Shmel (class) / Project 1204

History

As early as the military build-up of the 1930s, the Soviet navy began working on building heavily armed and armored riverboats. These ships then completed their missions during World War II (1939-1945) and were responsible for operations centered on lakes and rivers, where their modest short- and medium-range weapons could be best used.

There appears to be little interest in advancing this line of defense in the midst of the massive postwar military decline, amid the rise of more advanced and capable technologies centered on jets and missiles. It wasn't until the mid-1960s that a whole new class of river gunboats was considered for the Soviet Navy, the Shmel class (Project 1204).

These boats have a stylish basic design, although they are specially given a shallow draft to allow operation in shallow waters, as well as operations near the coast (marina). Each carrying a crew of approximately 14, the bow to stern length is 90 feet, the beam is 14 feet, and the draft is only 2.7 feet.

The installed power allows a maximum speed of 24 knots and a range of 322 nautical miles.

In addition to armor protection, these ships are also highly regarded for their mixed weapons. This is spearheaded by a PT76B turret armed with a lethal 76mm main gun. The turret is mounted in an important "leading" position above the forecastle in front of the cab (bridge).

Above the stern is a twin-gun 25mm turret capable of repelling low-flying enemy aircraft and assisting in coastal operations. The 17-round 140mm rocket launcher BM-14-17 is mounted on a trainable mount near the midship for long-range target area suppression. Carry up to 4 x 30mm BP-30 Plamya automatic grenade launchers, and 1 x 7.62mm SGMT machine gun.

The ship can also lay mines to deny access to strategic waterways in the event of war.

All of this makes the 78-ton Schmel-class formidable surface ships possible. While they can be taken to open water, they are not necessarily designed for rough seas and perform better in tactical roles, denying passage, protecting key port points, and moving cargo or troops back and forth. In addition, their powerful armament enables these ships to attack coastal targets to support the movement of ground forces. While the 76mm gun was known as a tank killer at the time, it was also used as a powerful HE (High Explosive) shell.

The dual-gun 25mm fit can also have devastating consequences for coastal force positions and soft-skinned vehicles that unfortunately pass through their crosshairs.

About 118 cars of this type were built from 1967 to 1974. Although they are Cold War relics, some of these ships are still in service with the modern Russian Navy today (2017).

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing