the ties and traditions that originated in Peter the Great's shipyards. Connections between the Voronezh land and the Black Sea Fleet.

“Voronezh Komsomolets” served his homeland courageously and honestly. From 1967 to 1980, the ship went to the Mediterranean and Atlantic seventeen times to carry out combat missions. Its name also became famous in Port Said during the Arab-Israeli conflict: the ship provided international assistance to the armed forces of Egypt and Syria in repelling Israeli aggression. In 1993, at the request of the Georgian government, Voronezh Komsomolets carried out a mission of mercy, evacuating more than 15 thousand civilians from the epicenter of the civil war in Abkhazia. And everywhere with the ship was the banner of the Voronezh Komsomol members, presented to him by the Comintern Republic of Komsomol.

For twenty-five years he bore his name “Voronezh Komsomolets” with honor. The years of perestroika hung like a black shadow over its decks: the country, in a fussy haste (and mostly unilaterally), reduced strategic weapons and sent its best ships “under the knife.” By mid-2004, out of fourteen Voronezh Komsomolets class large landing craft, only four remained in the Russian Navy. Some were cut into scrap metal and melted into “needles.” Others, like the large landing ship “Ilya Azarov”, “donated” it to the Ukrainian Navy, where it was renamed “Rivno” and a “yellow-blakite” flag was raised on the flagpole. The large landing craft "Krasnaya Presnya" sank in the North Sea while being towed to India for cutting into scrap metal.

The “Komsomol” names were bashfully torn off from the sides of the surviving “paratroopers” and the side numbers were hastily affixed - this is how the new Russia renounced its former power in favor of the political situation. “Voronezh Komsomolets” did not escape humiliation either. In 1991, it was mothballed and humbly awaited its fate in the port of Odessa. Two and a half years of mooring at the berth of a foreign port brought the ship below the waterline: the crew was reduced to a minimum, replacing the entire staff - officers and midshipmen. The “hulks of independent Ukraine” simply stole the ship’s property, and not a single case of theft submitted to the prosecutor’s office of Ukraine was accepted for investigation.

But the worst thing for the crew of the Voronezh Komsomol member was the betrayal of the Voronezh residents themselves, who “forgot” about their sponsor. The last visit of Voronezh residents to the ship was on the eve of Navy Day. Black Sea residents remember him with special warmth. “The countrymen then brought, in addition to humanitarian aid, video equipment and other property,” recalls Yu. Lisovsky. “There was a folklore ensemble and parents of Voronezh sailors with them. It was a real holiday." And already in 1996..."

In vain, before Fleet Day, the sailors, standing on the upper deck, looked with hope at the road to the pier. Buses with guests, trucks and vans with Kuban, Kursk, Belgorod, Rostov license plates drove up to other ships. There were no Voronezh people among them. And the sailors waited. “Who knows, the Voronezh people will definitely come,” the Black Sea residents encouraged each other. In vain... On the eve of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Navy, his cradle - Voronezh - drowned his conscience in the pre-holiday bustle.

And in vain the crew sent the deputy commander of the ship, captain of the third rank, Grigory Kravchuk, to Voronezh with the hope of restoring the interrupted patronage - regional administration officials remained silent. And the Voronezh Komsomolets, ashamed of its rusty sides that had not been painted for six years, was still in no hurry to rip off the letters of its proud name from them. But he was forced to do this, having hastily put hull number 150 in place of the former name. So, in the year of its 33rd anniversary, the warship remained nameless, like a prisoner of someone’s conscience, with a serial number instead of a name on its chest. And for a long time, through the fresh ball paint, the letters of its former name appeared on the sides. As a silent reproach to all Voronezh residents.

In those dark days, on the abandoned BDK, Lieutenant Commander Yu. Lisovsky wrote to the Voronezh “Young Communard”: “Our ship now has no name, and in official reports it is referred to as BDK-65. At one time Voronezh residents served on it, but today... It’s a shame to realize that the “tops” abandoned us. We are actually dying. And it’s scary that today’s leaders give us this opportunity to die. Quietly, silently, without shouting. And we don't give up. We go out to sea and prove that it’s too early to write us off and let our ships go to waste.”

...The BDK with tail number 150 survived all the deaths out of spite. But he remained nameless until a Saratov delegation led by Governor Ayatskov attended one of the exercises with his participation. During those exercises, the former “Voronezh Komsomolets” shot accurately and landed troops with desperate daring. “Who are your bosses?” – an impressed Ayatskov asked the crew of the “paratrooper”. And he himself responded to his bashful silence: “Saratov residents are now your bosses.” So the former “Voronezh Komsomolets” acquired a new name - “Saratov”.

