Soviet cruiser Vasily Chapayev

As the ship's primary role was as an anti-submarine warship, Vasily Chapayev mounted two KT-106 quadruple launchers for eight 85R anti-submarine missiles in the URPK-3 Metel system (NATO reporting name: SS-N-14 'Silex').[9] This was backed up by two stern RBU-6000 and two forward RBU-1000 rocket launchers, mounting 12 and six rockets each respectively, to protect against close-in threats.[8] The Ka-25 helicopter embarked on the ship was also capable of aiding in the search and destruction of submarines, and as such it could carry depth charges and torpedoes.[10] The 85R missiles could also be used against surface threats.[11]

For defence against aerial threats, Vasily Chapayev was armed with the M-11 Shtorm system (NATO reporting name: SA-N-3 'Goblet'), which included two twin B-187A launchers, one forward of the bridge and the other forward of the hangar, for 48 V-611 (4K60) surface-to-air missiles in two barrel-shaped magazines of 24 missiles each.[12] The vessel also had four 57 mm (2.2 in) AK-725 dual-purpose guns situated in two twin mountings, one on either side aft of the funnel to protect against surface and aerial threats. Although not envisaged in the original design, four [sextuple 30 mm (1.2 in) [AK-630]] close-in weapon systems were added during construction.[13] Two quintuple PT-53-1134A mountings for 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes were also fitted aft of the funnel which could be used in both the anti-shipping and anti-submarine roles.[14]

Vasily Chapayev was equipped with the MR-600 Voskhod (NATO reporting name: 'Top Sail') early-warning radar, supported by a MR-310A Angara-A (NATO reporting name: 'Head Net C') search radar, and two Volga (NATO reporting names: 'Don Kay' and 'Don-2') navigational radars. The MR-310A was an advanced system that could track up to 15 targets at a range of up to 40 km (25 mi). The improved MG-332T Titan-2T hull-mounted sonar was fitted in a bulbous radome for anti-submarine warfare.[15] This was complemented by the radar, dipping sonar and sonobuoys that could be carried by the onboard helicopter.[10] For fire-control purposes, the vessel had Grom-M for the surface-to-air missiles, MR-103 Bars for the AK-725 and MR-123 Vympel for the AK-630.[4]

The ship's electronic warfare equipment included the MRP-15-16 Zaliv and two sets each of the MRP-11-12 and MRP-13-14 direction-finding systems, as well as the MRP-150 Gurzuf A and MRP-152 Gurzuf B radar-jamming devices.[16] Vasily Chapayev was also fitted with a MG-26 communications outfit and a MG-35 Shtil passive sonar.[15]

Ordered on 11 June 1970 from the Zhdanov Shipyard, Vasily Chapayev was allocated the yard number 729. The ship was laid down on 22 November 1973 and launched on 28 November 1974.[17] The vessel was named in honour of the Russian Civil War naval commander Vasily Chapayev.[18] Completed on 30 November 1976 and Commissioned under the command of Captain 2nd Rank V. A. Sobgaida, the vessel was assigned to the Soviet Navy's Pacific Fleet.[11][19]

On entering service, Vasily Chapayev was ordered to sail on 24 December 1976 but the crew refused to comply. When the rebellion was assessed by the authorities, the senior officers were found culpable and removed.[19] Captain 1st Rank A. A. Agadzhanov was transferred from Vladivostok to take command of the warship, which departed Leningrad in 1977 for the port that would be home for the rest of the ship's career.[19] On 16 December 1977, the ship paid a visit to Bombay, staying until 21 December.[17] On 31 March the following year, Vasily Chapayev was allocated to the 201st Brigade of the 10th Squadron of the Pacific Fleet based at Vladivostok. The vessel subsequently visited Aden in South Yemen, Cienfuegos and Havana in Cuba, and Luanda, Angola, to contribute to friendly relationships between the host countries and the Soviet Union.[19] The ship arrived in Vladivostok the following year, the first major warship to join the Pacific Fleet in four years and seen by NATO as a demonstration of the increasing importance of the region to Soviet policy.[20]

