Centaur-class fast assault craft

The Project 58181 Centaur (Kentavr)/Project 58503 Centaur-LK[1] class is a series of small armored assault craft being built for the Ukrainian Navy. The first two vessels were laid down at the Kuznya na Rybalskomu in December 2016. The 58181 project was developed by State Research and Design Shipbuilding Center on the basis of the Gyurza-M-class gunboats, and the 58503 project number was assigned to the altered design used after construction of the first eight units began (by the contractor that oversaw their construction, PJSC ZLK.[1][2] Designed for carrying patrol service on rivers and coastal maritime areas, delivery and landing of marines.

Class overview
NameProject 58181 (Centaur class)
BuildersKuznya na Rybalskomu
Operators Ukraine
Preceded byGyurza-M class
Builtsince 2016
In commissionsince 2019[lower-alpha 1]
Planned8
Building1
Completed2
Active1
Lost1
General characteristics
TypeFast assault craft
Displacement47 tons
Length24.3 m (79 ft 9 in)
Beam4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Draught1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Propulsion2 × Hamilton Waterjet
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) (at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement
  • 5 crew
  • 26–28 amphibious troops with full equipment
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Navigation radar
  • Optoelectronic monitoring system
  • Detection sensors of laser emission
Armament
  • 2 × 12.7 mm HMG
  • 1 × 40 mm rocket launcher
  • 2 × 80 mm rocket launcher
ArmourVital spaces are protected by bullet-proof steel

Development and design
First Centaur during launching ceremony

The project 58181 was developed by State Research and Design Shipbuilding Center on the basis of the Gyurza-M-class gunboats in 2015. However, it was refined during construction. The first contract was signed in 2016.[3] On September 4, 2018, the first launching ceremony for the first boat of the first series was held. The boat was already built on a revised project, which received new project number 58503 and the code «Centaur-LK». On September 20, the second boat of the series was launched. On November 19, 2018, newly built assault boats arrived to Odessa to continue testing. The top speed of 50 knots is achieved by a pair of New Zealand-made Hamilton Jet water jet propulsion engines and can stay at sea for a maximum of five days.[4] The class is armed with two remote weapon stations with 12.7 mm high-caliber machine guns and a 40-mm rocket launcher. The boats also feature two 80-mm rocket-launch systems.

Failure of the first two units of «Centaur-LK» led to a criminal conviction, the halting of construction of future units (besides the third), and the Ukrainian Navy's decision not to include the first two craft in its active combat fleet. As of 6 February 2022, they had not yet joined its active combat fleet.[2][5] Between then and April 2022, according to Taras Chmut's reporting, they were accepted into active service.[6]

Deployment

On 8 May 2022, Russian Defence Ministry claimed, that the lead vessel of the class, DSHK-1 Stanislav, was destroyed near the Russian-controlled Snake Island.[7] In November 2022, the sinking was confirmed by Ukrainian Pravda and Dumskaya.[8][9]

A Centaur-LK boat was damaged in port by a Russian missile strike and is currently awaiting repair.[10]

Vessels
Name Producer Hull Number Pennant Number Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fleet Homeport Status
DSHK-1 Stanislav[11] Kuznya na Rybalskomu 01032 28 December 2016 14 September 2018[12] 2019 Ukrainian Navy Sunk by Russia on 7 May 2022[9]
DSHK-2 Malyn[11] Kuznya na Rybalskomu 01033 28 December 2016 20 September 2018[13] 2019 Ukrainian Navy Active[6]
DSHK-3 Kuznya na Rybalskomu 01037[14] 8 February 2019 Ukrainian Navy Under construction
DSHK-4 Kuznya na Rybalskomu Ukrainian Navy Planned in 2019, but plans of construction halted
Kuznya na Rybalskomu Ukrainian Navy Planned in 2019, but plans of construction halted
Kuznya na Rybalskomu Ukrainian Navy Planned in 2019, but plans of construction halted
Kuznya na Rybalskomu Ukrainian Navy Planned in 2020, but plans of construction halted
Kuznya na Rybalskomu Ukrainian Navy Planned in 2020, but plans of construction halted
  • Project number 58503 «Centaur-LK»

See also

Notes
  1. In commission since 2019, but only actively part of a combat fleet since 2022

References
  1. "Десантно-штурмовий катер пр. 58181, шифр «Кентавр»" (in Ukrainian).
  2. "Посадовець Міноборони визнав провину за закупівлю непридатних катерів «Кентавр» і антиснайперських систем" (in Ukrainian).
  3. The Ministry of Defense signed a contract on construction of two landing crafts Centaur. Ukrainian Military. 24 May 2016
  4. "Ukraine launches first Centaur-class assault boat". 17 September 2018.
  5. "Швидкісний штурмовий катер пр. 58503, «Кентавр-ЛК»" (in Ukrainian).
  6. @zhemchuzhnykova (24 April 2022). "- Що по "Кентаврах" для розмінув. акваторії Чорного моря?" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 November 2022 – via Twitter.
  7. "Russian Aerospace Forces down 2 Ukrainian planes, 3 copters, 2 drones off Snake Island". tass.com. 8 May 2022.
  8. РОМАНЮК, РОМАН (7 November 2022). "Битва за Зміїний. Героїчна історія: як Україна втратила і повернула надважливий острів. Реконструкція". Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  9. "Матері та дружини зниклих моряків із потоплених катерів ВМСУ просять пролити світло на долі їхніх близьких: «Ми на 100% впевнені, що вони в полоні»". Dumskaya (in Ukrainian). 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  10. "Мужні екіпажі катерів захищають узбережжя". Телерадіостудія МО України Бриз (in Ukrainian). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  11. ""Станіслав" та "Малин" – імена "Кентаврів"". mil.in.ua. Український мілітарний портал. 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  12. "Перший "Кентавр" для Військово-Морських Сил ЗС України спущено на воду" (Press release) (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-09-14.
  13. ""Кентаври" для ВМС ЗС України: на воду спущено ще один десантно-штурмовий катер" (Press release) (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  14. "Мужні екіпажі катерів захищають узбережжя". Телерадіостудія МО України Бриз (in Ukrainian). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
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