NF flagship cruiser Petr Veliky sailed through La Manche for the first time

05.04.2010
Northern Fleet' (NF) flagship heavy nuclear-powered cruiser Petr Veliky firstly in her history sailed through La Manche on Apr 4, reported RIA Novosti newsman from the cruiser.

Having covered about 4,000 km, Petr Veliky reached the Atlantic on Sunday. According to report of the cruiser's commander Capt 2 rank Felix Menkov, the crew made good work with passing La Manche which actually is shallow strait with heavy traffic. The speed was 19 knots (somewhat 35 kph).

Petr Veliky started a long-range cruise on March 30 sailing off NF main base Severomorsk. The ship will be deployed for several months at sea; take part in naval maneuvers jointly with Black Sea Fleet warships in Indian Ocean; and visit ports of the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean.

Petr Veliky is a Project 11442 heavy nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser; world's largest non-carrier attack ship.

REGISTRATION

Severomorsk, Northern Fleet

CONSTRUCTION, NAME

Petr Veliky was laid down on April 25, 1986 at Baltic Shipyard under the name of Yury Andropov; launched on April 25, 1989; commissioned in 1988 under the name of Petr Veliky.

MILESTONES

On October 27, 1996 during trials at Polar region the steam pipe was ruptured in the cruiser's fore engine and boiler compartment. Five sailors and delivery board members died.

Best Russian Ship-2000 on results of training year.

Winner of Navy Commander's Prize on results of 2002 training year.

Best ship of Northern Fleet on results of 2003 training year.

In December 2008 the cruiser participated in VENRUS-2008, Russo-Venezuelan joint naval exercise. On February 13, 2009 Petr Veliky arrested 3 vessels in the Gulf of Aden with 10 Somali pirates.

Baltic Shipyard provides maintenance service of the cruiser despite warranty period is expired. This precedent has no parallel in history.

PERFORMANCE

Propulsion: CONAS; 2 steam turbines and nuc reactor; 140,000 shp
Speed: 31 knots
Endurance: 60 days for provisions and supplies, 3 years for fuel (unlimited for nuc reactor)
Crew: 655 men

DIMENSIONS

Length: 251.1 meters
Beam: 28.5 meters
Height: 59 meters
Draft: 10.3 meters
Standard displacement: 23,750 tons
Total displacement: 25,860 tons

ARMAMENT

AK-130 dual-mount 130-mm multipurpose turret artillery system
20 SM-233 separate underdeck vertical launchers
12 launchers (96 missiles) of Rif zonal AD system
2 eight-tube containers of Klinok (Kinzhal) short range and close-in AD system; 6 M87 Kashtan (Kortik) missile/gun AD systems
2 RPK-6M Vodopad 533-mm ASW missile and torpedo systems
RKPTZ-1 Udav-1M antitorpedo system
RBU-12000 and RBU-1000 Smerch-3 antisubmarine rocket launchers
2 PK-14 coupled 150-mm decoy launchers
2 Ka-27 Helix heavy multipurpose helicopters

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: Petr Veliky sailing through La Manche (map of presence)