Buyan-class corvette
{{More references|date=April 2024}}
{{Short description|Small artillery and missile ships of the Russian Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates |date=April 2021}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| sclass = 2 }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship caption = Buyan-class corvette (pr 21630) }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Buyan class | Builders = * Almaz Shipbuilding Company | Operators = {{navy|Russia}} | Class before = {{sclass2|Nanuchka|corvette|4}} | Class after = {{sclass2|Karakurt|corvette|4}} | Subclasses = *Project 21631 Buyan-M (domestic)
| Cost = | Built range = 2004–present | In service range = | In commission range = 2006–present | Total ships planned = 15 | Total ships completed = 15 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 14 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = *Buyan: Gunboat or monitor
| Ship displacement = *Buyan: {{cvt|420|t|LT|lk=on}} (standard)
| Ship length = *Buyan: {{convert|62|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = *Buyan: {{convert|9.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = *{{convert|6.57|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship draught = | Ship draft = *Buyan: {{convert|2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = *2 shaft CODAD, 4 × Zvezda M520, {{cvt|14584|shp|kW|order=flip}} and Kolomna Diesel, Pumpjet. | Ship speed = *Buyan: {{convert|28|kn}} | Ship range = *Buyan: {{convert|1500|nmi|abbr=on}} | Ship complement = *Buyan: 29–36 | Ship sensors = *Buyan:
| Ship EW = *Buyan: 2 × 10 PK-10 decoy launchers
| Ship armament = *Buyan:
| Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
The Buyan class ({{langx|ru|Буян||Buyan}}), Russian designations Project 21630 Buyan and Project 21631 Buyan-M, are series of corvettes (small artillery and missile ships in Russian classification) developed by Zelenodolsk Design Bureau for the Russian Navy. Since 2010, all subsequent vessels are being constructed as improved Project 21631 subclass, incorporating greater tonnage, stealth technology and the 3S14 vertical launching system for either Kalibr or Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles, significantly enhancing combat capabilities. The ships are primarily designed for operations within littoral zones to protect Russia's vast coastal areas. Due to the small tonnage, they can operate even within shallow parts of oceans and seas and Russia's extensive inland waterway system. The export variant is known as Project 21632 Tornado.
Design
Initial information about a modified Project 21631, dubbed Buyan-M, was published in August 2010. The Project 21631 ships were to be an updated variant of the Project 21630 Buyan small artillery ships. They were to be up-armed with a USKS VLS system supporting the nuclear-capable Kalibr cruise missiles (SS-N-27 Sizzler) and with additional electronic countermeasure equipment.{{cite web |url=http://rusnavy.com/news/newsofday/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=10125 |title=Zelenodolsky Shipyard to lay down a Project 21631 small-size missile ship |website=Rusnavy.com |date=26 August 2010 |access-date=8 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701164934/http://rusnavy.com/news/newsofday/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=10125 |archive-date=1 July 2018 |url-status=dead}} Ships of Project 21631 were designated for national economic zones protection, same as the original variants.
The ships' small size and displacement enables them to operate within inland river systems, including traversing the Moscow Canal. This allow them to redeploy to various seas around European Russia. A particular advantage for the Buyan-M series were the limitations imposed by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which prohibited land-based medium-range missiles while sea-based ones were not restricted. A river-based corvette could deploy such missiles without being subject to the restrictions.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} The lead ship of this project, Grad Sviyazhsk, was laid down on 27 August 2010 and commissioned on 27 July 2014.
