Soviet frigate Svirepyy

Svirepyy was one of twenty-one Project 1135 ships launched between 1970 and 1981.{{sfn|Pavlov|1997|page=132}} Project 1135, the Burevestnik ({{langx|ru|link=no|Буревестник}}, "Petrel") class, was envisaged by the Soviet Navy as a less expensive complement to the Project 1134A Berkut A (NATO reporting name 'Kresta II') and Project 1134B Berkut B (NATO reporting name 'Kara') classes of ships. The design was originally given to TsKB-340, which had designed the earlier Project 159 (NATO reporting name 'Petya') and Project 35 (NATO reporting name 'Mirka') classes. However, the expansion in the United States Navy ballistic missile submarine fleet, and the introduction of longer-ranged and more accurate submarine-launched ballistic missiles led to a revisit of the project, which was transferred to TsKB-53 in Leningrad.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=5}} The design, by N. P. Sobolov, combined a powerful missile armament with good seakeeping for a blue water role and shared the same BPK designation as the larger ships.{{sfn|Pavlov|1997|page=132}} This was amended to Guard Ship ({{lang|ru|Сторожевой Корабль}}, SKR) from 28 July 1977 to reflect the change in Soviet strategy of creating protected areas for friendly submarines close to the coast.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=23}}{{sfn|Gardiner|Friedman|1983|page=491}} NATO forces called the new class 'Krivak' class frigates.{{sfn|Baker|2002|page=637}}

Displacing {{convert|2810|t|lk=on}} standard and {{convert|3200|t|abbr=on}} full load, Svirepyy was {{convert|123|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long overall, with a beam of {{convert|14.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and a draught of {{convert|4.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. Power was provided by two M7 sets, each consisting of a combination of a {{convert|18000|shp|lk=on|adj=on}} DK59 and a {{convert|6000|shp|abbr=on|adj=on}} M62 gas turbine combined in a COGAG installation and driving one fixed-pitch propeller. Design speed was {{convert|32|kn|0|lk=in}} and range {{convert|3950|nmi|0|lk=in}} at {{convert|14|kn|0|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Apalkov|2005|page=70}} The ship's complement was 197, including 23 officers.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=12}}

Svirepyy had a primary mission of anti-submarine warfare and for this end was equipped with four URPK-3 Metel missiles (NATO reporting name SS-N-14 Silex), backed up by two quadruple torpedo tube mounts for {{convert|533|mm|in|0|adj=on|abbr=on}} torpedoes and a pair of {{convert|213|mm|in|1|abbr=on|adj=on}} RBU-6000 Smerch-2 anti-submarine rocket launchers. Defence against aircraft was provided by forty 4K33 OSA-M (SA-N-4 'Gecko') surface-to-air missiles which were launched from two sets of ZIF-122 launchers, each capable of launching two missiles. Two twin {{convert|76|mm|in|0|abbr=on|adj=on}} AK-726 guns were mounted aft.{{sfn|Prezelin|1993|pages=545–546}} Provision was made for carrying 18 mines.{{sfn|Gardiner|Friedman|1983|page=491}}

Svirepyy had a well-equipped sensor suite, including a single MR-310A Angara-A air/surface search radar, Volga and Don-2 navigation radars, the MP-401S Start-S ESM radar system and the Spectrum-F laser warning system. An extensive sonar complex was fitted, including MG-332 Titan-2, which was mounted in a bow radome, and MG-325 Vega.{{sfn|Apalkov|2005|page=71}} The latter was a towed-array sonar specifically developed for the class and had a range of up to {{convert|15|km}}.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=16}} The ship was also equipped with the PK-16 decoy-dispenser system.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=17}}

Svirepyy was laid down by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad on 15 June 1970, the third of the class to be constructed by the shipbuilder, and was allocated the yard number 151.{{sfn|Balakin|2001|page=9}} The vessel was named for the Russian word for Ferocious or Fierce.{{sfn|War Department|1945|page=493}} Launched on 27 January 1971 and commissioned on 29 December 1972, the vessel was accepted into the Baltic Fleet.{{sfn|Apalkov|2005|page=75}}

