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Russian replenishment ship Berezina

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Replenishment ship Berezina in 1988
History
Soviet Union → Ukraine/Russia
NameBerezina
NamesakeBerezina river or the Battle of Berezina
Operator
BuilderShipyard named after 61 Communards, Mykolaiv
Laid downAugust 18, 1972
LaunchedApril 20, 1975
CommissionedDecember 30, 1977
DecommissionedMay 28, 1997
HomeportSevastopol Naval Base
Fate
  • Joined the joint Russo-Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet, 3 August 1992
  • Transferred to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, 28 May 1997
Russia
NameBerezina
OperatorRussian Navy
CommissionedMay 28, 1997
DecommissionedMarch 2002
HomeportSevastopol Naval Base
FateSold for scrapping, 2002
General characteristics
Class and typeBerezina-class replenishment ship
Displacement25,000 tonnes (25,000 long tons; 28,000 short tons) full load
Length209.84 m (688 ft 5 in)[1]
Beam25.1 m (82 ft 4 in)[1]
Draught7.7 m (25 ft 3 in)[1]
Installed powerTwo auxiliary diesel generators (2 × 1,500 kW)
Propulsion
  • 2 × T-1 COGAS systems, two shafts (2 × 16,500 PS or 16,270 shp):
Speed21.87 knots (40.50 km/h; 25.17 mph)
Range9,180 nmi (17,000 km; 10,560 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[1]
Endurance90 days[1]
Complement389 crew + 178 passengers[1]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × "Don" navigational radar
  • 2 × "Don-Kay" navigational radars
  • 1 × "Strut Curve" (MR-302) air search radar
  • 1 × "Pop Group" (4R33 / MPZ-301 "Baza") air search and fire-control radar (SA-N-4)
  • 1 × "Muff Cob" (MR-103 "Bars") fire-control radar (57 mm)
  • 2 × "Bass Tilt" (MR-123 "Vympel-A") fire-control radars (30 mm)
  • 1 × PUSB "Storm-1833" hull-mounted sonar
  • 2 × "High Pole B" (IFF)
  • 2 × "Square Head" (IFF)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • "Tertsiya-1833" jamming system:
    • 2 × ZIF-121 chaff launchers
Armament
  • 2 × twin 57 mm AK-725 naval guns
  • 4 × 30 mm AK-630 CIWS
  • 2 × sextuple 300 mm RBU-1000 "Smerch-1" ASW (84 × RGB-10 anti-submarine rockets)[1]
  • 1 × twin ZIF-122 launcher of SA-N-4 ("Osa-M") SAGW (20 × 9M33 missiles)
Aircraft carried2 × Ka-25 Hormone C

Berezina (Russian: Березина) was a fleet replenishment ship used by the Soviet Navy and by the Russian Navy. She was only ship of Project 1833 Pegas ('Pegasus').[1] The ship served in the Soviet Navy and later Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet from 1975 to 2000. Berezina was scrapped in Aliağa, Turkey in 2003.

Construction

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The ship was laid down on 18 August 1972 at the Shipyard named after 61 Communards, Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. Launched 20 April 1975. On 30 December 1975, the ship was commissioned as part of the Black Sea Fleet of the Soviet Navy and was based in Sevastopol.[2] Berezina was heavily armed for a supply ship of the era. Berezina was armed with the Osa-M surface-to-air guided weapon, 57 mm/75-caliber AK-725 dual-purpose guns, RBU-1000 anti-submarine weapons and AK-630 close-in weapon systems.[3] Uniquely, in 1986 it was said that Berezina was probably the only auxiliary ship of any nation fitted with sonar and anti-submarine weapons.[4] In 1979, western media reported that it was suspected that four Berezina class supply ships would eventually be built.[5] Only one was completed.

Operations

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Aerial starboard quarter view of the Soviet replenishment oiler Berezina (center), simultaneously refueling the aircraft carrier Kiev (left), a Kresta II-class cruiser (right), and a Mod Kashin-class destroyer (behind), 1985

From 26 May to 28 September 1978, Berezina conducted comprehensive testing in the Black Sea with the carrier Minsk transferring stores via high line and with helicopters. Berezina was able to refuel ships port, starboard and astern. In 1979, Berezina operated in the Mediterranean Sea, transferring cargo and fuel to Tashkent, Minsk and Kiev.[6][7] In 1980–1981, Berezina operated in the Indian Ocean. In 1982, Berezina operated with the Northern Fleet during a large exercise, transferring cargo to Kiev and Kirov.[6]

In 1985, Berezina returned to the Shipyard named after 61 Communards for repairs and modernization. After shipyard work was completed, Berezina was sent to the Mediterranean Sea. On 14 May 1986, Berezina collided with the steamship Capitan Soroka in fog near Istanbul and was damaged on the port side, down to the waterline.[6][8][9][10] After the collision, the ship returned to Mykolaiv for repairs until 1987. On 18 February 1991, Berezina deployed to the Mediterranean Sea for the final time, returning to Sevastopol on 30 August 1991. During the ship's career, Berezina deployed 9 times and travelled about 95,000 nautical miles (176,000 km). After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian naval activity declined and Berezina was no longer needed for fleet operations and underway replenishment. In 1996, the ship's armaments were removed. She was sponsored by the city of Zelenograd (1995–1997).[citation needed] In March 2002, the ship was sold for scrapping.[6] Berezina was scrapped at Aliağa, Turkey, 9 April 2003.[11][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Project 1833 "Berezina" - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 3 Feb 2023.
  2. ^ "Project 1833 Berezina". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 3 Feb 2023.
  3. ^ "Project 1833 "Berezina" - Design". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 1 Feb 2023.
  4. ^ Polmar, Norman (1986). Guide to the Soviet navy. p. 298. ISBN 9780870212406. LCCN 86023584.
  5. ^ UPI (14 Aug 1979). "Soviet naval might eclipsing US". The Salina Journal. p. 2. It is said that ... and four "Berezina" class support ships
  6. ^ a b c d "Project 1833 "Berezina" - Operations". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 1 Feb 2023.
  7. ^ UPI (18 May 1979). "Soviet Carrier, Amphibious Ship Are Anchored Off Arabian Coast". Logansport Pharos-Tribune. p. 10. A new type of Soviet supply ship, the Berezina, for the first time did high-speed refueling of up to three ships at a time during the exercise. "It was none of this dead-in-the-water stuff, but done at 14 or 15 knots." said a Navy source.
  8. ^ Arkin, William M.; Handler, Joshua. "Neptune Paper No. 3: Naval Accidents 1945-1988" (PDF). Greenpeace. p. 69.
  9. ^ Office of Naval Intelligence (May 1987). "The Soviet Navy in 1986". Proceedings. Vol. 113, no. 5. U.S. Naval Institute.
  10. ^ Defense Technical Information Center (14 January 1991). "DTIC ADA334402: JPRS Report, Soviet Union, Military Affairs".
  11. ^ "Berezina (6126955)". Miramar Ship Index.
  12. ^ The Naval Institute guide to combat fleets of the world, 2005-2006. Naval Institute. 2005. p. 658. Berezina (154) was scrapped in Turkey during 2003.
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