Large ASW ship Kerch celebrates 35th anniversary of naval flag hoist
25.12.2009 The crew will meet the jubilee having positive results. The ship has passed technical recovery and after performing course tasks it was included into the fleet's constant readiness force. Summarizing the results of 2009, large ASW ship Kerch was ranked the best BSF ship in mine and torpedo drills as well as ship logistic management.
Large ASW ship Kerch was designed by Northern Design Bureau of Soviet Ministry of Shipbuilding and built at Nikolayev 61 Communards Shipyard. It was laid down in 1971, launched in a year and commissioned into Soviet Navy in 1974.
The ship was named after destroyer Kerch heroically sunk on April 19, 1918. During its service, the ship performed combat tasks in Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Since 1976 till 1979 and since 1991 till 1993 it was deployed in the Mediterranean; participated in naval exercises Shield-82 and Soyuz-84. In 1984, 1989 and 1993 it visited People's Republic of Bulgaria; in 1989 – Turkey; in 1998 – port of Cannes (France) and port of Messina (Italy).
During ASW search operations it kept contact with foreign nuclear and diesel subs for a long time. The ship covered over 180,000 miles while being in constant readiness force.
In different years of its service, the ship won Red challenge banner of BSF Military Council, Minister of Defense's Pennant for bravery and military merit in 1979, Red challenge banner of USSR Ministry of Irrigation and Water Industry as "The best BSF ship". The ship twice won USSR Navy Commander's Prize for missile firing in 1978 and 1993.
Through many years the ship's command cooperates with patronage organizations of Moscow, Belgorod and Volgograd. Those regions send draftees to serve at large ASW ship Kerch.