The Project 1234 Ovod-class corvette, aka Nanuchka-class, is one of the few Soviet/Russian
surface combatants, which gained real combat experience since the Second World War. Ovod
means horsefly. Yes, its combat performance is not brilliant. But, this small, noisy,
and annoying vessel deserves its name. Now, we are investigating the Project 1234 Ovod-class,
the pain in the neck for the NATO surface fleets.
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Designated by the Russian as a "small missile ship", the Project 1234-class disturbed the
free world's sealine and surface fleet for the last 20 years of the First Cold War. It
took part in the first naval battle of Russia after the Second World War. These ships were
always among the primary targets for the Western navies.
The Nanuchka-class is the offspring of the Soviet naval doctrine in the 1950s.
Against NATO's overwhelming surface fleet, the only chance for the USSR was to embrace
good old Jeune École. In a possible Third World War, the cruisers
and submarines would act as commerce raiders in the open sea while the small vessel would
defend the coastal areas. So, the USSR began the construction of the
Project 183R-class missile boats in 1956, whose NATO reporting name is Komar-class.
Four years later, the Project 205-class, whose NATO reporting name is Osa-class, became operational.
Yet, these boats did not have sufficient defensive armament, and they were effective only near
coastal waters. Also, neither Komar-class nor Osa-class was not suitable for escort
missions. So, in 1958, the Soviet Navy began to seek
a new surface combatant, which would protect sea lines, guard convoys, fight against enemy
surface ships, and attack enemy's merchant ships. They would also be effective in both
the coastal areas and the near ocean zone. Three different designs came forward to answer
this requirement. Two of them were the missile-equipped variants
of the Project 50-class and Project 156-class frigates, whose NATO reporting names are Riga-class
and Petya-class, respectively. But, the hulls of these ships were too narrow to be fitted
with the big Soviet anti-ship missile of that time.
The third design, called Project 901, was small, and it had both anti-ship and air defence
missiles. The Soviet Navy was eager to have 16 Project 901-class boats between 1959 to
1965. But due to delays in the development of the
air defence missile system, Moscow cancelled the plan in 1961.
At the same time, the Soviet Navy refused the new 1,100 ton Project 902-class ship because
it was too heavy. In 1965, the USSR tasked the Almaz Central
Design Bureau to develop a new missile boat, called the Project 1234-class. It would have
six anti-ship missiles, one air defence system and one 57mm twin-barrel AK-725 gun, as well
as electronic warfare gear. Together with their fire-control radars, these
weapon systems and other electronics made the boat heavier than the initial plan. So,
the new vessel was not now a large missile cutter, which means missile boat, but a small
missile ship, which means corvette. The first Nanuchka-class corvette, Burya,
was laid down in 1967, launched in 1968, and commissioned in 1970.
The ship's hull is made of steel and its superstructure aluminium-magnesium alloy.
The Nanuchka-class is a high sea surface combatant, and it has 10-day endurance.
Yet, the seaworthiness of the ship is low. The corvette has enough controllability on
the wave at the bow heading angles. But at the aft heading angles, controlling the rudder
is difficult, which causes roll and large yaw. Its stability is low in high seas, which
increases the risk of capsizing ships in a storm. At speeds of over 14 knots, the spraying
water can reach the wheelhouse roof. In the harsh sea conditions, the Nanuchka-class cannot
effectively use its air defence missiles and gun.
The Nanuchka-class has two engine rooms, located in bow and stern. There are two engines in
the bow, which provide power for the side shafts. The single engine in the aft operates
the middle propeller. Although the official declared the maximum
speed of the corvette as 35 knots, the Nanuchka-class has proven many times it can reach a full
speed of 37-38 knots. Algeria and Russia are the current users of
the corvette, while Indian and Libyan vessels are no longer in active service.
The complement of the first variant of the ship, Nanuchka I-class, was 60 people. The
corvette had a length of 59.3 metres, a beam of 11.8 metres and a draught of 3.02 metres.
Its fully-loaded displacement was 670 tons, while its standard displacement was 580 tons.
Three 10,000 horsepower M-507A diesel engines provided a top speed of 35 knots. The ship
could reach a range of 3,400 nautical miles with an economical speed of 12 knots and a
range of 415 nautical miles at a speed of 30 knots. The armament of the Nanuchka I-class
consisted of six P-120 Malakhit anti-ship missiles, one twin arm ZIF-122 launcher for
the 4K33 Osa-M air defence missiles, and one 57mm twin-barrel AK-725 gun.
All Nanuchka I-class corvettes were decommissioned. The downgraded export variant of the ship
is the Project 1234E-class, whose NATO reporting name is Nanuchka II-class. Different from
the Soviet versions, these corvette has a fully-loaded displacement of 675 tons and
a 49-person crew. The Nanuchka II-class, which has three 8,600 horsepower M-507 diesel engines,
carries four P-20 anti-ship missiles, whose NATO reporting name is SS-N-2 Styx.
The Algerian Salah Reis corvette of this class is modernized and fitted with eight 3M-24
Uran missiles, whose NATO reporting name is SS-N-25 Switchblade, one AK-630M close-in
weapon system, and PK-16 decoy launchers. Similarly, the Russian Navy's Nanuchka III-class
corvette, Smerch, now has eight 3M-24 Uran missiles instead of the P-120s.
The Nanuchka III is the given NATO reporting name of the Project 1234.1-class. In the early
1970s, the Soviet Navy demanded some improvements on the ship, which paved the way for the development
of this variant. The main differences of this model were replacing
the AK-725 with the 76mm single barrel AK-176 and adding one AK-630M close-in weapon system.
