The Project 183 was designed just after World War II. These boats were armed with two 533 mm torpedo tubes and were used extensively by Soviet coastal forces in the 1950s. The torpedo boat had a wooden semi-planing hull and was fitted with radar. Over 622 MTBs were built. In 1956, the P-15 Termit missile became available (NATO reporting name: SS-N-2 Styx). The Project 183 proved to be a natural choice for mounting the new missiles, giving the small, fast boats great firepower for their size. The new combination was designated Project 183R (R apparently for raketny - rocket), the first missile boat in service anywhere in the world.

The boat of the project 183R had a hangar type launchers. Under the project the boat of the project 183R could fire rockets at speeds from 15 up to 30 knots and a condition of the sea up to sea state 4. Reloading launchers it was made in base, thus on one rocket it was spent about 30 minutes.

Missile boat R-15 was built at the Shipyard No.5, Leningrad, commissioned 1957.