Operational history
File:Малые ракетные корабли Град Свияжск 562 и Серпухов 563 на дне ВМФ 2024.jpg
On 7 October 2015, corvettes Grad Sviyazhsk, Uglich, Velikiy Ustyug and {{sclass2|Gepard|frigate}} Dagestan, deployed in the Caspian Sea, launched 26 Kalibr cruise missiles at 11 terrorist targets in Syria. The missiles flew nearly {{convert|1,500|km|mi}} over Iran and Iraq and struck targets in Raqqa and Aleppo provinces (controlled by the Islamic State) as well as in Idlib province (controlled by the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front).{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/world/russian-cruise-missile/?itid=lk_inline_manual_34 |title=How Russia fired missiles at Syria from 1,000 miles away |newspaper=The Washington Post |last=Johnson |first=Richard |date=23 October 2015 |access-date=13 April 2024}} According to United States Department of Defense officials, several of these cruise missiles fired from Russian ships crashed in Iran and did not make it to their intended targets in Syria.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/10/07/these-are-the-cruise-missiles-russia-just-sent-into-syria/ |title=Pentagon: Some Russian cruise missiles crashed in Iran |first=Thomas |last=Gibbons-Neff |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=8 October 2015 |access-date=8 May 2019}}
On 20 November 2015, the same warships launched 18 Kalibr cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea at seven terrorist targets in Rakka, Idlib and Aleppo provinces.{{cite web |url=https://eurasianet.org/russia-launches-more-cruise-missiles-from-caspian-to-syria |title=Russia Launches More Cruise Missiles From Caspian To Syria |work=Eurasianet.org |last=Kucera |first=Joshua |date=21 November 2015 |access-date=13 April 2024}}
In 2016, the corvette Zelenyy Dol was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, later followed by sister ship Serpukhov.{{cite web |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/russia-despatches-one-more-missile-corvette-mediterranean-agencies-090924827.html?guccounter=1 |title=Russia despatches one more missile corvette to Mediterranean: agencies |agency=Reuters |via=Yahoo! News |date=6 October 2016 |access-date=13 April 2024}} On 19 August Zelenyy Dol and Serpukhov, deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, launched Kalibr cruise missiles at positions of Al-Nusra terrorist group in Syria. As a result of the strikes, number of terrorist facilities were destroyed, including command post and base near the village of Dar Ta Izzah and weapon production plants and warehouses in Aleppo province.{{cite web |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/russia-says-video-shows-launch-of-missiles-from-mediterranean-sea-against-terrorists-in-syria |title=Russia says video shows launch of missiles from Mediterranean Sea against terrorists in Syria |work=National Post |agency=Associated Press |date=19 August 2016 |access-date=13 April 2024}}
On 25 October 2016, Zelenyy Dol and Serpukhov were deployed to the Baltic Sea to join a newly formed division at Kaliningrad.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-defence-baltic-sweden-idUSKCN12Q1HB |title=Russia beefs up Baltic Fleet amid NATO tensions: reports |first1=Andrew |last1=Osborn |first2=Simon |last2=Johnson |website=Reuters |date=26 October 2016 |access-date=8 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029113627/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-defence-baltic-sweden-idUSKCN12Q1HB |archive-date=29 October 2016 |url-status=live}} In 2020, Zelenyy Dol and the {{sclass2|Karakurt|corvette|1}} Odintsovo deployed to Arctic waters utilizing Russian internal waterways and illustrating the Russian capacity to transfer light units among the Russian Navy's three western fleets and the Caspian Flotilla as might be required.{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis/naval-technology/9009-analysis-zeleny-dol-corvette-passes-successful-trials.html |title=Analysis: Zeleny Dol corvette passes successful trials |date=18 September 2020 |website=Navy Recognition |access-date=19 September 2020 |archive-date=16 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016230938/https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/focus-analysis/naval-technology/9009-analysis-zeleny-dol-corvette-passes-successful-trials.html |url-status=dead }} A similar deployment was conducted in 2023 by Serpukhov.{{cite web | url=https://tass.com/defense/1677121 | title=Baltic Fleet's ship launches Kalibr missile — press service |work=TASS |date=19 September 2023 |access-date=April 13, 2024}}
