"Buyan-M" project 21631. Small missile ship project 21631 "Buyan-M"

The launching of a new ship into the battle fleet of the Russian Navy is always an event. The greater the displacement, the more diverse the weapons system and the more impressive seaworthiness, the brighter the media coverage of the solemn ceremony. In 2014, the celebration of the Navy Day was timed to the surrender of the defense department of two new units that strengthen the Caspian flotilla. Small missile ships Project 21631 "Buyan-M", which received the names of the ancient Russian cities "Uglich" and "Grad Sviyazhsk", at first glance, do not inspire such respect as nuclear cruisers and submarine missile carriers. But their role in the defense capability of Russia has yet to be appreciated.

The ship for the closed seas

The project "Buyan-M" was originally conceived as a type of ship designed not for the ocean's expanses, but for operations in the closed sea. This is known today from open sources, but it is clear to the ship's expert that a displacement of 950 tons with fairly low sides and a small draft does not imply a swim in the waters with possible excitement of more than five points. Closed seas washing the shores of the Russian Federation, only three: the Caspian, the Black and the Azov. The last two water bodies, incidentally, quite recently represented a relatively small interest in the aspect of national security. The growth in the activity of the fleets of NATO countries in the Black Sea basin has been observed only recently, after the beginning of well-known events in Ukraine.

The situation in the Caspian

As for the Caspian Sea, the fleet, which is responsible for the stability of the maritime situation in the region, certainly needed to be updated and strengthened. It was for this operational sector that the ships of project 21631 "Buyan-M" were intended. At the same time, not completely coastal states were considered as a probable enemy. The Republic of Kazakhstan is Russia's strategic partner and conducts a friendly foreign policy. At the moment, Azerbaijan (also not hostile) has practically no naval capabilities. Turkmenistan purchases equipment in the Russian Federation and, pursuing an independent foreign policy line, is interested in mutually beneficial trade and economic relations and cooperation in the defense sphere. These countries, which were in the historically recent past republics of the Soviet Union, do not represent security threats to our borders. Only Iran remains. This Islamic state is in economic isolation, and it is very difficult to suspect it of aggressive attempts against the great northern neighbor. As they say, their cares are enough.

It could be concluded that there are no regional threats to Russia in the Caspian region. So why do we need a small rocket ship of project 21631 here? To answer this question, we need to study the characteristics of its weapons systems, seaworthy data and design features.

River-sea

A project was created and a ship was built in Tatarstan. Plant them. AM Gorky is in the glorious Volga city of Zelenodolsk. Already in itself this fact speaks volumes. The hull of the vessel allows him to walk not only along the seas, but also easily travel along the blue arteries of rivers, penetrating the whole country from the North to the South and from the West to the East. The value for defense theoretically have river flotillas, they had the chance to fight during the Great Patriotic War, but since then the military doctrine has undergone serious changes. MRK of project 21631 "Buyan-M" is not suitable for use as a monitor (the class of ships designed to support the infantry is actually a floating artillery battery). This is indicated by rather modest cannon armament: only two hundred-millimeter guns. In addition, for actions in river channels among the islands, such serious measures are not required to maintain secrecy, and the speed is too big (25 knots). And in favor of the predominantly maritime character, the composition of missile weapons eloquently speaks. The capacity for river navigation of the Buyan-M ships of Project 21631 presupposes wide possibilities for the transfer of these combat units to virtually any likely theater of military operations. In case of need, of course.

Artillery and air defense

The radius of combat use is relatively small. Autonomy is ten days. A small missile ship of Project 21631 can navigate in an autonomous mode for no more than two and a half thousand miles. In addition to the 100 mm "Universal" guns (A-190M) already mentioned, the airborne artillery is represented by a twin-mounted "Duet" at the stern, two 14-mm MTFU machine-gun mounts and three 7,62-mm quick-firing barrels.

