Smârdan-class river monitor
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=F-178 Smardan (1) in Izmail, 08.09.2020.jpg |Ship image size=300px |Ship caption=Smârdan (VBF 178) during the Riverine 2020 exercise }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name= |Builders= |Operators=* {{flagicon image|Flag of Romania.svg}} Romanian Naval Forces |Class before=Brutar I/Grivița - class river monitor |Class after=Mihail Kogălniceanu-class river monitor |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range= |In service range= |In commission range=1988-present |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=5 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active=5 |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship displacement= {{convert|322|t|LT|abbr=on}} |Ship length= {{convert|44.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam= {{convert|8.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draught= {{convert|1.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draft= |Ship power= 2 × Volvo Penta diesel generators |Ship propulsion= 3 shaft, 3 × Doosan 4V222TIL diesel engines, {{convert|3,600|hp|abbr=on}} |Ship speed= {{convert|41|km/h|kn|order=flip}} |Ship range= {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}} |Ship authonomy= 5 days |Ship complement= 44 |Ship sensors=*Koden navigation radar
|Ship EW= |Ship armament=*1 × A 430 {{convert|100|mm|in|abbr=on}} gun
}} |
The Smârdan-class river monitor (NATO codification: Brutar II-class) is a class of riverine armored patrol boats ({{lang|ro|Vedete Blindate Fluviale}}) in service with the Romanian Naval Forces. Five ships of this class are currently in service with the Romanian Navy.Saunders, p. 584 They are assigned to Section II, 67th Artillery Carrying Ships Division "Commander Virgil Alexandru Dragalina" of the Romanian Danube Flotilla based in Brăila.{{cite web|url=https://www.navy.ro/despre/organizare/sectia2_div67.php|title=Secția II a Divizionului 67 N.P.A. - Vedete blindate|language=ro|website=navy.ro|access-date=4 September 2024}}
Specifications
The ships were built at the Mangalia shipyard following testing done on the Grivița-class (Brutar-I).{{cite web|url=https://www.mangalianews.ro/2017/04/marin-tanase-santierul-naval-mangalia-in-anii-marilor-realizari-episodul-7-vedetele-fluviale/|title=Șantierul naval Mangalia în anii marilor realizări, episodul 7 – Vedetele fluviale|author=Marin Tănase|language=ro|website=mangalianews.ro|date=16 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115123258/https://www.mangalianews.ro/2017/04/marin-tanase-santierul-naval-mangalia-in-anii-marilor-realizari-episodul-7-vedetele-fluviale/|archive-date=15 November 2017}} The ships have a displacement of {{convert|322|t|LT|abbr=on}} with a hull length of {{convert|44.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, beam of {{convert|8.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and draught of {{convert|1.30|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The ships are crewed by 44 seamen and have a range of {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}} with a 5-day autonomy. Armament consists of one 100mm A430 gun (naval version of the 100 mm anti-tank gun M1977), two 122mm APRN multiple rocket launchers with 40 rockets each, one twin 30mm gun, two MR-4N 14.5mm machine guns and two TAB-77 turrets (14.5mm+7.62mm machine guns). For anti-aircraft defense, the ships carry locally produced Strela 2M MANPADS.{{cite web|url=https://rnhs.info/vedetele-blindate-fluviale-modernizate-in-sfarsit/|title=Vedetele blindate fluviale. Modernizate în sfârșit!|language=ro|website=rnhs.info|date=2019-08-12}}
After the modernization carried out at the Brăila shipyard between 2018 and 2019, the old engines were replaced with three {{convert|1,200|hp|abbr=on}} Doosan 4V222TIL diesel engines and two Volvo Penta diesel generators were also mounted, increasing the maximum speed of the Smârdan from {{convert|31|km/h|kn|order=flip}} to {{convert|41|km/h|kn|order=flip}}. Other upgrades included modern laser rangefinders, thermal imaging systems, sonars and Koden navigation radars.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGBqRZtfNIk|title=Remotorizarea vedetelor blindate|language=ro|publisher=Fortele Navale Române|format=video|via=YouTube|date=4 November 2019|time=3:57, 4:52}}
Ships
- Rahova (VBF 176). Commissioned 14 April 1988
- Opanez (VBF 177). Commissioned 24 July 1990
- Smârdan (VBF 178). Commissioned 24 July 1990
- Posada (VBF 179). Commissioned 14 May 1992
- Rovine (VBF 180). Commissioned 30 July 1993
Service
In 2018, Rovine (VBF 180) participated in the Riverine-2018 joint Ukrainian-Romanian exercises on the Danube.{{cite web|url=https://www.navy.ro/eveniment.php?id=318|title=Riverine 2018, exercițiu româno-ucrainean pe Dunăre|language=ro|website=navy.ro|date=6 September 2018}} While returning to base after exercise Danube Protector in 2019, Smârdan (VBF 178) aided the barge pusher SIDEX 2 in extinguishing an onboard fire which had broken out while towing six barges near Gropeni.{{cite web|url=https://marinarii.ro/vedeta-blindata-178-smardan/|title=178 – Smardan|language=ro|website=marinarii.ro|author=Cristian Gregoretti|date=2 April 2020}}
See also
Citations
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |editor1-last=Saunders |editor1-first=Stephen |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 |date=2004 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |location=Coulsdon, UK |isbn=0-7106-2623-1}}
External links
{{commons category|Smârdan-class river monitors}}
- [http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/europe/romania.htm World Navies Today]
{{Romanian Naval Forces}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smardan-class river monitor}}