Project 1204

Project 1204

Project 1204 Ak-248 , 2015

Ship data country  Soviet Union Russia   Ship type Patrol boat Shipyard Salif Kerch Mykolaiv Leningrad Construction period 1967 to 1972 Units built 118 period of service Since 1967

Ship dimensions and crew length 27.4 m ( Lüa ) width 4.32 m Draft Max. 2 m displacement maximum: 71 t   crew 7th

Machine system machine 2 × M50F diesel engines Machine performance 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW) Top speed 24 kn (44 km / h) propeller 2

Armament 1 × 76.2 mm L / 42 D-56TS 1 × 7.62mm SG-43 1 × 2 25mm L / 70 2M-3 1 × 17 140 mm BM-14 Sea mines Sensors Navigation radar Donets 2

Project 1204 with the code name "Schmel" (Russian "Шмель" for " Bumblebee ") is a class of small gunboats that was developed during the Cold War for the Soviet Navy to patrol rivers and coastal waters . 118 boats of the class were built and many are still operated by the Russian Federation today .

technology

Hull and armament

76.2 mm D-56TS tank gun on the forecastle of Project 1204

Since the boats were designed for direct fire support, the 27 meter long hull is lightly armored and divided into twelve watertight compartments. The bridge is armored with 10 mm steel on the sides and 15 mm on the front and the windows of the steering position can be closed with armored panels. The hull was reinforced along the sides from frame 26 to frame 46 with an 8 mm thick steel belt. The steel deck is 4mm thick. The turret on the forecastle is armored with 15 mm all around. The boats are only protected against 7.62 mm infantry gun fire from a distance of 100 meters or more.

The boats should also be able to be used in remote regions for a longer period of time and had to offer the crew more comfort than the gunboats from the war. The bedrooms were decoupled from the engine room by placing a section with control devices between them.

On the forecastle of the tower was a slight PT-76 B-tank having a stabilized 76.2 mm L / D-56TS 42Kanone and an axially parallel 7.62 mm SG-43 -Maschinengewehr set. Behind the tower is the armored bridge structure with control stand and searchlights . In the middle of the boat there is a rotating 140 mm BM-14 multiple rocket launcher with 17 tubes, for which 34 unguided rockets are on board as ammunition reserves. The launcher has to be reloaded by hand, is not stabilized and can only fire selectively when the boat is stopped. At the stern there is a 2M-3 turret with two 25 mm L / 70 automatic cannons.

The boats were designed with drainage rails, over which up to ten sea ​​mines can be deposited.

Propulsion and range

The propulsion system consists of two M50F diesel engines that drive two propellers. That is enough for speeds of up to 24 knots. At 10 knots the range with the fuel reserve of 4.8 tons is 320 nautical miles . Fresh water and food supplies are provided for use of up to seven days.

Sensors

The boats are equipped with a Donets-2 radar for navigation on the mast.

Modernizations

There were original plans to further strengthen the armament, such as equipping it with a mortar , but these failed because the weapons could not aim precisely enough from the swaying boats. However, some boats were converted in the course of their service time to carry up to four 30 mm BP30 grenade launchers for infantry support.

Stakes and whereabouts

118 boats were built by three shipyards between 1967 and 1972. They were used by the Soviet Union and its successor states. Around 50 had been retired by 2008.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Часть 3. Речной артиллерийский катер пр.1204 ( Memento of 14 November 2009 at the Internet Archive ) atrinaflot.narod.ru
2. ↑ AK-223 on rusnavy.com (English)

Web links

Commons : AK-354 class patrol boat  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Project 1204 at russianships.info (English)
• "Часть 3. Речной артиллерийский катер пр.1204" ( Memento from November 14, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) atrinaflot.narod.ru on web.archive.org (Russian)