The fate of warships is shaped in different ways. Some die in battle. Others slowly and inevitably collapse at the pier from old age. The nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Admiral Lazarev" served in the Pacific Fleet.
Confrontation concept
For several decades of the twentieth century, the confrontation between two states remained in the world: the USSR and the USA. Competition and rivalry have been observed in various forms on earth, in the heavens, and at sea. According to the unofficial classification, America was considered a naval power, and the Soviet Union was a land power. However, starting from the reign of Emperor Peter I, Russia began to establish itself in the sea spaces around the globe. For this "approval" over a long period of time it was necessary to create a powerful production base.
The heavy nuclear missile cruiser Admiral Lazarev was laid down on the stocks of the Baltic Shipbuilding Plant in July 1978. This enterprise had all the necessary conditions for the construction of modern ships for the needs of the navy. The laying of the ship was preceded by events that led to another aggravation in the confrontation between countries in the ocean. The appearance on the likely theater of operations of the American nuclear-powered cruiser Long Beach was perceived by the Soviet General Staff as a serious threat.
The terms of reference for the design of a heavy nuclear missile cruiser - TARK - were revised several times. Specialists tried to create a ship with a powerful strike complex and a reliable defense system against existing threats. The American fleet was armed with aircraft carriers, which were used to destroy targets, both at sea and on land. The Soviet cruiser was designed with effective protection against aircraft, surface ships and submarines. At the same time, it was necessary to place ammunition on board for conducting military operations, the necessary resources to feed the crew and fuel for power plants.
The Orlan project accepted for implementation envisaged the construction of four ships. In the early 1960s, the naval forces of the Soviet Union were based on four strongholds. The first cruiser was intended to serve in the Northern Fleet. The second brother, named "Frunze" at the time of the laying, was preparing for combat duty in the Pacific Ocean. It should be emphasized that in April 1992 the missile carrier was renamed Admiral Lazarev. According to the design system adopted at that time, updates and additions were made to the design of each subsequent ship.
Design features
The design process, and then the production of structural elements and assembly of the ship, takes several years. This feature has to be taken into account by the staff of the General Staff, developing military-strategic plans. Over the three years during which the ship's corps is being assembled, more advanced and effective types of weapons are being adopted. In the air defense of the "Admiral Lazarev" obsolete installations were replaced with new systems. The Dagger anti-aircraft missile system and the Kortik anti-aircraft artillery system were installed on the cruiser. The generated fire density does not allow enemy aircraft to approach the ship for targeted bombing.
Submarines pose a serious threat to surface objects. The most durable ship's hull is "pierced" by a direct torpedo hit. In a combat situation, it is very important to timely detect a threat and neutralize it. To solve this problem, a search complex "Waterfall" and a rocket launcher for depth bombing were installed on the cruiser. As a result of the update, the effectiveness of anti-submarine defense has increased significantly.
The military-technical council decided to modernize the aft part of the ship. A helipad and a hangar for three cars were equipped here. Heavy helicopters are capable of performing reconnaissance and search operations and bombing underwater targets. A fuel storage and ammunition storage area is located under the deck. Separate cabins are fenced off for pilots and service personnel.
The main striking force of Admiral Lazarev is the Granit anti-ship missile system. Twenty such installations are located in the bow of the ship. Cruise missiles with a launch weight of seven tons are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 600 km. Low-flying cruise missiles fly autonomously after launch. It is very difficult to detect a missile by air defense. The probability of hitting a designated target is more than fifty percent. The naval forces of a potential adversary still cannot achieve this level of efficiency.
On a battle watch
In October 1984, the TARK "Admiral Lazarev" took up a combat watch. After sea trials and verification of the control system, the missile carrier took part in large-scale exercises in the waters of the North Sea. The next important stage was the transition from the port of Severomorsk to the place of permanent registration in Vladivostok. Many Soviet ships passed this difficult route. Having rounded the African continent, the cruiser crossed the Indian Ocean and arrived at the Pacific Fleet base in the port of Fokino. After a short-term stay and routine maintenance, the missile carrier received its first combat mission.
In the spring of 1985, the cruiser went out to sea in order to conduct training firing in the indicated square. At that time, it was important for the naval forces of the Soviet Union to fix their presence in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. Until that time, the American fleet occupied a dominant position here. Demonstration of military force is a common occurrence in the vastness of the world's oceans. The US Seventh Fleet conducted exercises in these latitudes at any time convenient for this. The presence of the ships of a potential enemy created certain difficulties for the American admirals.
The area of responsibility of the missile carrier "Admiral Lazarev" included the ocean area east of the Japanese Islands. It is important to emphasize that battlecruisers go out to sea only when accompanied by support ships. In addition to escort vessels, the leader of the Pacific Fleet interacted with the aircraft-carrying cruiser Novorossiysk and the large anti-submarine ship Tashkent. Joint exercises made it possible to improve the combat training of the crew, to maintain the combat effectiveness of the main and auxiliary systems of the ship.
Last parking
Until the end of the 80s, "Admiral Lazarev" regularly went to sea to carry out the tasks assigned by the command. For all the years of operation, the cruiser has passed almost seventy thousand nautical miles. The running resource was used up by barely 40%. The cruiser could still serve for many years. However, the fate of the unique missile carrier was different. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the naval doctrine of the Russian government immediately changed. They decided to abandon large warships capable of long voyages. All repair bases of the fleet in Vietnam, Angola and Somalia were eliminated.
In the spring of 1992, the cruiser was renamed and moored at the pier of the Abrek Bay. At the government level, they could not make a decision on the further use of the ship for a long time. Several times they tried to transfer him to another place where he could be engaged in repair work. However, the sad story repeated itself regularly - the country's budget did not have enough funds for this.
Today the cruiser is in a deplorable state. Even some revival and restoration of the country's military potential did not affect "Admiral Lazarev". Experts are inclined to believe that the Ministry of Defense has already made a decision to decommission the ship, but is in no hurry to announce this publicly.
