Parchim class corvette
Encyclopedia
The Parchim class corvette (Soviet designation Project 133) was developed for the East German Navy
in the late 1970s, and built by the Wolgast
Peene-Werft. The ships were designed for coastal anti-submarine warfare. In case of an all-out NATO-Warsaw Pact war in Europe their prime targets would have been the small U-206 coastal submarines
of the West German navy. The first ship, the Wismar (now the Indonesian Sutanto), was launched on 9 April 1981 in Rostock
, and subsequently another 15 ships were built until 1986. To make production more economical, the Soviet Union
agreed to purchase another 12 ships from Wolgaster Peenewerft, which were built between 1986 and 1990, thereby effectively subsidising the East German shipbuilding industry.
The ships of the Red Navy were named Parchim II by NATO. Though useful as a coastal ASW
platform, the Soviet production of the very likewise but far more powerful Grisha class made this purchase even more illogical for the Red Navy. After German re-unification the former East German ships were sold to the Indonesian Navy
in 1993. The Indonesian Navy extensively refurbished the Parchims sold to them to the point where the cost of refurbishing exceeded the cost of purchasing them. They are still in service, both in the Indonesian Navy and in the Russian Baltic Fleet
.
30 mm gun and one double-barrel AK-725 57 mm gun. The Ak-725 double 57 mm AA gun, designed in 1959, was directed by the ESP-72 fire control system, which received ranging and target bearing information from an MR 103 (NATO codename 'MUFF COP') radar. The MR 103 had a 1.3 m parabolic radar dish, with an optical camera system slaved to it, as a backup system in case of failure or heavy EW
environment. The barrels of the gun were water-cooled and belt-fed, with each belt containing 550 rounds, but the first round had to be manually chambered. In an emergency, the turret could be manually operated with an optical fire control system. The MR 103 radar system, already outdated when the Parchims were developed, used 1950s-style electromechanical systems, built around vacuum tube
s. As a result, it wasn't considered to be an effective anti-missile system, or CIWS (Close-in weapon system
), as was evidenced by a Soviet training accident in 1987 when a test missile drone accidentally locked in on a small Red Navy training vessel. Although the ship's AK-725 system kept firing until the moment of impact, no hits were scored and the ship was destroyed by the resulting fire, allegedly killing 39 crew members.
The AK-230 gun was a fully automatic, stabilized, NN-30 double-barrel, water-cooled, four-chamber revolver cannon. The guns had a 1000 round per minute (rpm) rate of fire and were fed by independent 500 round ammunition belts. The regular associated radar system was the (Nato codename) DRUM TILT radar, which was not used in the Parchim class. According to some sources the AK-230 could not only be linked with the DRUM TILT but also with the MUFF COP radar system, but this is disputed by old East German naval sources. According to these East German sources, the AK-230 gun on the Parchim class corvette was optically guided, thereby leaving the Parchim class without an effective CIWS, and therefore unable to counter anti-shipping missiles.
There were also two SA-N-5 (Naval SA-7 or Strela II) MANPAD positions aboard the Parchims. But without an effective, radar guided SAM
missile system, the Parchims were left completely vulnerable to enemy precision guided anti-shipping weapons. This was a major restriction and confined the Parchim's to brown water coastal operations, close to the protective air force and air defence umbrella.
The air search radar was the ubiquitous (Nato codename) STRUT CURVE radar. This radar had a 4 m parabolical radar dish, worked in the F-band frequency, and had a respectable 60 nautical miles (111.1 km) radar range against aircraft flying at 5000 m height, and a less respectable 20 nautical miles (37 km) radar range against surface shipping or low flying aircraft. The electronic defense suite was very basic, and consisted of an IFF (Identification Friend or Foe
) receiver and transmitter, and an 'ELOKA' multiband passive RWR
antenna slaved to a double 16-cell chaff dispenser. All in all, air defence - or the lack of one - was a very restrictive factor in the tactical usefulness of the Parchim design.
