Koni class

Project 1159

Frigate Rostock of the Koni-I type, 1982

Ship data Ship type frigate Shipyard Shipyard 340 Zelenodolsk Construction period 1973 to 1988 Units built 14th period of service Since 1973

Ship dimensions and crew length 96.51 m ( Lüa ) width 12.56 m Draft Max. 4.06 m displacement 1760  t   crew 96 to 130

Machine system machine CODAG 1 × М-8В gas turbine 2 × diesel engines Machine performance 36,000 PS (26,478 kW) Top speed 29.67 kn (55 km / h) propeller 3

Armament 2 × 2 76mm L / 59 AK-726 2 × 2 4K33-Osa-M -FlaRaK 2 × 1 RBU-6000 water bomb launchers 2 × 2 30 mm L / 63 AK-230 20 × sea ​​mines

Project 1159 , code name Delfin ( Russian "Дельфин" ), designated by NATO as the Koni class , was a class of frigates that was developed for export in the Soviet Union . Fourteen frigates of this type were built in Zelenodolsk from 1973 to 1988 .

development

The project in 1159 was developed in 1968 and was intended for export to friendly countries. Development began five years after the start of planning for Project 1124 and benefited from the knowledge gained during its construction and the use of the units from Project 159 .

Project 1159 was significantly more seaworthy than its predecessor with a 4 knots lower top speed. The first ship of the class was put into service in 1975, after a total of 14 ships, production ended in 1987. Of these 14, 6 belonged to the 1159 project, 6 more to the modified 1159-T (Koni-II class) and 2 to the project 1159-TR (Koni III class), which were built for Libya.

technology

The Al Ghardabia arrives in Valletta in 2005 . In May 2011, she was the target of NATO air strikes in a Libyan port.

drive

The drive concept of project 1159 largely corresponds to that already used in project 1124 . It is a CODAG drive with two Type 68B diesel engines with 8,000 PS (5,884 kW) each, coupled with an M-813 gas turbine with 18,000 SHP (14,710 kW). With three propellers, 22 knots can be reached with the diesel engines alone, the maximum possible speed with the addition of a gas turbine is almost 30 knots. The most economically sensible speed for the mission was stated to be significantly lower, at 14–15 knots.

Armament

The gun armament consists of two AK-726 turrets, each with two coaxially mounted 76 mm guns. One tower each on the forecastle and one on the stern. In addition, two RBU-6000 water bomb launchers are set up on the superstructure between the front turret and the bridge.

To combat air targets, the ships are equipped with a launcher for 4K33 Osa-M anti-aircraft missiles . Two AK-230 towers, each with two 30 mm machine guns, can be used at close range .

The ships Split (later renamed Beograd ) and Kopar (later renamed Podgorica ), built for Yugoslavia , received four launchers for one P-20 cruise missile each. The starters were set up so that the rockets had to be fired towards the stern.

The two ships for Libya received two launch containers, each with two P-20M, which are fired in the direction of the bow.

Rais Corfu 1994, before the upgrade

The Algerian units were modernized in Russia from 1999 (Project 1159TM). The short-range air defense was switched to two AK-630M with the MR-123 fire control system and two 533 mm twin torpedo tubes, the sea / air surveillance radar Positiv-ME1 and two KL-101 decoys were installed.

Sensors

The ships had a radar system for navigation, air and surface search and fire control. To search for submarines , a sonar was mounted below the hull and a device for using a tow sonar was located at the stern.

units

Frigate Rostock and on the right KSS Wismar 1989. The AK-726 tower of the Rostock can be seen in the foreground, on the roof of the bridge you can see the dish of the associated fire control radar "Jakor" (NATO: "Hawk Screech").

Rear view of the Rostock frigate and KSS Wismar 1989 on the left . Behind the aft AK-726 tower of the Rostock is the fire control radar for the OSA anti-aircraft missiles of the type MPZ-301 (NATO: "Pop Group") with its two differently sized circular antennas for the Tracking target and missile can be seen on the superstructures.

Only one ship of the class, called the Delfin , remained in the Soviet Union for training and demonstration purposes; it was sold to Bulgaria in 1990 , where it is still in service today.

Type	Surname	Ship identification	Launch	Decommissioning	marine	Whereabouts / status
I.	Dolphin Смели ( Bulgarian for brave )	11	1975		Soviet Union Bulgaria	sold to Bulgaria , in service
I.	Nerpa Rostock	KSS 141 F 224	1978 (GDR)	1990	Soviet Union GDR Germany	German Navy, then scrapped
I.	Kreschet Berlin - capital of the GDR	KSS 142	May 10, 1979 (GDR)	1990	Soviet Union GDR	scrapped
I.	Split since 1993, Beograd	VPB 31	1980	2002	Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro	painted
II	Mourad Rais	901	1980		Algeria	in service
II	Mariel	350	1980		Cuba	Reserve or scrapped
II	Rais Kellik	902	1982		Algeria	in service
I.	Koper since 1993 Podgorica	VPB 32	1982	1997	Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro	painted
II		356	1983		Cuba	scrapped or sunk for diving
II	Rais Corfu	903	1985		Algeria	in service
I.	Hall	KSS 143 F 225	January 28, 1986	1995	DDR Germany	German Navy, then scrapped
III	Al Ghardabia	213	1987		Libya	Damaged by NATO air strikes on May 20, 2011 . On 8./9. August 2011 the ship was attacked again by British aircraft and badly damaged.
III	Al Hani	212	1986		Libya Libyan National Liberation Army	Passed to insurgents around February 20, 2011
II	Mokada	383 353	1987		Cuba	sunk on July 16, 1998 as an attraction for diving

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} atrinaflot, viewed on May 22, 2011 ( Memento from July 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
2. ^ Eric Wertheim: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2005-2006 . Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2005, ISBN 1-59114-934-7 (American English, the information on the performance of the machinery is based on the literature source, as the two Internet sources (atrinaflot.narod.ru and mks-kss.de) contradict each other with this data.).
3. ^ Eric Wertheim: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2005-2006 . Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2005, ISBN 1-59114-934-7 , pp. 69 (American English, information on top speed contradicts each other in the sources consulted. 29.67 knots according to SS Bereschnoi ( Soviet Navy 1945–1995 cruisers, large submarines, destroyers ), 31.5 according to mks-ks.de ).
4. ↑ Guard Ships - Project 1159. russianships.info, accessed on May 23, 2020 (English). 
5. ^ ^{A b} Eric Wertheim: Combat Fleets of the World. P. 707.
6. ^ Eric Wertheim: Combat Fleets of the World. P. 142.
7. ↑ CBSNEWS.com NATO jets bombard 3 Libyan ports.
8. ↑ http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065930214
9. ↑ Video on nytimes.com, viewed May 20, 2011

literature

• С. С. Бережной: Советский ВМФ 1945–1995 Крейсера - большие противолодочные корабли, эсминцы. (For example: SS Bereschnoi: Soviet Navy 1945–1995. Cruisers, large submarine fighters, destroyers. ) Moscow 1995.
• Eric Wertheim: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2005-2006 . Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2005, ISBN 1-59114-934-7 (American English).
• Norman Friedman: The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapon systems. US Naval Institute Press, 2006, ISBN 1-55750-262-5 (English).

Web links

Commons : Koni class  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Koni class at atrinaflot, Russian ( Memento from July 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
• Koni class on fas.org (English)
• Koni class on globalsecurity.org (English)
• Koni class on mks-kss.de