...And the Liskinsky district, as if apologizing for the entire region, at the turn of the 90s, took under its sponsorship the same BDK, which was suffering from oblivion, but had not lost its name - “Orsk”.

Armament

Artillery weapons

• 2 (1x2) - 57-mm gun ZIF-31B;
• 4 (2x2) - 25 mm 2M-3M guns.

Missile weapons

• 2x40 - 122-mm PU NURS MS-73 "Grad-M";
• 3x2 - PU 9K34 “Strela-3” air defense missile system.

Radar weapons

• 1-2 navigation radar "Don".

Built ships

BDK-10, BDK-6, BDK-1, BDK-62, etc. - 14 units in total.

Story

Development history

Landing capabilities

The ship can accommodate up to 20 main battle tanks, or 45 armored personnel carriers, or 50 trucks, and 300-400 landing troops (two landing quarters, under the first and fourth tween decks). The ship can carry up to 1000 tons of various cargo. In the bow there is a compartment for armored vehicles, there is also a landing ramp closed by sliding gates, and in the stern there is a folding lapport for loading and unloading operations.

Armament

The main armament of Project 1171 Tapir ships consists of one universal twin naval artillery mount of 57 mm caliber - ZIF-31 B. Also, to engage coastal targets and support landing forces, the BDKs are equipped with two launchers

The issue of supplies to Russia of two Mistral amphibious helicopter carriers has resulted in interest in domestic developments in this area. At present, we can say with almost 100% probability that France will not transfer the already built Mistrals to Russia. Under these conditions, the Nevsky Design Bureau (PKB) created a design for a landing ship that could become an alternative to French ships. In particular, at the stand of the Main Command of the Russian Navy, as part of the Army-2015 forum held in the country, a new universal landing ship of the Priboy project, developed by specialists from the Nevsky Design Bureau, was presented in the form of a model.

This ship has a displacement of about 14 thousand tons with a draft of 5 meters and is able to carry on board up to 8 Ka-52K and Ka-27(29) helicopters. The landing ship will be able to reach speeds of up to 20 knots, its cruising range will be 6 thousand miles, and its endurance will be 60 days. The length of the ship will be 165 meters, width - 25 meters. The universal landing ship of the Priboy project will be able to transport on board up to 40-60 units of various equipment and up to 500 paratroopers. The UDC will be able to take on board four Project 11770M landing boats or two Project 12061M boats. At the same time, its air defense will be built on the basis of the Pantsir-M sea-based air defense system.

Construction of the first ship of the series is planned to begin in 2016, RIA “” reports, citing its source. At the same time, information previously appeared that the Russian fleet will receive a new landing ship of a new generation by 2020. Vladimir Tryapichnikov, head of the shipbuilding department of the Russian Navy, spoke about this in June 2015. According to him, the new ship will be many times greater in displacement than the BDK Ivan Gren (displacement of about 5 thousand tons), apparently, Tryapichnikov was talking then about the UDC of the Priboy project. Presumably, 4 ships of this type will be built for the needs of the Russian Navy.

Model of UDC "Priboi".

It is worth noting that the UDC of the Priboi project fits perfectly into the appearance of a modern landing craft. In terms of its main characteristics, it will approximately correspond to the main parameters of the Dutch universal landing ships of the Rotterdam or Johan de Witt type, which were chosen as samples. These warships also have a displacement of 14-16 thousand tons, are capable of transporting up to 500-600 marines and carry on board 6 helicopters and the necessary set of floating landing craft.

However, the ship of the Priboy project is the future of the Russian fleet; this project has only reached the mock-up stage and it may take quite a long time before it is built and put into service. Below we will look at the large landing ships that the Russian Navy actually has or will very soon have (the Ivan Gren BDK should be accepted by the end of 2015).

