Komar class missile boat
Encyclopedia
The Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known by its NATO reporting name
Komar, is a class of missile boats
, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles
.
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. A sub-chaser variant fitted with sonar and depth charges was also built as was a radio controlled target boat.
In 1956, the P-15 Termit
(NATO reporting name: SS-N-2 "Styx") missile became available. 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, the first missile boat in service anywhere in the world. The missiles could be fired in Sea State
4.
A total of 112 Komars were built between 1956 and 1965 and served in the Soviet Navy, along with several allied navies, until the 1980s, when they were replaced by newer, more capable fast attack craft
.
- 18 boats - 7 boats (1962–67), retired in the early 1990s; The Egyptian Navy built 6 derivative boats equipped with western weapons and electronics in the early 1980s as the October class missile boat
- 12 boats (1961–65) - 3 boats (1972) - 10 boats - 9 boats - 4 boats
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
Komar, is a class of missile boats
Missile boat
A Missile Boat is a small craft armed with anti-ship missiles. Being a small craft, missile boats are popular with nations interested in forming an inexpensive navy...
, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
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Design
The Project 183 MTBTorpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
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. A sub-chaser variant fitted with sonar and depth charges was also built as was a radio controlled target boat.
In 1956, the P-15 Termit
P-15 Termit
The P-15 Termit is an anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union's Raduga design bureau in the 1950s. Its GRAU designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name was Styx or SS-N-2. In Russian service today it also seems to be called the Rubezh...
(NATO reporting name: SS-N-2 "Styx") missile became available. 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, the first missile boat in service anywhere in the world. The missiles could be fired in Sea State
Sea state
In oceanography, a sea state is the general condition of the free surface on a large body of water—with respect to wind waves and swell—at a certain location and moment. A sea state is characterized by statistics, including the wave height, period, and power spectrum. The sea state varies with...
4.
A total of 112 Komars were built between 1956 and 1965 and served in the Soviet Navy, along with several allied navies, until the 1980s, when they were replaced by newer, more capable fast attack craft
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
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Export ships
- 6 boats 1967 - 8 boats (1961) plus about 40 built under licence. The Chinese also built a steel hulled derivative as the Type 024 class missile boatType 024 class missile boat
The Type 024 class missile boat is a Chinese built small missile boat armed with two anti-ship missiles and there were two version developed, though most of them are placed in reserve, dozens remain in the active service...
- 18 boats - 7 boats (1962–67), retired in the early 1990s; The Egyptian Navy built 6 derivative boats equipped with western weapons and electronics in the early 1980s as the October class missile boat
October class missile boat
The Egyptian Navy wanting to acquire a cheap alternative for the aging Komar class missile boats, decided to build a modern missile boat based on the Komar hull design with modifications and upgrades in the Alexandria Shipyards in the late 1970s...
- 12 boats (1961–65) - 3 boats (1972) - 10 boats - 9 boats - 4 boats
Combat use
- 1967 October 21 - Egyptian Navy Komar class missile boats sink Israeli destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
EilatHMS Zealous (R39)HMS Zealous was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1944 by Cammell Laird. She served during the Second World War, participating in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys...
in the first combat use of P-15 TermitP-15 TermitThe P-15 Termit is an anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union's Raduga design bureau in the 1950s. Its GRAU designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name was Styx or SS-N-2. In Russian service today it also seems to be called the Rubezh...
anti-ship missiles. This was the first time a ship had sunk another ship using guided missiles. - 7 October 1973 - 2 Syrian Navy Komar class missile boats along with an Osa IOsa class missile boatThe Project 205 Tsunami, more commonly known by their NATO reporting name Osa, are a class of missile boats developed for the Soviet Navy in the early 1960s. The Osas are probably the most numerous class of missile boats ever built, with over 400 vessels constructed for both the Soviet Navy and for...
missile boat fought against 5 Israeli Navy Sa'ar 3-class missile boats in battle of LatakiaBattle of LatakiaThe Battle of Latakia was a small but revolutionary naval battle of the Yom Kippur War, fought on 7 October 1973, between Israel and Syria. It was the first naval battle in history to see combat between surface-to-surface missile-equipped missile boats and the use of electronic deception.At the...
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