The Zubr class, Soviet designation Project 1232.2, (NATO reporting name "Pomornik") is a

class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

-designed

air-cushioned landing craft An air-cushioned landing craft, also called an LCAC ( landing craft, air cushioned), is a modern variation on the amphibious landing boat. The majority of these craft are small- to mid-sized multi-purpose hovercraft, also known as "over the be ...

(LCAC). The name "Zubr" is Russian for the European bison. This class of military hovercraft is, as of 2023 the world's largest hovercraft, with a standard full load displacement of 555 tons. The hovercraft was designed to sealift amphibious assault units (such as

marines Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included Raid (military), raiding ashor ...

and

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

s) from equipped/non-equipped vessels to non-equipped shores, as well as to transport and plant

naval mine A naval mine is a self-contained explosive weapon placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Similar to anti-personnel mine, anti-personnel and other land mines, and unlike purpose launched naval depth charges, they are ...

s. Ten Zubr-class hovercraft remain in service. There are two vessels in the

Russian Navy The Russian Navy is the Navy, naval arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It has existed in various forms since 1696. Its present iteration was formed in January 1992 when it succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which had i ...

and four with the Hellenic Navy. In 2009

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

placed an order for four vessels from

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

as part of a deal worth US$315 million. Two updated versions of the vessels were built by

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

's Feodosia Shipbuilding Company, followed by two advanced models of the surface warship. In 2023, an additional two more were built and modernized, with both hulls being numbered as 3260 and 3261. The purchase in 2000 of HS ''Cephalonia'' (L 180) for the Hellenic Navy marked the first time a Soviet-designed naval craft had been built for a

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

member. In June 2017 Russia announced the restarting of production of Zubr-class craft. Representatives from the Russian shipbuilding industry soon after responded by stating production could not possibly resume in 2018 and would only be possible by 2019–2021, refuting the government position. Representatives cited the lack of availability of and inability to mass-produce components, notably gas-turbine engines and reduction gears as the main obstacles. NPO Saturn (ODK GT) and Turboros developed marine

gas turbine A gas turbine or gas turbine engine is a type of Internal combustion engine#Continuous combustion, continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas gene ...

engines M70FRU (D090), FR RU, M70FRU2 (DP/DM71) along M90FR, M75RU, E70RD8 and Elektrosila, AO Zvezda, Metallist, Samara and others developed redactors and gears.

History

The Zubr class landing craft were developed in the 1980s and the first operational group entered service in 1986. From 1985 to 1993 and 2001 and 2004, a total of 15 units of the class were laid down in Saint Petersburg and Feodosia. After the end of the Soviet Union, two boats at the shipyard were scrapped before they were completed, and three boats from the Black Sea Fleet were handed over to Ukraine, which itself built another boat. As of 2001, three new boats were built for Greece.

Configuration

High strength and buoyancy is provided by a rectangular pontoon, the main load-carrying part of the ship's hull. The superstructure built on the pontoon is divided into three compartments with two longitudinal bulkheads: combat material compartment in the midsection fitted with tank ramps, and outboard sections housing main and auxiliary propulsion units, troop compartments, living quarters, and NBC protection systems. To improve working conditions in the battle stations, troop compartments and living quarters are fitted with air-conditioning and heating-systems, sound/heat-insulating coatings, and structures made of vibration damping materials. The ship provides normal conditions for the crew to make meals and rest. Personnel are protected against the effects of

weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a Biological agent, biological, chemical weapon, chemical, Radiological weapon, radiological, nuclear weapon, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great dam ...

by airtight sealing of combat stations, crew and troop compartments, augmented with individual gas masks and protection suits. The ship is also protected from magnetic influence mines with an active system to compensate for the

magnetic field A magnetic field (sometimes called B-field) is a physical field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular ...

s generated by the ship and transported materials. The central command post and MS-227 device compartments are strengthened with alloy armor.

Capacity

The Zubr-class landing craft has a cargo area of and a fuel capacity of 56 tons. It can carry three

main battle tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank or simply tank,Ogorkiewicz 2018 p222 is a tank that fills the role of armour-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more po ...

s (up to 150 tonnes), or ten armoured vehicles with 230 troops (up to 131 tonnes), or eight

armoured personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

s of total mass up to 115 tonnes, or eight amphibious tanks or up to 500 troops (with 360 troops in the cargo compartment). At full displacement the ship is capable of negotiating up to 5-degree gradients on non-equipped shores and -high vertical walls. The Zubr class remains seaworthy in conditions up to Sea State 4. The vessel has a cruising speed of . Later models built by Ukroboronprom for the People's Republic of China are reported to travel at a top speed of 63 kt. The range of 300 nautical miles is obtained at 55 kt cruise. A licensed-built version of this model is in service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy designated as the Type 958.

Operators

(ex-

Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...

) (2) * 770 '' Evgeniy Kocheshkov'' (former MDK-50) * 782 '' Mordoviya'' (former MDK-94) (2 + 2) * HS ''Cephalonia'' (L 180, former MDK-118) * HS ''Ithaca'' (L 181, former U421) * HS ''Corfu'' (L 182) * HS ''Zakynthos'' (L 183) * 6 (2 delivered from Ukraine, 4 built in China)

Former operators

(4) * ''

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; ; ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin, and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in Donetsk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Russia as the capita ...

'' (U420, former MDK-100) — decommissioned on 11 June 1999, scrapped * '' Kramatorsk'' (U422, former MDK-57) — decommissioned on 11 June 1999, scrapped * '' Horlivka'' (U423, former MDK-93) — decommissioned on 29 November 2000, scrapped * ''Artemivsk'' (U424, former MDK-123) — sold to

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

on 24 January 2000

References

Bibliography

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External links

* * * * * * {{Ship classes of the Hellenic Navy Amphibious warfare vessels of the Soviet Navy Amphibious warfare vessels of the Russian Navy Amphibious warfare vessels of the Hellenic Navy Military hovercraft Landing craft Amphibious warfare vessel classes Amphibious warfare vessels of the People's Liberation Army Navy