Although the vessel saw no combat, Svirepyy was used extensively to fly the flag during the Cold War by visiting countries within the Soviet sphere of influence, including travelling beyond the Baltic Sea. Between 20 and 24 July 1974, the ship docked at Gdynia, Poland, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to visit Havana, Cuba, between 22 and 27 August 1976. The vessel returned during the following decade to spend four days each in Havana from 15 April 1981 and in Gdynia from 19 July 1984. The ship also travelled to the Mediterranean Sea and visited Tunis, Tunisia, from 26 May 1983, returning to the Baltic to call at Helsinki, Finland, for four days starting on 11 June 1984, as well as spending time in Rostock, East Germany, between 5 and 9 October 1989.{{sfn|Apalkov|2005|page=75}}

A typical visit was the one to Gdynia from 24 April 1987. The vessel arrived along with the Project 58 Large Missile Ship (Kynda-class cruiser) {{ship|Soviet cruiser|Groznyy||2}} and was greeted by senior representatives of the East German Volksmarine and troops of the National People's Army. The trip included a tour of the city and festivities designed to fortify the relationship between the Soviet Union and its ally.{{cite news|title=Визит Иванова в порт в ГДР|trans-title=Ivanov's Port Call in the German Democratic Republic|newspaper=Krasnava Zvezda|language=RU|date=24 April 1987|page=3}} The visits were termed "friendly" and were frequently part of a wider programme of activity.{{cite news|title=Soviet warships to visit Cuba|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13 April 1981|page=8}} For example, the 1984 Finnish visit preceded an arts festival in the city focused on Russian music.{{cite report|title=Commentary List: Moscow Consolidated|date=18 July 1984|id=CIA-RDP94-01353R002401780003-4|url=https://archive.org/details/CIA-RDP94-01353R002401780003-4/mode/2up|access-date=4 May 2021|page=12}}

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991, the ship was transferred to the Russian Navy, but operation in that service did not last long.{{sfn|Prezelin|1993|page=546}} Suffering from high levels of wear, on 30 June 1993, Svirepyy was decommissioned and sold to a firm in the United Kingdom to be broken up the following year.{{sfn|Apalkov|2005|page=75}} The ship was towed to India for disposal in November 1994.{{sfn|de Kruyf|1995|page=79}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book | last=Apalkov | first=Yuri Valentinovich | title=Противолодочные корабли Часть 1. Противолодочные крейсера, большие противолодочные и сторожевые корабли |trans-title=Anti-submarine ships Part 1. Anti-submarine cruisers, large anti-submarine ships and patrol ships | location=St Petersburg | publisher=Galeya | year=2005 | language=RU | isbn=978-5-81720-094-2}}
• {{cite book |last=Baker |first=A. D. |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2002–2003 |location=Annapolis |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-55750-242-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ow-AQAAIAAJ}}
• {{cite book | last=Balakin | first=S. | title=Бдительный: Сторожевой корабль проект 1135 | trans-title=Bditelnyy: Patrol Ship Project 1135 | series=Marine Collection | volume=6 | year=2001 | language=RU}}
• {{cite book | last1=Gardiner | first1=Robert| last2=Friedman | first2=Norman | title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1982 Part. 2, The Warsaw Pact and Non-Aligned Nations | location=Annapolis | publisher=Naval Institute Press | year=1983 | isbn= 978-0-87021-923-8}}
• {{cite journal | last= de Kruyf | first=A. |title=Svirepyy in Den Helder | journal=Marine News | volume=49 | year=1995 | page=79}}
• {{cite book | last=Pavlov |first=Aleksandr Sergeevich | title=Warships of the USSR and Russia, 1945-1995 | location=Annapolis |publisher=Naval Institute Press | year=1997 | isbn=978-1-55750-671-9}}
• {{cite book | last=Polmar | first=Norman | title=Guide to the Soviet Navy | location=Annapolis |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-87021-240-6}}
• {{cite book | last=Prezelin | first=Bernard | translator-last=Baker | translator-first=A. D. | title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1993 | location=Annapolis | publisher=Naval Institute Press | year=1993 | isbn=978-1-55750-104-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R6wK3HRVpz0C}}
• {{cite book | author=War Department | title=Russian Military Dictionary | location=Washington, D.C. | publisher=War Department | year=1945 | oclc=616417}}

{{refend}}

{{Burevestnik-class frigate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Svirepyy}}

Category:1971 ships

Category:Cold War frigates of the Soviet Union

Category:Krivak-class frigates

Category:Ships built in the Soviet Union

Category:Ships built at Yantar Shipyard