Project 133-class (Parchim)

Summary

Description

The Parchim-class corvette, also known as the Project 1331M, was designed and built for the East German Navy by the Wolgast Peene-Werft in the late 1970s, with the primary mission of coastal anti-submarine warfare (ASW). With the anticipation of a NATO-Warsaw Pact conflict, these vessels were intended to target West German U-206 coastal submarines. The first ship, named Wismar (now KRI Sutanto of the Indonesian Navy), was launched on April 9, 1981. A total of 16 ships were constructed for East Germany, while the Soviet Union, aiming to support the East German shipbuilding industry, purchased an additional 12 vessels that were built between 1986 and 1990. After German reunification, some ships briefly served in the unified German Navy before being sold to the Indonesian Navy in 1993.

The design of the Parchim-class corvettes considered the replacement of the HAI III-class subhunters, with a displacement over 800 tons. They were made of regular steel and contained ten waterproof compartments, allowing operation in rough coastal waters. The propulsion system comprised three Soviet-designed M 504 56-cylinder diesel engines, producing a combined output of 14,250 hp.

In terms of armament, Parchim-class corvettes were equipped with various weapons for different defense scenarios. The air defense system had its limitations as it featured one double-barrel AK-230 30 mm gun and one double-barrel AK-725 57 mm gun, which were outdated and not considered effective against modern anti-ship missiles. Additionally, there were two SA-N-5 MANPAD positions that lacked modern radar-guided SAM missile systems, leading to a vulnerability against precision-guided anti-shipping weapons. The air search radar used was the STRUT CURVE radar, which had a maximum range of 60 nautical miles against high-altitude aircraft.

For ASW, the corvettes showcased significant advancements from their predecessors, such as the introduction of a new sonar suite with bow sonar and variable depth dipping sonar, allowing detection of submarines in varying water temperatures. The onboard armament for ASW included 400 mm torpedo tubes for acoustical and/or wire-guided torpedoes, two RBU-6000 depth charge rocket launchers, and the ships had the capability to lay mines.

Operational history indicates that the Parchim-class vessels fulfilled their roles in coastal ASW. However, the absence of a modern air defense capability limited their effectiveness in open waters. This weakness was offset in the East German naval strategy with other vessels equipped with more robust SAM systems.

The Indonesian Navy extensively refurbished the vessels, with improvements including air-conditioning, modernized electronics, and engine replacements. The gun systems were largely retained, except for a few that were replaced by newer CIWS on two ships, as well as the swapping of some Russian torpedo launchers with American ones. Presently, 14 of the original 16 ships remain in service with the Indonesian Navy, while the Russian Navy maintains six ships in their Baltic Fleet.

Technical specifications