BDK Project 1171 "Tapir"

The large landing ship (LHD) of the ocean zone of Project 1171 (code “Tapir”, according to the NATO codification “Alligator”) is designed for landing amphibious assault forces with military equipment on an unequipped coast with a low bottom slope, as well as transporting cargo and troops by sea. The ship is able to land landing units directly on the shore, and can launch floating equipment into the water. The lead ship of this project, “Voronezh Komsomolets,” was laid down on February 5, 1964 at the slipway of the Baltic shipyard No. 820 “Yantar” in Kaliningrad. The ship was launched on July 1, 1964. For all its shortcomings, it was the first large landing craft in the Soviet Union that could, with an expeditionary marine battalion on board, serve for some time in remote areas of the world's oceans. Over the ten years from 1964 to 1974, 14 ships of this project were built in the USSR, which were produced in four different versions. For almost 20 years, Project 1171 ships formed the basis of the USSR's strategic landing forces.

The ship had a total displacement of 4650 tons, draft was 4.5 meters, length - 113.1 meters, width - 15.6 meters. The full speed of the BDK of the Tapir project was 16.5 knots. The cruising range was 4.8 thousand miles (approximately 8.9 thousand kilometers). The autonomy of a large landing ship in terms of supplies of provisions and fuel (without replenishing them during the voyage) for the first ships of the series was 10 days, for subsequent ships - 20 days.

The ship's disembarkation device includes a bow gate with a ramp, as well as a folding sealed lapport located at the stern. Equipment can be loaded onto a ship under its own power through the stern or bow landing device. To load cargo on the upper deck or through hatches in the tweendeck, the ship has special cranes. Landing from a ship can be carried out afloat, and non-floating equipment is landed directly on the coast, while the minimum bottom slope should be 2-3 degrees (depending on the mass of cargo taken on board the ship). Among other things, the Project 1171 BDK could be used for transporting ammunition, as well as for transporting missiles in containers.

The ship's power plant is diesel, consisting of two power units with a capacity of 4.5 thousand horsepower each (engine models differed depending on the modification of the ship). The armament could also be different and consisted of a twin 57-mm ZIF-31B universal naval artillery mount and two twin 25-mm 2M-3 guns. Also on the ship were mounted two installations of the Grad-M multiple launch rocket system, intended to support the landing force. For air defense, Strela-3 MANPADS were to be used.

The Project 1171 BDK could take on board up to 20 main battle tanks, about 45 armored personnel carriers, or 50 trucks and from 300 to 400 landing troops. The landing party members were housed in two cockpits under the first and fourth tween decks. In addition, the ship could be used to transport goods, taking on board up to 1000 tons of various cargo. In the bow of the ship there was a compartment for armored vehicles, and there was also a ramp closed by a sliding gate. A folding lapport was equipped at the stern of the ship for loading and unloading operations. The ship's crew consisted of 69 people, including 5 officers (Crew of 83 people, including 7 officers and 11 midshipmen for the large landing ship "Nikolai Vilkov", Pacific Fleet, 1990s). According to information from open sources, the Russian Navy currently operates 4 Project 1171 landing craft: 3 ships in the Black Sea Fleet and one ship in the Pacific Fleet.

BDK project 1174 "Rhinoceros"

The BDK of the ocean zone of Project 1174 (code “Rhinoceros”, according to the NATO codification Ivan Rogov) was intended for transporting and landing landing forces and military equipment on both equipped and unequipped coasts with a low bottom slope. The ship is able to land troops directly on the coast, floating equipment - on the water, non-floating military equipment - using special landing craft, and landing personnel with portable equipment can also land on the shore by helicopter.

In the process of designing the ship, at the direction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of the Soviet Union S.G. Gorshkov, changes were made to the project, which ultimately led to the creation of a very original universal landing ship with a relatively small displacement. As a result of changes to the project, a docking chamber appeared on the ship, and the composition of the air group stationed on board was increased. Changes to the project during the course of work were made under the impression of the US Navy's ongoing program for the construction of the Tarawa-class UDC. In the course of all the improvements, the accessibility of the shores for the Project 1174 landing craft became: for the bow gangway - 17%, for landing boats - more than 40%, for helicopters - 100%.

Ships of this project were built in the USSR from 1973 to 1988, a total of three such ships were built. The ships were laid down and built in Kaliningrad at the Baltic shipyard No. 820 "Yantar". Due to constant changes in the design, the lead ship of the Ivan Rogov series was ready only in 1978, 14 years after the technical specifications for its design were issued. In total, three such vessels were built in Kaliningrad: “Ivan Rogov” (1978), “Alexander Nikolaev” (1982) and “Mtrofan Moskalenko” (1990). The first ship was decommissioned from the fleet in 1996. The other two were placed in reserve in 1997 and 2002, respectively. After the Mistrals, information appeared in the press about the study of the issue of restoring the ships and returning them to the Russian Navy.