On 28 March 2022, a Buyan-class corvette fired eight Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea and claimed to have destroyed a Ukrainian arsenal at Orzhev.{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/03/russian-buyan-m-class-corvette-fired-kalibr-missiles-against-ukraine/ |title=Russian Buyan-M Class Corvette Fired Kalibr Missiles Against Ukraine |work=Naval News |date=28 March 2022 |access-date=13 April 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/24/russia-kalibr-cruise-missile-ukraine-weapons/ |title=What to know about the long-range cruise missile Russia says it fired |newspaper=The Washington Post |first1=Claire |last1=Parker |first2=Aaron |last2=Steckelberg |first3=Meg |last3=Kelly |first4=Razzan |last4=Nakhlawi |first5=Jonathan |last5=Baran |date=March 24, 2022 |access-date=April 13, 2024}}
On 17 June 2022, a photo emerged of Velikiy Ustyug being towed on the Volga River in a damaged state after a Ukrainian attack.{{cite web |url=https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2022/06/26/russian-buyan-m-corvette-sustained-significant-damage-by-ukrainian-drone-strikes/ |title=Russian Buyan M Corvette sustained significant damage by Ukrainian drone strikes |date=26 June 2022 |website=Global Defense Corp |access-date=1 August 2023}}
On 8 April 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence released a video in which they claimed to have started a fire onboard Serpukhov. The fire reportedly occurred on 7 April. Serpukhov was in harbour at Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast. Ukrainian military intelligence claimed that the fire destroyed "its communication and automation systems."{{cite web |url= https://en.defence-ua.com/news/russian_serpukhov_missile_ship_caught_fire_in_the_baltic_sea_the_defense_intelligence_of_ukraine-10108.html |title= russian Serpukhov Missile Ship Was On Fire in the Baltic Sea - the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine |date=8 April 2024 |website=Defense Express|first= Svetlana |last=Shcherbak |access-date=9 April 2024}} On 3 July 2024, HUR revealed details of Operation "Rybalka" ("Fisherman"), which involved a former Russian sailor setting fire to the Buyan-class corvette Serpukhov on 8 April 2024. He also stole data "about the Baltic Fleet and the Russian military industry." The former sailor joined the Freedom of Russia Legion after defecting. HUR estimated Serpukhov will be out of action for six months. The ship was targeted for its ability to fire Kalibr and Onyx missiles.{{cite news |title= Operation Rybalka: HUR damaged Serpukhov ship and received secret data about Russia's Baltic Fleet} |url= https://www.ukrinform.net/amp/rubric-ato/3881500-operation-rybalka-hur-damaged-serpukhov-ship-and-received-secret-data-about-russias-baltic-fleet.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |publisher=Ukrinform |first= Maria |last=Tril |date=3 July 2024}}
On 6 November 2024, an A-22 drone from the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the Kaspiysk naval base reportedly damaging a Buyan-class corvette of the Caspian Flotilla along with two {{Sclass2|Gepard|frigate|1}}s.{{cite news|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/11/06/a-ukrainian-drone-motored-700-miles-and-blasted-three-russian-warships-in-one-blow/ |work= forbes.com |title= A Ukrainian Drone Motored 700 Miles And Blasted Three Russian Warships In One Blow |first= David |last= Axe |author-link= David Axe |date= 2024-11-13 |access-date= 2024-11-13}}{{cite tweet|user= Gerashchenko_en |author-link= Anton Gerashchenko |number= 1854162196814516295 |title= Reports appeard that two warships were hit in Russian Kaspiysk. The "Tatarstan" and "Dagestan" missile ships were reportedly damaged in a drone strike on the Caspian Fleet in Dagestan. Small missile ships of Project 21631 Buyan-M were also damaged}}
Variants
- Project 21630 Buyan
- Project 21631 Buyan-M – Upgraded design with modernised systems and new weapons
- Project 21632 Tornado – Export design
- Project 21635 Sarsar – Unveiled at Army-2022 expo, with an increased number of VLS cells, as well as a larger displacement overall
Ships
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://russianships.info/eng/warships/project_21630.htm Project 21630 - Complete Ship List]
- [http://russianships.info/eng/warships/project_21631.htm Project 21631 - Complete Ship List]
{{Buyan class corvette}}
{{Soviet and Russian ships after 1945}}