The means of shipborne air defense are two "Gibka" installations, based on the "Igla" air defense systems and effective anti-aircraft missile systems that are widespread in the ground forces. To repel a massive air attack, this weapon may not be enough, it is designed to deal with assault aircraft and attack helicopters. The main bet is made for other techniques, which allow to avoid an air strike, but more about this later.

Main caliber

MRK of project 21631 "Buyan-M" was created for conducting rocket fire on ships and coastal bases of the probable enemy. For this purpose, its main armament, which in the aggregate is the UKSC (universal ship's firing complex), is intended. Eight mines are located in the hull, of which vertical launching of missiles can be carried out, as subsonic (anti-ship 3M54, surface-land 3M14, antisubmarine 91RT) and supersonic (Onyx 3M55). Thus, with a very modest size and a small crew (about 35 people), the small project cruisers Buyan-M of Project 21631 can prove to be very dangerous for the offshore targets of a much larger tonnage.

Strategic Corvette

The Caliber complex, the platform for which the 21631 missile ships can become, is equipped with cruise missiles with a combat range of 2,600 kilometers. From the geographical point of view, this means that the Onyx, launched from the points located in the water areas of the Caspian and Black Seas, can theoretically achieve the objectives in the Persian Gulf, the Red and Mediterranean Seas, and other metamorphosed on the map of Eurasia by the circumference of the indicated Radius, including the strategically important Suez Canal.

Traditionally, corvettes, to the class of which the project 21631 refers (the code number "Buyan-M"), are considered combat units of a tactical link. The characteristics of the weapons of the "City of Sviyazhsk" and "Uglich", which are currently in service with the Caspian flotilla, hint at their strategic nature unobtrusively.

The Invisible Ship

The outlines of a modern small missile ship in combination with its high speed, a water-jet and a relatively small size (74 meters), give reason to expect that it will not be easy to find it in waters saturated with various vessels. On the radar screen, it is difficult to distinguish the Buyan-M project 21631 from a fishing seiner or even a large yacht. In addition, he, like all the warships built in Russia, is equipped with a whole complex of electronic countermeasures capable of disabling communication systems and radar systems for the destruction of potential adversaries. Absorbing high-frequency radiation coatings and inclined planes of the silhouette further reduce the probability of finding this fast and maneuverable ship with powerful missile weapons.

The situation in the Black Sea

In the process of construction or trial trials, there are five "Buyan-M" ships of project 21631 now. These are Veliky Ustyug, Vyshniy Volochek, Serpukhov, Orekhovo-Zuevo and Zeleny Dol. Initially, they were all intended for service in the Caspian, but the geopolitical picture that was rapidly changing over the last year in the Black Sea basin prompted the command of the Russian Navy to reconsider these intentions. "Serpukhov" and "Green Dol" will be sent to Sevastopol. The Black Sea Fleet's naval forces need replenishment with the newest units capable of countering the so-called NATO Mine-Troop Group, which is of considerable strength. Of course, in the event of a military conflict, the Crimea would not remain defenseless, and under the present state of affairs its cover could be provided by the Bal and Bastion complexes that can control the entire water area right up to the Bosporus Strait, but to ensure reliable peace requires the constant presence of military units And demonstrating their capabilities. The main workload for this task will lie on the frigates "Admiral Grigorovich", "Admiral Essen" and RK "Moscow", but the "Buyan" work is enough.

Coastal ships with a long sight

From the history of navies and naval battles, a thoughtful politician can conclude that there is no universal weapon that can be used for all cases and is capable of successfully operating under any scenarios for the development of the conflict. In some situations, powerful cruisers and battleships are needed in large sizes, others can not do without carrier-based connections; in the third, only submarines can be the most effective means. In our turbulent age the mobile rocket ships "Buyan-M" of project 21631 also take their place in the naval system, which defends the interests of Russia in close proximity to its shores, but with a long-range view.

Five more ships of this type are ordered.