In June 1978, Vasily Chapayev joined a fleet of Soviet warships, including the Project 68bis (NATO reporting name: 'Sverdlov' class) cruiser Admiral Senyavin and the Project 58 (NATO reporting name: 'Kynda' class) cruiser Admiral Fokin, to sail to Vietnam to promote peace after the Sino-Vietnamese War.[21] In February 1979, the vessels returned to support Vietnam during the border clashes with China that followed the conflict. The crew was honoured by the Soviet authorities for their service, with 36 receiving government commendations. The vessel returned to Vladivostok in March.[19]

In 1982, Vasily Chapayev was seconded to the search team under the Black Sea Fleet supporting the BOR-4 spaceplane, which was designed to splashdown in the Indian Ocean.[22] The vessel spent the year visiting countries in and around the Indian Ocean to show the flag. Between 8 and 12 May 1982, the crew were hosted by Victoria, Seychelles.[17] The ship travelled on to Ethiopia where short preventative maintenance repairs were performed, and then subsequently travelled to Maputo, Mozambique, and Socatra, Yemen, before returning to Vladivostok via Victoria and Vietnam.[19] The ship underwent a more substantial overhaul in 1983.[23]

On 28 September 1984, the ship left Vladivostok as part of a large fleet of Soviet vessels led by the Project 1143 Krechyet (NATO reporting name: 'Kiev' class) aircraft carrier Novorossiysk on a mission to search for a US Navy nuclear submarine reported off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Two days later, on 30 September, a radioactive signature consistent with a submarine was detected, and on 2 October the Soviet Project 877 Paltus (NATO reporting name: 'Kilo' class) class submarine B-404 identified a US submarine in the Kuril Strait in what was deemed by the Soviets to be sufficiently close to their territorial waters to be a potential threat. The submarine was subsequently tracked by air and sea until 5 October, but no contact was made between the belligerents and the event did not escalate into an international incident. The Project 1134B Berkut B (NATO reporting name: 'Kara' class) cruiser Nikolayev and Vasily Chapayev acted as motherships for the operation, and on 5 October refuelled the smaller vessels of the flotilla in Aniva Bay. The ships then called off the search and all returned to their home ports.[23]

On 29 March 1985, Vasily Chapayev accompanied Nikolayev, Novorossiysk and a host of smaller vessels under the command of Vice-Admiral Rostislav Leonidovich Dymov for the Pacific Ocean to undertake a major exercise to test the joint operations capability within the Soviet armed forces. The fleet progressed to the coast of Hawaii, and proceeded to run a simulated attack on Pearl Harbor. The operation included coordination between vessels above and below the sea, and aircraft flying from the aircraft carrier. The outcome of the test proved to the Soviet military leadership the value of co-ordinated attacks by aircraft, ships and submarines using long-range cruise missiles. The fleet then proceeded to the Philippine Sea and undertook anti-submarine operations to identify the US Navy ballistic missile submarines that operated in the area. September found the vessel off the coast of Vietnam undertaking further weapon tests. The voyage was considered a success.[24]

Between 15 and 17 October 1986, the ship was involved in the first joint exercise between the Soviet Union and the Korean People's Navy, simulating an amphibious attack on Rason.[24] This was a time of heightened belligerent activity by North Korea and a peak of violations of the fragile peace between the country and South Korea, with ten times as many as ten years previously.[25] The crew was subsequently named by the Soviet Navy amongst the most capable in the force at anti-submarine warfare.[24] Nonetheless, over the following years, the amount of activity that the vessel saw decreased substantially. With the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the navy reassessed its need for a large fleet and decided to retire some of its larger and more expensive ships.[26] The class of warships was to be transferred to the Russian Navy.[27] Despite this, on 5 March 1992, Vasily Chapayev was removed from active service.[24] On 30 June 1993, the vessel was struck, decommissioned and transferred to be broken up, a process that started on 31 December.[17]

During the vessel's career, Vasily Chapayev was assigned the temporary tactical numbers 545, 570, 239, 511, 549 and 590.[24]

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