suite consisted of a bow sonar and a variable depth dipping sonar. The sonarscreen was panoramic, meaning that it gave a two dimensional radarscope-like view of the surrounding waters. This was a major improvement over the old auditive system in the HAI III class. Another weakness of the old HAI III was its inability to 'see through' water layers with different temperatures. While sound propagates pretty well in water of the same temperature, it gets easily disturbed by even modest differences in water temperature. Especially in the hot summer months these natural occurring phenomena give submarines an easy hide out for probable subchasing surface vessels. A solution is the use of a 'dipping sonar', which in a way is nothing more than a small sonar attached to a long cable. By using this device the Parchim's sonar system was able to search the different water layers.
The Parchims were also provided with capable anti-submarine warfare weapons. The 400 mm torpedo tubes were loaded with acoustical and/or wire guided torpedoes. This gave the Parchims a precision submarine strike capability. The two RBU-6000
depth charge rocket launchers created a barrier defense against submarines, incoming torpedoes and frogmen. Though relatively unsophisticated by western standards, the RBU-6000 was a very successful and popular system, used on many small or large surface ships. It consisted of a twelve launch tubes for unguided rockets, armed with a compact but powerful depth charge. Rockets were directed by simply changing the angle of the tubes and thereby the ballistics of the unguided rockets. The launcher could elevate between -15° and +60°, and could traverse 180°, with each launcher thus covering one side of the ship. Range was between 350 m and 6000 m, and the charges could reach 500 m deep. The rockets, RGB-60's, weighed 110 kg of which 25 kg was a high explosive warhead. The ammunition was swiftly and automatically reloaded from a magazine below deck, by turning the tubes 90° vertically. Maximum magazine capacity was 96 rounds. The whole system was remotely directed by the 'Burya' fire control system. The RBU-6000 could also be used for shore bombardment2. The Parchim's were also able to simply drop bigger and more powerful depth charges, and could transport and lay up to 60 mines.
' (out of the coastal regions) value would indeed have been slight. This shortcoming was partially offset by Volksmarine doctrine, which regarded the Koni class frigates, equipped with the radar guided OSA/SA-N-4 SAM's, as the cornerstone of their naval blue water air defence. In other words, in order to survive a modern naval war, they had to be escorted by radar guided SAM carriers. But, as the biggest GDR
warship building project in history, the Parchim class truly was the "Höhepunkt des DDR-Kampfschiffbaus".
were purchased by Indonesia
in 1992 in a deal worth USD$12.7 million arranged by then Vice President, Dr B.J Habibie
. The transfer from the Volksmarine
also included, 14 x Frosch class landing ships and 9 x Kondor class minesweepers. The Parchims, now known as the Kapitan Patimura class underwent a significant rehabilitation which included air-conditioning and engine replacements.
The ships were Kapitan Patimura (371), Untung Suropati (372), Nuku (373), Lambung Mangkurat, (374), Cut Nyak Din, (375), Sultan Thala Syafuddin, (376), Sutanto, (377), Sutedi Senoputra, (378), Wiratno, (379), Memet Sastrawiria (380), Tjiptadi (381), Hasan Basri (382), Iman Bonjul (383), Pati Unus (384), Teuku Umar (385), and Silas Papare (386).
Volksmarine
Volksmarine was the official designation of the maritime forces of the German Democratic Republic . It was part of the National People's Army, established in 1956.-History:...
in the late 1970s, and built by the Wolgast
Wolgast
Wolgast is a town in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the bank of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom that can be accessed by road and railway via a bascule bridge...
Peene-Werft. The ships were designed for coastal anti-submarine warfare. In case of an all-out NATO-Warsaw Pact war in Europe their prime targets would have been the small U-206 coastal submarines
Type 206 submarine
The Type 206 is a class of diesel-electric submarines developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft . Its design is based on the preceding Type 205 submarine class. These small and agile submarines were built during the Cold War to operate in the shallow Baltic Sea and attack Warsaw Pact shipping if...
of the West German navy. The first ship, the Wismar (now the Indonesian Sutanto), was launched on 9 April 1981 in Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, and subsequently another 15 ships were built until 1986. To make production more economical, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
agreed to purchase another 12 ships from Wolgaster Peenewerft, which were built between 1986 and 1990, thereby effectively subsidising the East German shipbuilding industry.
