Russian corvette Samum

Samum (former MRK-17) is a Bora-class corvette in the Soviet Navy and later the Russian Navy. In Soviet and later Russian classification, it is considered a "small missile ship" (Russian: малый ракетный корабль, МРК). Like the rest of the class, it is a surface effect ship armed with anti-ship missiles.

Samum in 2010
History
Russia
NameMRK-17
BuilderA.M. Gorky Shipyard, Zelenodolsk
Yard number502
Laid downSeptember 1991
Launched12 October 1992
Commissioned26 February 2000
Renamed
  • Samum
  • (Самум)
NamesakeSamum
IdentificationSee Pennant numbers
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeBora-class corvette
Displacement1,050 tonnes (1,033 long tons)
Length66 m (216 ft 6 in)[citation needed]
Beam17 m (55 ft 9 in)
Draught3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Installed power4 × 200 kW diesel-driven generators
Propulsion
  • Twin M10-D1 type gas turbine engines rated at 60,000 hp (45,000 kW) bound to two primary three-blade propellers 2 x GTU (36000 hp , roughly 25.8 MW or few more)
  • Twin M511A reduction gear diesel engines rated at 20,000 hp (15,000 kW) bound to two primary three-blade propellers
  • Twin M52OM3 auxiliary diesel engines driving superchargers rated at 6,800 horsepower (5,100 kW) used to inflate the skirts
Speed
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) cruise
  • 55 knots (102 km/h; 63 mph) maximum
Range
  • 2,500 nmi (4,600 km) at 12 knots[citation needed]
  • 800 nmi (1,500 km) at 55 knots (102 km/h)
Endurance10 days[citation needed]
Complement
  • 35 minimum
  • 68 combat
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Monolit-E / Monument-E target detection and designation radar
  • Pozitiv-ME1 air/surface search radar[citation needed]
  • 5P-10E Fire Control Radar
  • Anapa-ME1 sonar
  • Moskit-E 3Ts-81E missile fire control system
  • Various cannon and missile guidance and countermeasure systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
NotesCombat ready in rough weather up to Sea State 5

Construction and career

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MRK-17 was laid down in September 1991 and launched on 12 October 1992 at the A.M. Gorky Shipyard, Zelenodolsk and commissioned into the Baltic Fleet on 26 February 2000.[1]

On 19 March 1992, the vessel was renamed Samum, after the Russian word for the simoom desert wind.

On 25 July 2002, Samum was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.

On 14 September 2023, while stationed in Sevastopol during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ship was the target of a Sea Baby sea drone attack by Ukraine.[2] According to Ukrainian intelligence sources, afterwards the ship was towed away for "extensive damage" on one side. The Russian defense ministry claimed however that the attack was repelled.[3][4][5]

Pennant numbers

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Date Pennant number[6]
1989 609
1990 616

Citations

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  1. ^ "Air Cushion Missile Ship - Project 1239". russianships.info. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Ukrainian SeaBaby drone hits Russian Samum missile warship in Black Sea". Ukrainska Pravda. 15 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Ukraine sea drone damages small Russian missile ship, Kyiv source says". Reuters. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Ukrainian marine drone allegedly hit Russian missile carrier "Samum" near Sevastopol". Euromaidan Press. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Морський дрон СБУ підбив російський ракетний корабель Самум — джерела NV". nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Small Missile Ships - Project 1234". russianships.info. Retrieved 20 September 2021.