The length of the ship of Project 1174 code "Rhino" was 157.5 meters, width - 23.8 meters, draft - 5 meters. The ship's total displacement was 14,060 tons. Full speed - 21 knots, cruising range at a speed of 18 knots and a normal fuel reserve of 4 thousand miles, with a maximum fuel reserve of 7,500 miles. The ship's power plant was gas turbine and included two power units with a capacity of 18 thousand hp each. every. The autonomy of navigation in terms of provisions was 15 days when there were 500 paratroopers on board or 30 days when there were 250 troops on board. The ship's crew consisted of 239 people, including 37 officers. To receive liquid and solid cargo at sea, the ship was equipped with special systems.

The ships' armament varied depending on the modification and consisted of an AK-726 76.2 mm artillery mount, two AK-630 6x30 mm artillery mounts, two Grad-M multiple launch rocket system installations, and one Osa-M air defense system. (ammunition 20 missiles) and four Strela-3 MANPADS. Up to 4 Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters could be based on board the ship.

In the tank hold of the BDK and the docking chamber, in the absence of floating equipment in it, it was possible to load up to 50 PT-76 tanks, 80 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, or up to 120 vehicles. In this case, the equipment could be loaded on board in various combinations. Also on board it was possible to accommodate up to 500 landing troops in several cockpits and four-berth officer cabins, or to accommodate 1,700 tons of various cargo. To unload non-floating military equipment onto the shore, up to 6 landing craft of Project 1785 or Project 1176 could be received in the docking chamber of the ship. Or three landing hovercraft of Project 1206 or air-cavity landing craft of Project 11770 “Serna”.

BDK project 775

The Project 775 BDK for the needs of the Soviet fleet was built in Poland at the Stocznia Polnocna shipyard in the city of Gdansk. The ships were built from 1974 to 1991; a total of 28 ships of this project were built here in three different modifications. Initially they were classified as medium landing ships (SDK), but in 1977 they were reclassified as BDK. Currently, ships of this project are the most massive landing craft in the Russian fleet, forming the basis of the Russian landing fleet. There are 15 ships of this type remaining in service, and taking into account the Ukrainian BDK Konstantin Olshansky captured by Russian military personnel in 2014, there are 16.

Landing ships of Project 775 were created to replace the large landing ship of Project 1171. The new ship was supposed to receive more powerful weapons and improved survivability, unlike Project 1171, which was made on the basis of a dry cargo ship. Project 775 ships were initially designed as vessels specifically designed for landing operations. They were supposed to take an intermediate position between the Rhinos and KFOR. Project 775 BDKs have a length of 112.5 meters, a width of 15 meters, a draft of 4.26 meters, and the total displacement of the ship is 4,400 tons. Full speed is 17.6 knots, cruising range is up to 4 thousand miles (about 7.4 thousand kilometers), navigation autonomy is up to 30 days. Two Zgoda-Sulzer diesel engines were used as the power plant, developing a power of 9.6 thousand hp each. every.

The armament of ships of this project varied depending on the modifications. Initially, it was planned to install two twin 57-mm AK-725 artillery mounts with remote guidance. To increase firepower and air defense systems, Project 775M ships were equipped with a 76.2 mm AK-176 artillery mount and two AK-630M 6x30 mm artillery mounts. To suppress the enemy’s coastal defenses and destroy his manpower, two Grad-M MLRS launchers were installed on Project 775 landing ships. Strela-3 and Igla MANPADS could be used as air defense systems.

Project 775 ships were initially designed to transport by sea a reinforced company of marines or 225 paratroopers and 10 tanks. The dimensions of the cargo compartment are 95x4.5x4.5 meters; the ship could also take on board up to 480 tons of various cargo. The paratroopers were housed in several cockpits, and the officers in four-berth cabins. The ship's crew consisted of 98 people, including 8 officers.

BDK project 11711 "Ivan Gren"

Large landing ships of Project 11711 (according to the NATO codification Ivan Gren) are a project of new large landing ships of the Russian fleet, designed for landing troops, transporting cargo, military equipment and equipment. This landing ship is a further development of the Project 1171 Tapir ships, while most of the ship’s design has undergone major changes. On June 11, 2015, at the Yantar Baltic Shipyard in Kaliningrad, the laying ceremony of the second large landing craft of Project 11711 “Pyotr Morgunov” took place. The lead ship of the Ivan Gren series was laid down at the Kaliningrad shipyard in December 2004, the ship was launched in May 2012, and the ship's delivery to the military is scheduled for 2015. In total, by 2020, the Russian Navy was supposed to receive 6 ships of this type.