The ships of the Red Navy were named Parchim II by NATO. Though useful as a coastal ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
platform, the Soviet production of the very likewise but far more powerful Grisha class made this purchase even more illogical for the Red Navy. After German re-unification the former East German ships were sold to the Indonesian Navy
Indonesian Navy
The role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI...
in 1993. The Indonesian Navy extensively refurbished the Parchims sold to them to the point where the cost of refurbishing exceeded the cost of purchasing them. They are still in service, both in the Indonesian Navy and in the Russian Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
.
Construction
The Parchims were built to replace the obsolete HAI III class subhunters of the Volksmarine. Because of their displacement, over 800 tons in full load, they were able to leave coastal waters, even in rough weather. Propulsion consisted of 3 Soviet designed M 504 56 cylinder Diesel engines, a development of the M 503 A fast attack craft engine. The middle engine provided power to a variable pitch propellor for cruising speed, while the two outer engines served two outer fixed pitch propellors for boost speed. Total power output was 14250 hp. The ship was constructed with regular (stainless) steel and consisted of ten waterproof compartments.Air defence
For air defence, the ships were equipped with one double-barrel AK-230AK-230
AK-230 is a Soviet fully automatic naval twin 30 mm gun. Its primary function is anti-aircraft. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar. AK-230 is probably the most popular gun of its class in the world, mounted on big warships as well as small crafts. About 1450 guns...
30 mm gun and one double-barrel AK-725 57 mm gun. The Ak-725 double 57 mm AA gun, designed in 1959, was directed by the ESP-72 fire control system, which received ranging and target bearing information from an MR 103 (NATO codename 'MUFF COP') radar. The MR 103 had a 1.3 m parabolic radar dish, with an optical camera system slaved to it, as a backup system in case of failure or heavy EW
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
environment. The barrels of the gun were water-cooled and belt-fed, with each belt containing 550 rounds, but the first round had to be manually chambered. In an emergency, the turret could be manually operated with an optical fire control system. The MR 103 radar system, already outdated when the Parchims were developed, used 1950s-style electromechanical systems, built around vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
s. As a result, it wasn't considered to be an effective anti-missile system, or CIWS (Close-in weapon system
Close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system , often pronounced sea-whiz, is a naval shipboard point-defense weapon for detecting and destroying at short range incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses....
), as was evidenced by a Soviet training accident in 1987 when a test missile drone accidentally locked in on a small Red Navy training vessel. Although the ship's AK-725 system kept firing until the moment of impact, no hits were scored and the ship was destroyed by the resulting fire, allegedly killing 39 crew members.
The AK-230 gun was a fully automatic, stabilized, NN-30 double-barrel, water-cooled, four-chamber revolver cannon. The guns had a 1000 round per minute (rpm) rate of fire and were fed by independent 500 round ammunition belts. The regular associated radar system was the (Nato codename) DRUM TILT radar, which was not used in the Parchim class. According to some sources the AK-230 could not only be linked with the DRUM TILT but also with the MUFF COP radar system, but this is disputed by old East German naval sources. According to these East German sources, the AK-230 gun on the Parchim class corvette was optically guided, thereby leaving the Parchim class without an effective CIWS, and therefore unable to counter anti-shipping missiles.
There were also two SA-N-5 (Naval SA-7 or Strela II) MANPAD positions aboard the Parchims. But without an effective, radar guided SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
missile system, the Parchims were left completely vulnerable to enemy precision guided anti-shipping weapons. This was a major restriction and confined the Parchim's to brown water coastal operations, close to the protective air force and air defence umbrella.
