Project 956 Sarych
Sovremenny class
Guided Missile Destroyer

The Sovremenny Class is a Russian class of destroyers designed to engage hostile ships by means of missile attack, and to provide warships and transport ships with protection against ship and air attack. Intended primarily for anti-ship operations, it was designed to compliment anti-submarine warfare (ASW) Udaloy destroyers. The ships have anti-ship, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and coastal bombardment capability. The ships, with a maximum displacement of 8,480 tons are similar in size to the US Navy's Aegis-equipped missile cruisers, and are armed with an anti-submarine helicopter, 48 air defence missiles, 8 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, mines, long range guns and a comprehensive electronic warfare system. The first Sovremenny Class destroyer was commissioned in 1985.

The hull design is derived from the predecessor Kresta II cruisers. The ship's propulsion system is based on two steam turbine engines, unlike the gas-turbines used on the Udaloy, each producing 50,000 horsepower together with four high pressure boilers. There are two fixed pitch propellers. The ship's maximum speed is just under 33 knots. At a fuel-economic speed of 18 knots the range is 3,920 miles. The endurance is 30 days.

The ship is equipped with the Moskit anti-ship missile system with two quadruple launchers installed port and starboard of the forward island and set at an angle about 15 degrees to the horizontal. The ship carries a total of eight Moskit 3M80E missiles. The air defence system is the Shtil surface to air missile. Two Shtil missile systems are installed, each on the raised deck behind the two-barrelled 130 mm guns fore and aft of the two islands. The ships are further equipped with AK-130-MR-184 130 mm guns and four six-barrel AK-630 artillery systems for defence. Anti-submarine defence is provided by two double 533 mm torpedo tubes installed port and starboard, and two six-barrel anti-submarine rocket launchers, RBU-1000, with 48 rockets, and a Ka-27 helicopter.

The late units of the class, designated Project 956A, are modified with the improved SA-N-17 (Grizzly) surface-to-air missile and the 3M-82 Moskit anti-ship missile.

At the end of 1997 the only large surface combatants active in significant numbers were the newer units of the dozen remaining Sovremennyy-class guided-missile destroyers and a few of the half-dozen remaining operational Udaloy-class destroyers. At that time the two remaining unfinished Sovremennyys, Vazhniy and Aleksandr Nevskiy (ex-Vdumchivyy), were lying 65% and 35% complete, respectively, at St. Petersburg, with only the first in the water. The first was delivered to China in early 2000, with the second to follow soon thereafter.

Two additional units were cancelled before being laid down. One additional unit remains incomplete -- intended for the Russian Navy, the construction status and projected commissioning date are highly uncertain. There is some disagreement among sources as to the identity and chronology of the pair of ships acquired by China and the remaining incomplete unit reportedly slated for the Russian Navy.

An improved Sovremenny II design, fitted with the CADS-N-1 point defense system, was projected but delayed indefinitely due to a lack of funding. During the 1980s as many as 28 Sovremenny-class ships may have been planned.

Specifications
Designer:
Builder:	Severnaya Verf 190, St. Petersburg
Designation	Project 956 Sarych Sovremennyy	Project 956A Sarych Sovremennyy
Displacement (tons):	6,300-6,500 tons standard 7,900-7,940 tons full load
Dimensions (m):	156.0-156.5 meters long overall 17.0-17.2 meters beam 5.99-7.85 meters draft
Speed (kts):	32.5-34 knots
Propulsion:	2 steam Turbine x 100,000-102,000 shp 4 hi-pres. boilers 2 4-blade fixed pitch props
Crew:	296-344 (368 maximum)
Armament:
Missiles:	4 x 2 3M-80/Moscit (SS-N-22) 2 9K-90/Uragan SAM system (48 9M-38/38MI/SA-N-7 Smerch/Gadfly)	4 x 2 3M-82/ (SS-N-22) 24 9M-38E-1/SA-N-12 Yozh/Grizzly
Guns:	2 x 2 AK-130 DP (130 mm, 2000 rounds) 4 AK-630 gattl. AA (6x30 mm; 6'000 rds/m/mount, 20000 cartiges)
Torpedoes:	2x2/533 mm
Other:	2 x 6 RBU-1000 ASW RL (48 rockets) 40 mines
Aircraft:	Helicopter KA-27
Electronics:	Tactical situation plotting board Anti-ship missile fire control system Air defence missile fire control system Torpedo fire control system Air target acquisition radar Three navigation radars 130 mm gun fire control radars 30 mm air-defence gun fire control radar Active and passive underkeel sonar 2 x PKK-2 decoy dispenser system with 200 rockets