When creating the ship, much attention was paid to the living conditions of the crew and landing party. Loading military equipment onto a ship is possible in two ways: independently using ramps, or using port or deck cargo cranes through a four-leaf cargo hatch located in the upper deck. These hatches also make it possible to ventilate the below-deck space when, immediately before landing, combat vehicles start their engines running at idle speed, which leads to the filling of the landing space with exhaust gases. To carry out loading and unloading operations in the area of ​​the cargo hatch, the ship has a crane with a lifting capacity of 16 tons and two boat cranes designed for working with motor boats and lifeboats.

The total displacement of the Ivan Gren BDK is 5,000 tons, which makes it the largest among all BDKs of the Russian fleet in service at the moment. The full speed is 18 knots, the cruising range is up to 3,500 nautical miles at a speed of 16 knots. Navigation autonomy - up to 30 days. The ship's crew consists of 100 people. Military equipment is located on the tank deck inside the large landing craft; these can be either main battle tanks weighing up to 60 tons (13 tanks), or infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers (up to 36 units), or 300 landing troops.

The weapons on board the ship are two Grad-M MLRS launchers, two AK-630M 6x30mm artillery mounts, as well as a 76.2 mm AK-176 universal artillery mount. In addition, the ship is capable of hosting one Ka-29 transport and combat helicopter. According to some information, the Igla-V complex can be used as an air defense system.

Information sources:
http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/2028399
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/06/16/priboy
http://www.rg.ru/2015/06/16/analog-site.html
http://navalcadet.narod.ru
http://www.shipyard-yantar.ru/ru/press/265-zalozhitbdk.html

One of the most popular and floating ships of the Black Sea Fleet celebrated its 50th anniversary. This is the large landing ship (LHD) Saratov, currently commanded by Captain 2nd Rank Viktor Marchishin. To confirm what has been said, I will inform you that the ship celebrated its golden anniversary at sea. He has passed through the Strait Zone and is performing assigned tasks in the Mediterranean Sea.

I have been on board this ship more than once. Including during the loading and unloading of military equipment and weapons, personnel of a separate Black Sea Fleet marine brigade. I knew some of the commanders of this ship personally and communicated with them more than once. These are captains of the 2nd rank Evgeniy Georgievich Krylov, who eventually became the chief of staff of the Novorossiysk naval base, captains of the 2nd rank Oleg Vladimirovich Pochinov (commanded the ship for more than 12 years, including during the operation to force Georgia to peace), Nikolai Nikolaevich Paliy, who after three years for half of the years he handed over the command bridge to Viktor Marchishin.

- BDK "Saratov" was built by the Kaliningrad Shipyard, - says the deputy commander of the landing ship brigade for work with personnel, Captain 1st Rank Sergei Dvornikov,- On July 1, 1964, it was launched, and on December 5, 1965, the USSR Naval Flag was raised on the ship. It is noteworthy that the Project 1171 BDK Saratov is the first ship of this class in our Navy. From 1967 to 1992, it bore the name “Voronezh Komsomolets”, from 1992 to 2003 it was simply the BDK “65”, and in April 2003 it was renamed to the BDK “Saratov” and the administration of the Saratov region took patronage over the ship. Since September 2006, the city administration of Saratov has been patronizing the ship.

Not every ship can boast of such age and such a combat biography. Many simply do not live to such a respectable age. Over 50 years of combat activity, the ship made about three dozen long-distance voyages in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

From 1991 to 1994, the Saratov landing ship was mothballed in the port of Odessa. In the summer of 1994, the ship again entered service with the Russian Black Sea Fleet and was based in Donuzlav. In January 1996, the BDK moved to its permanent base in Sevastopol. On June 12, 1997, the St. Andrew's flag was raised on it. In July 1999, the ship transported Russian peacekeeping forces to Thessaloniki (Greece). This operation was written in golden letters into the modern history of our fleet. The operation to transfer our paratroopers was led by the commander of the surface ships division, Rear Admiral Vladimir Vasyukov, and for this he received an order, which was presented to him by the President of the Russian Federation. Crew members of the Saratov landing craft were also noted.