Also, the Black Sea Fleet's Nanuchka I-class corvettes, which has no bakery, were serving
in the Mediterranean. During their long cruises, the bread supply was a problem. So, a bakery
was added to the Nanuchka III-class. The first corvette of this variant, Burun,
was laid down in 1975, and launched and commissioned in 1977. Different from their predecessor,
this model has a maximum range of 6,480 kilometres, in other words, 3,500 nautical miles. Its
complement is 64 people. The fully-loaded displacement of the Nanuchka III-class is
730 tons. Only one Project 1234.7-class corvette, Nakat,
was built. The NATO reporting name of this variant is Nanuchka IV-class. She was used
as the test platform of the P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles, whose NATO reporting name is SS-N-26
Strobile. Nakat was decommissioned in 2012. The main armament of the Nanuchka-class is
the P-120 Malakhit anti-ship missile, whose NATO reporting name is SS-N-9 Siren. It can
be equipped with an 800-kilogram high-explosive warhead or a nuclear one. The missile has
a maximum speed of Mach 0.9 and a maximum range of 150 kilometres.
The export variant, the Nanuchka II-class, has the P-20 missiles, which has a range of
40 kilometres, a 513-kilogram hollow-charge high explosive warhead, and a maximum speed
of Mach 0.9. The sea-skimming 3M-24 Uran missiles of the
Algerian Salah Reis and Russian Smerch corvettes have a range of 130 kilometres, a 145-kilogram
high explosive warhead, and a maximum speed of Mach 0.88.
Only, Nanuchka IV-class Nakat had the P-800 Onyx, which is one of the most feared Russian
anti-ship missiles with its speed of Mach 2.6. It can reach a range of 600 kilometres.
The Onyx has a 300-kilogram warhead. The Nanuchka-class carries 20 4K33 Osa-M short-range
air defence missiles, which is also effective against surface targets. Its NATO reporting
name is SA-N-4 Gecko. The corvette can fire two missiles in a minute. The reloading time
of the system is about 5 minutes. The 4K33 has a 19-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation
warhead. The missile can reach a maximum speed of Mach 2.35. Its maximum effective range
is 10 kilometres, and its maximum effective altitude is 7,000 metres.
The Nanuchka I and II classes have one 57mm twin-barrel AK-725 gun with the semi-automatic
and full-automatic fire mode. The rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute for each barrel.
Its effective range is 12,700 metres. The Nanuchka III and IV classes have one 76mm
single barrel AK-176 gun. Its effective range is 16,500 metres for surface targets and 7,000
for air targets. There is 75 ready-to-fire ammunition in the magazine, and the gun can
fire all of them in one salvo. After a full salvo, it is necessary waiting for 20 minutes
for cooling. The rate of fire can be set as 30, 60, or 120 rounds per minute.
The Nanuchka III and IV classes ships, as well as Algerian Salah Reis, have one 30mm
six-barrel AK-630M close-in weapon system. It has a rate of fire of 5,000 rounds per
minute and an effective range of 5,000 metres. During the First Cold War, the Soviet Nanuchka-class
corvette served for disturbing the big NATO surface fleets. Thanks to their small size
and low costs, the USSR built a big number of them. According to Soviet naval doctrine,
these corvettes were spreading to a vast area. Thanks to Tu-95RTs aircraft and Ka-25 helicopters,
they had over-horizon attack capability. As we mentioned before, the Nancuhkas had
low seaworthiness, and the effectiveness of their armament was doubtful. But despite their
shortcomings, they still had the potential to cause serious harm. So like a horsefly,
they were annoying. So, the carrier groups of NATO's had to distribute
their escorts and aircraft to different directions to monitor the Nanuchkas. This was a perfect
strategy for the outnumbered Soviet Navy to keep the NATO surface fleet busy.
The Soviet Navy service of the Nanuchkas was generally uneventful. After all, the USSR
had never experienced a naval battle after the Second World War.
Yet, On April 16, 1987, the Nancuhka I class corvette, Musson, was accidentally destroyed
by an RM-15M training target missile during an exercise.
But, the Russian Navy service of the Nancuhka is different.
During the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Mirazh of this class fired her P-120 and Osa-M missiles
against Georgian vessels. The result of this event, called the Battle off the coast of
Abkhazia, is still controversial. The Russian claimed that Mirazh managed to sink some Georgian
vessels in the open sea, including missile boats Tbilisi and Dioskuria.
But, there is video footage of these boats being destroyed by Russian ground troops in
the Port of Poti. The Ukrainian sources claim that Mirazh unsuccessfully
attacked the Moldovan flag MV Lotos-1, not the Georgian boats.
Still, this Nanuchka-class corvette has become the first Russian surface combatant, which
fires her missiles in anger, since the Second World War.
In 1986, in the Gulf of Sidra, the US A-6E Intruders sunk Ain Zaquit and heavily damaged
Ain Al Gazala. Ain Al Gazala was repaired and returned to
the service, but later she was decommissioned. During the 2011 military intervention in Libya,
the British aircraft sunk Ain Zaara in Misrata. The last remaining Libyan Nanuchka, Tariq
Ibn Ziyad, was the victim of the attack of an Islamists group in 2014.
Two of three decommissioned Indian Nanuchkas, INS Sindhu Durg and INS Hos Durg, were sunk
as targets. Over 50 years, the Nanuchka-class has been
among the primary targets of many Western navies. They have watched these corvettes
carefully. And when the time came, the Western powers did not hesitate to make the first
attack to prevent this horsefly bite them. Even the reports about its combat success
are doubtful the Nanuchka-class has deserved to be a naval legend.
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