Aist-class

Summary

Description

The Aist class, locally known as Project 12321 Dzheyran, was a pioneering large assault hovercraft operated by the Soviet Navy. Driven by the need to develop naval vessels capable of delivering troops and equipment to the shore efficiently, the Aist hovercraft was conceptualized by the distinguished Almaz design bureau and crafted by the Almaz Shipbuilding Company between 1964 and 1965. Its production spanned fifteen years, commencing in 1970 and concluding in 1985 at the company's facilities in Leningrad.

With a design mirroring the approximate size of the British SR.N4 commercial channel ferry, the Aist class embodied the notion of a compact yet formidable landing craft. In Russian, the class is referred to as "maly desantny korabl na vozdushnoy podushke," which translates to "small landing craft on air cushion." The initial prototype of the Aist class took to construction in 1970, followed by the beginning of full-scale production in 1975. Over the years, roughly six units were assembled every four years, totaling an estimated 20 to 24 hovercrafts manufactured by the early 1990s.

The Aists were distinctive for their high cushion pressure and consequential heavy cushion spray, particularly at low speeds. This aspect was somewhat mitigated in the service Aist hovercrafts of the Russian Navy's Baltic Sea Fleet by equipping them with modified main engine intakes. These additions were believed to incorporate filters to decrease the entrance of saltwater, sand, and dust, thereby limiting corrosion damage to the engine and machinery.

The operational history of these vessels was marked by service in two primary bodies of water: the Baltic Sea and the Caspian Sea. Three modified 700 series Aists were stationed in the Baltic while another three were posted in the Caspian. A noteworthy operational event was the participation of craft #609 in a Caspian Sea exercise in 2002. The craft underwent engine enhancements that increased their displacement capacity to 298 tons, up from an initial 260 tons but at the cost of a significant decrease in range. Certain units were armed with two SA-N-5 quadruple Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems and chaff launcher countermeasures.

Technical specifications