In the period from 2000 to 2003, the Saratov landing craft carried out the combat mission of transporting GRVZ military equipment from the Republic of Georgia. In the period from 2004 to 2008, the ship took part in the transportation of military cargo and equipment from military bases of the Russian Federation. In August 2008, the ship took part in a peacekeeping operation to force Georgia to peace in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. It was on this ship that the Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral, went to seaSergey, who led the Black Sea Fleet forces at sea during the operation to force Georgia to peace.

- This is the most capacious landing craft of the Black Sea Fleet, which also has the largest number of cranes for loading and unloading military equipment and military cargo. “He loads equipment and weapons not only into the twin-deck, but also onto the upper deck,” says the recent commander of the Saratov, Nikolai Paliy.

Nikolay Paliy

In recent years, the ship has been carrying out systematic maritime military transportation in the interests of the fleet in the Black and Mediterranean seas, and takes an active part in all exercises of the Black Sea Fleet. And this despite the fact that he is the oldest landing ship in the entire Navy.

The large landing ship "Saratov" (formerly "BDK-10", "Voronezhsky Komsomolets", "BDK-65") is the lead in a series of 14 ships of Project 1171, built in four series at the Baltic Shipyard "Yantar" in Kaliningrad for the USSR Navy.

Large landing ships of Project 1171 “Tapir” (according to NATO classification - “Alligator”) are a series of Soviet large landing ships that are designed for landing amphibious assault forces on an unequipped coast and transporting troops and cargo by sea. BDKs are capable of transporting various types of armored vehicles, including tanks. The development of the project was the BDK project 11711 being built for the Russian Navy.

The ship can accommodate a cargo of 20 main battle tanks, or 45 armored personnel carriers, or 50 trucks, and 300 landing personnel (two landing quarters, in the first and fourth tween decks). The ship can carry up to 1000 tons of various cargo. At the bow there is a compartment for armored vehicles, and there is also a landing ramp in the form of sliding bow and stern gates.

The large landing ship "Saratov" (board number 150) was laid down under the name "BDK-10" on February 5, 1964, construction number 291. Launched on July 1, 1964. Entered service on August 18, 1966. Became part of the Black Sea Fleet.

Had the following tail numbers: 9 (1966); 447 (1969); 419 (1972); 405, 431, 435 (1974); 136, 139 (1982); 142 (1985); 146 (1989); 150 (since 1990).

Main characteristics: Displacement 4650 tons. Length 113.1 meters, beam 15.6 meters, draft 4.5 meters. Maximum speed 16.5 knots. Cruising range 10 thousand miles at 15 knots. Capacity up to 1500 tons of equipment and cargo. The crew is 55 people.

Powerplant: 2 diesels, 2 propellers, 9000 hp.

Armament: 1x2 57-mm gun mount ZIF-31B, 3x8 PU MANPADS.

On February 22, 1967, the ship was given the name “Voronezh Komsomolets”. He was part of the 39th division of the naval landing forces, based at the Crimean naval base (Donuzlav).

From 1966 to 2004, with marine units on board, he made more than 20 long-distance trips lasting 6-8 months.

In the period from 1991 to 1994 it was preserved in Odessa. During this period, on February 15, 1992, it was renamed BDK-65. During the division of the fleet, he was reassigned to the command of the 30th division of surface ships.

In August 2000, in 4 flights, he transported from the loading point Gonio (Batumi region) to the landing point Utrishenok (Novorossiysk region) part of the weapons and equipment of the contingent of the Group of Russian Forces in Transcaucasia.

On August 10, 2008, as part of a group of ships of the Black Sea Fleet, it fought with Georgian boats during the war in South Ossetia.

In the autumn-winter of 2012, he completed the tasks of a trip to the Mediterranean Sea. On December 10, large landing ships and "Saratov" of the Black Sea Fleet after a trip to the Mediterranean Sea.

According to a report dated January 11, 2013, one of the diesel generators was on board the ship, which was heading to the eastern Mediterranean to participate in an inter-fleet exercise of the Russian Navy. In connection with this, the command decided to conduct a PM-56 floating workshop with the involvement of specialists, on board of which there are the necessary spare parts. The ship was repaired with the participation of PM-56 in the Syrian port of Tartus.

According to a message dated February 17, 2014 in Sevastopol. In 2014, the Saratov landing craft completed at least 4 trips to the Mediterranean Sea. On March 4, early in the morning, the large landing ship "Saratov" and the large landing ship "Yamal" entered the Black Sea.