Kanin-class

Summary

Description

The Kanin class destroyers served as the Soviet Navy's first guided missile destroyers during the Cold War era, built between 1957 and 1960. Known under the Soviet designation Project 57A Gnevny, they were distinct from the WWII era Project 7. NATO referred to these ships as the Krupny class before they were reclassified. Initially designed for anti-surface warfare, their primary mission was to engage opposing naval ships and shore targets using the SS-N-1 anti-ship missile.

These vessels were conceptualized as gun-armed destroyers equipped with six 130mm guns, but following orders from Admiral Sergey Gorshkov in 1957, the design was altered to incorporate missile capabilities due to the unsatisfactory performance of missile-armed Kotlin class destroyers. Despite the upscaling from the Kotlin class hull and similar machinery, the Kanin class featured increased electrical generating capacity and improved crew accommodations. The ships had two missile launchers for the SS-N-1, with additional missiles stored in magazines. However, criticisms emerged due to limited self-defense armament and the rapid obsolescence of their primary weapon, the SS-N-1 missile.

In response to these limitations, by 1965, the Soviet Navy initiated a conversion program to redesign the ships for a general purpose and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role. This involved the installation of new equipment such as the MG-332 Titan-2 bow sonar, quintuple torpedo tubes, and RBU-6000s. Alterations also included a bow extension and the addition of a helicopter pad to operate a Kamov Ka-25 helicopter. Upgrades for self-defense included SA-N-1 anti-air missiles and two quadruple 57mm guns, necessitating an increased power supply, thus a bolstered diesel generator capacity. Consequently, these changes resulted in heavier displacement and slightly reduced speed. According to Conway's, the expensive modernization efforts may have dissuaded further substantial refurbishments of older vessels.

During their operational history, in an event that marked the Cold War era, two ships from this class visited Boston, Massachusetts, in May 1975 for the 30th anniversary of Victory in Europe, signalling a rare diplomatic engagement. This was the first visit of Soviet naval ships to the United States post WWII.

Technical specifications