The air search radar was the ubiquitous (Nato codename) STRUT CURVE radar. This radar had a 4 m parabolical radar dish, worked in the F-band frequency, and had a respectable 60 nautical miles (111.1 km) radar range against aircraft flying at 5000 m height, and a less respectable 20 nautical miles (37 km) radar range against surface shipping or low flying aircraft. The electronic defense suite was very basic, and consisted of an IFF (Identification Friend or Foe
Identification friend or foe
In telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
) receiver and transmitter, and an 'ELOKA' multiband passive RWR
Radar warning receiver
Radar warning receiver systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected. The warning can then be used, manually or automatically, to evade the detected threat...
antenna slaved to a double 16-cell chaff dispenser. All in all, air defence - or the lack of one - was a very restrictive factor in the tactical usefulness of the Parchim design.
Anti-submarine warfare
A major evolution over the old HAI III design was the new hydro-acoustic system. The sonarSonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
suite consisted of a bow sonar and a variable depth dipping sonar. The sonarscreen was panoramic, meaning that it gave a two dimensional radarscope-like view of the surrounding waters. This was a major improvement over the old auditive system in the HAI III class. Another weakness of the old HAI III was its inability to 'see through' water layers with different temperatures. While sound propagates pretty well in water of the same temperature, it gets easily disturbed by even modest differences in water temperature. Especially in the hot summer months these natural occurring phenomena give submarines an easy hide out for probable subchasing surface vessels. A solution is the use of a 'dipping sonar', which in a way is nothing more than a small sonar attached to a long cable. By using this device the Parchim's sonar system was able to search the different water layers.
The Parchims were also provided with capable anti-submarine warfare weapons. The 400 mm torpedo tubes were loaded with acoustical and/or wire guided torpedoes. This gave the Parchims a precision submarine strike capability. The two RBU-6000
RBU-6000
The RBU-6000 Smerch-2 is a 213 mm caliber Soviet anti-submarine rocket launcher. It is similar in principle to the Royal Navy Hedgehog system used during the Second World War...
depth charge rocket launchers created a barrier defense against submarines, incoming torpedoes and frogmen. Though relatively unsophisticated by western standards, the RBU-6000 was a very successful and popular system, used on many small or large surface ships. It consisted of a twelve launch tubes for unguided rockets, armed with a compact but powerful depth charge. Rockets were directed by simply changing the angle of the tubes and thereby the ballistics of the unguided rockets. The launcher could elevate between -15° and +60°, and could traverse 180°, with each launcher thus covering one side of the ship. Range was between 350 m and 6000 m, and the charges could reach 500 m deep. The rockets, RGB-60's, weighed 110 kg of which 25 kg was a high explosive warhead. The ammunition was swiftly and automatically reloaded from a magazine below deck, by turning the tubes 90° vertically. Maximum magazine capacity was 96 rounds. The whole system was remotely directed by the 'Burya' fire control system. The RBU-6000 could also be used for shore bombardment2. The Parchim's were also able to simply drop bigger and more powerful depth charges, and could transport and lay up to 60 mines.
Overview
All in all, the Parchims were up to their task, namely to hunt and destroy enemy submarines in coastal waters. Because of their lack of any real anti-shipping weapons and more importantly because of the absence of a modern air defence capability, their 'blue waterBlue Water
Blue Water was the Rainbow Code name for a British battlefield nuclear missile of the early 1960s. Despite its good performance and receiving wide praise, it is best known for having been cancelled for financial reasons.- Origins :...
' (out of the coastal regions) value would indeed have been slight. This shortcoming was partially offset by Volksmarine doctrine, which regarded the Koni class frigates, equipped with the radar guided OSA/SA-N-4 SAM's, as the cornerstone of their naval blue water air defence. In other words, in order to survive a modern naval war, they had to be escorted by radar guided SAM carriers. But, as the biggest GDR
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
warship building project in history, the Parchim class truly was the "Höhepunkt des DDR-Kampfschiffbaus".
