The
Ropucha class, Soviet designation Project 775, is a class of landing ships (large
landing ship in Soviet classification) built in Poland for the Soviet Navy. The
ships were built in Poland in the Stocznia Polnocna shipyards in Gdansk. Designed
for beach landings, they can carry a 500 tonn cargo. The ships have both bow-
and stern-doors for loading and unloading vehicles, and the 630 square metres
of vehicle deck stretches the length of the hull. In total, 28 ships of this type
were commissioned from 1975 to 1991. The last three ships were of the improved
variant Project 775/III, also called Ropucha II. While designed for roll-on/roll-off
operations, they can also be loaded using dockside cranes. For this purpose there
is a long sliding hatch-cover above the bow section for access to the vehicle
deck. The vessels can reach speeds of 18 knots and range out to 4000 nautical
miles - making them somewhat independent "Blue Water" vessels. The
Ropucha-class ships have self-defense-minded weaponry installed, particularly
to support shoreline actions and defend against low-flying threats. 2 twin-barreled
57mm AK-257 autocannons are carried (Ropucha I ships only) as is a single 76mm
turreted gun fit (Ropucha II). To this is added 2 x 30 122mm MS-73 Grad-M rockets
for area suppression. Strela-2 or Igla short-range surface-to-air missile launchers
also aid in airspace deterrence. Close-in support is through 2 30mm AK-630 digital
combat units sporting Gatling-style guns (Ropucha II). Large Landing Ship
BDK-64 laid down on 04 September 1985 at the Stocznia Polnocna Shipyard, Gdansk,
Poland (yard No.775/23), launched on 12 March 1986, commissioned on 30 September
1986 and assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. On 10 May 1989 renamed to Caesar
Kunikov. Now in service. Specifications |
Displacement (tons): | Standard: | 2768 |
Full load: | 4012 |
Dimensions (m): | Length: | 112,55 |
Beam: | 15 |
Draft: | 4,05 | Speed
(knots): | 17,59 | Range: | 3400
nmi (18 kts), 3500 nmi (16 kts), 4000 nmi (12 kts) | Autonomy
(days): | 30 | Propulsion: | 2x9600
hp Zgoda-Sulzer 16ZVB40/48 diesels, 2 fixed pitch propellers, 2 stern retractable
azimuth thrusters, 3x750 kW diesel generators | Armament: | 2x2
57 mm AK-725 (2200 rounds) – MR-103 Bars fire control system 2x40 122 mm MS-73
Grad-M launchers (¹19, from ¹21) (320 rounds) – Groza-1171 fire control system
| Electronics: | MR-302
Rubka air/surface search radar, Don navigation radar | Cargo: | 10
main battle tanks and 340 troops or 12 PT-76 light tanks and 150 troops or 3 main
battle tanks, 3 2S9 Nona-S, 5 MT-LB, 4 army trucks and 313 troops or 20 army trucks
and 150 troops or 500 tons of cargo | Complement: | 98
(17 officers) |
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