Class Listing

Unit Shipyard Chronology Notes

# number Name Laid Down Launched Comm. Stricken

Project 956 Sarych - Sovremennyy class

1 Sovremenny SY 190 1977 11/**/1978 12/25/1980 In overhaul since 1988
probably beyond repair

2 Otchayanny SY 190 1978 04/**/1981 09/30/1982 non-operational
possibly discarded

3 Otlichnny SY 190 n/a **/**/1981 09/**/1983 1994 hulked
stripped and leaking

4 672 Osmotritel'nyy SY 190 PAC 1979 04/**/1982 06/**/1984 active

5 430 Bezuprechnyy SY 190 NOR 1980 08/**/1983 06/**/1985 active

6 Boyevoy SY 190 PAC 1981 08/**/1984 06/**/1986 active

7 Stoyky SY 190 1982 08/**/1985 09/**/1987 laid up for possible refit
unlikely to return to service

8 Okrylenny SY 190 1983 06/**/1986 09/**/1987 laid up for possible refit
unlikely to return to service

9 Burny SY 190 PAC 1984 02/**/1987 08/**/1988 active

10 Gremyashchy SY 190 NOR 1984 06/**/1987 11/**/1988 ex Vieduzczy
active

11 Bystry SY 190 PAC 1984 12/**/1987 02/**/1989 active

12 Rastoropny SY 190 NOR 1985 06/**/1988 12/**/1989 active

13 Bezboyaznenny SY 190 PAC 1986 03/**/1989 09/**/1990 active

14 Bezuderzhny SY 190 NOR 1987 06/**/1990 03/**/1991 active

Project 956A Sarych - Sovremennyy class

15 Bespokoiny SY 190 BALTIC 1987 02/**/1992 09/**/1992 active

16 610 Nastoychivy SY 190 BALTIC 1987 06/**/1991 03/30/1993 ex Moskowski Komsomolets
2000 active

17 454 Besstrashny SY 190 NOR 1987 12/**/1991 04/17/1994 active

18 Sobrazitelny SY 190 1988 1997 n/a ex Vnushitelniy
construction suspended
completed as storage barge

19 698 Yekateringburg SY 190 1989 **/**/1994 2000+ ex 300 Let Rossiyykomy
ex Vazhny
redesignated Project 956E
sold to China
renamed 136 Hangzhou
delivered early 2000

20 Alexander Nevsky SY 190 1990 **/**/1999 2000+ ex Udumchivy
redesignated Project 956E
sold to China
to be delivered late 2000

21 Buliny [Buynyy?] SY 190 ? 1991 Project 956U improved Sovremenny
may be completed in 956A configuration

22 Vechniy SY 190 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- cancelled before being laid down

23 ---------- SY 190 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- cancelled before being laid down

Class Listing
Unit	Shipyard		Chronology	Notes
#	number	Name	Laid Down	Launched	Comm.	Stricken
	Project 956 Sarych - Sovremennyy class
1		Sovremenny	SY 190		1977	11/**/1978	12/25/1980	In overhaul since 1988 probably beyond repair
2		Otchayanny	SY 190		1978	04/**/1981	09/30/1982	non-operational possibly discarded
3		Otlichnny	SY 190		n/a	//1981	09/**/1983	1994 hulked stripped and leaking
4	672	Osmotritel'nyy	SY 190	PAC	1979	04/**/1982	06/**/1984	active
5	430	Bezuprechnyy	SY 190	NOR	1980	08/**/1983	06/**/1985	active
6		Boyevoy	SY 190	PAC	1981	08/**/1984	06/**/1986	active
7		Stoyky	SY 190		1982	08/**/1985	09/**/1987	laid up for possible refit unlikely to return to service
8		Okrylenny	SY 190		1983	06/**/1986	09/**/1987	laid up for possible refit unlikely to return to service
9		Burny	SY 190	PAC	1984	02/**/1987	08/**/1988	active
10		Gremyashchy	SY 190	NOR	1984	06/**/1987	11/**/1988	ex Vieduzczy active
11		Bystry	SY 190	PAC	1984	12/**/1987	02/**/1989	active
12		Rastoropny	SY 190	NOR	1985	06/**/1988	12/**/1989	active
13		Bezboyaznenny	SY 190	PAC	1986	03/**/1989	09/**/1990	active
14		Bezuderzhny	SY 190	NOR	1987	06/**/1990	03/**/1991	active
	Project 956A Sarych - Sovremennyy class
15		Bespokoiny	SY 190	BALTIC	1987	02/**/1992	09/**/1992	active
16	610	Nastoychivy	SY 190	BALTIC	1987	06/**/1991	03/30/1993	ex Moskowski Komsomolets 2000 active
17	454	Besstrashny	SY 190	NOR	1987	12/**/1991	04/17/1994	active
18		Sobrazitelny	SY 190		1988	1997	n/a	ex Vnushitelniy construction suspended completed as storage barge
19	698	Yekateringburg	SY 190		1989	//1994	2000+	ex 300 Let Rossiyykomy ex Vazhny redesignated Project 956E sold to China renamed 136 Hangzhou delivered early 2000
20		Alexander Nevsky	SY 190		1990	//1999	2000+	ex Udumchivy redesignated Project 956E sold to China to be delivered late 2000
21		Buliny [Buynyy?]	SY 190		? 1991			Project 956U improved Sovremenny may be completed in 956A configuration
22		Vechniy	SY 190	----------	----------	----------	----------	cancelled before being laid down
23		----------	SY 190	----------	----------	----------	----------	cancelled before being laid down