Indonesian service
The 16 x Parchims from the GDRGerman Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
were purchased by Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in 1992 in a deal worth USD$12.7 million arranged by then Vice President, Dr B.J Habibie
Jusuf Habibie
Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie , also known B. J. Habibie, was the third and shortest-serving President of Indonesia, serving from 1998 to 1999.-Early life and career:...
. The transfer from the Volksmarine
Volksmarine
Volksmarine was the official designation of the maritime forces of the German Democratic Republic . It was part of the National People's Army, established in 1956.-History:...
also included, 14 x Frosch class landing ships and 9 x Kondor class minesweepers. The Parchims, now known as the Kapitan Patimura class underwent a significant rehabilitation which included air-conditioning and engine replacements.
The ships were Kapitan Patimura (371), Untung Suropati (372), Nuku (373), Lambung Mangkurat, (374), Cut Nyak Din, (375), Sultan Thala Syafuddin, (376), Sutanto, (377), Sutedi Senoputra, (378), Wiratno, (379), Memet Sastrawiria (380), Tjiptadi (381), Hasan Basri (382), Iman Bonjul (383), Pati Unus (384), Teuku Umar (385), and Silas Papare (386).
| Engine | Power | Ships |
|---|---|---|
| 2 x Deutz Deutz AG Deutz AG is an engine manufacturer, based in Cologne, Germany.-History:The company was founded by Nikolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine, in 1864 as N. A... TBD 620 V16 diesels |
6,000 hp (4.5 MW) | 372, 373, 374, 377, 378, 381 |
| 2 x MTU MTU Friedrichshafen MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909... 16V 4000 M 90 diesels |
7,300 hp (5.4 MW) | 371, 379, 380, 382, 383,386 |
| 2 x Caterpillar Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas... 3516B diesels |
5,200 hp (3.9 MW) | 355, 376, 384, 385 |
Russian service
- 8 ships are in service with the Baltic FleetBaltic FleetThe Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
of the Russian Navy:Ship Commander Name Pennant Number Base Commissioned Notes Captain's Rank Captain's Name MPK-99 "Zelenodolsk" 308 Leningrad Naval Base Leningrad Naval Base-History:The Naval base was created on the basis of Order № 117 as of March 15, 1919 of the Baltic Sea Fleet. The Naval Forces of Petrograd were transformed by the order into the Petrograd Naval Base....since 1987 Under repair Captain 3rd Rank Evgenie Tishkevich MPK-192 304 Leningrad Naval Base Leningrad Naval Base-History:The Naval base was created on the basis of Order № 117 as of March 15, 1919 of the Baltic Sea Fleet. The Naval Forces of Petrograd were transformed by the order into the Petrograd Naval Base....since 1986 Captain Lieutenant Captain LieutenantCaptain lieutenant or captain-lieutenant is a military rank, used in a number of different navies worldwide.It is generally equivalent to the Commonwealth or US rank of lieutenant, and has the NATO rank code of OF-2, though this can vary....Evgenie Kuznetsov MPK-205 "Kazanets" ('Citizen of Kazan KazanKazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
')311 (based Leningrad Naval Base Leningrad Naval Base-History:The Naval base was created on the basis of Order № 117 as of March 15, 1919 of the Baltic Sea Fleet. The Naval Forces of Petrograd were transformed by the order into the Petrograd Naval Base....
)since 1987 264th Division of Anti-Submarine Ships MPK-105 245 Baltiysk 1988 In repair 3rd-Class Captain Igor Mikhalyuk MPK-224 “Alexin” 218 Baltiysk 1989 Captain 3rd Rank Sergei Lukin MPK-227 243 Baltiysk 1989 Under repair Captain 3rd Rank Ruslan Yamaletdinov MPK-228 “Bashkortostan” 244 Baltiysk 1989 Under repair Captain-Lieutenant Vadim Bukhamisty MPK-229 “Kalmykia” 232 Baltiysk 1990 Captain 3rd Rank Vitaly Kondratiev