Combat minesweeper. A sad look at the Russian Navy: a mine sweeping disaster. Modular mine action systems

Trawling German minefields in the Soviet fleet was carried out by specially built ships - high-speed minesweepers of the "Fugas" type. But, in addition to this, they had to carry out other command tasks - convoy transports, carry out raiding operations, shell the coast, land troops, evacuate troops.

Soviet "plowmen of the sea"

Mine weapons proved their effectiveness during the Russo-Japanese War. Then it was actively used by the warring parties during the First World War. During the Civil War, the Reds, Whites and invaders laid thousands of mines on the seas and rivers of the former Russian Empire. After the end of the conflict, the mine threat remained for many years, which obsolete minesweepers actively fought against. In the 20-30s. XX century mine weapons developed at an accelerated pace, and at the same time the means of combating them were improved. The young Soviet state also kept pace with the times. During the years of the first Soviet five-year plans, Project 3 BTSH minesweepers (according to the classification of that time, high-speed or basic) were included in the military shipbuilding programs. In 1933-1934. The first four buildings were laid in Sevastopol. They were included in Black Sea Fleet in 1936-1937 By this time, there were six more minesweeper hulls on the stocks, which were built according to the adjusted project 53. They entered service in 1938, but two of them were sent to the Pacific Ocean on orders from Moscow. In 1937-1939 seven more minesweepers were laid down, they were built according to the modernized project 58. In 1939-1941. five “plowmen of the sea” replenished the Black Sea Fleet, and two ships were again sent by the command to strengthen the Pacific Fleet. Two more hulls of minesweepers of the "Fugas" type remained unfinished. Thus, the Black Sea Fleet included 13 BTShch. They made up two BTSh divisions, which were part of the OVR of the main base of the Black Sea Fleet, created on August 24, 1939. High-speed minesweepers were based in the South Bay of Sevastopol, their crews were actively engaged in combat training and took part in all naval exercises and maneuvers.

Beginning of the war

On June 22, German planes dropped mines on the Sevastopol fairway. On this day, the T-401 “Tral” was sent on patrol. From the first days of the war, the Nazis actively used mine weapons in the Black Sea. They placed magnetic mines on the fairways of the Black Sea Fleet bases. The Black Sea Fleet command, following directives from Moscow, gave the order to lay defensive minefields. Landmines also took part in these works - in June and July 1941, minesweepers laid mines near Odessa, Novorossiysk, Anapa, Kerch Strait, in the delta of the Chili arm of the Danube and near Oyster Lake. In addition, they were actively used to cover mine-laying cruisers, destroyers and mines, minesweeping and patrolling near Sevastopol. Soon German aviation intensified its actions, and the BTSH began to actively involve in convoying transport to Odessa, the ports of Crimea and the Caucasus. As one of the OVR sailors noted: “Due to the lack of escort ships, high-speed minesweepers were freed from their direct duty - fighting mines! It’s a paradox: escort patrol boats destroy mines, while minesweepers stand at the pier or escort convoys.” At the same time, losses were avoided, but this could not last forever. On September 12, while forming a new convoy near Feodosia, a T-402 Minrep was blown up by a mine. Within minutes it sank, killing 61 sailors.

German units captured all of Ukraine and tried to break into Crimea; they planned to capture Sevastopol. On September 26, the Black Sea Fleet command sent the T-403 “Cargo” to the Perekop Isthmus to fire at German troops. The minesweepers T-404 “Shield”, T-405 “Vzryvatel”, T-406 “Iskatel” and T-407 “Mina” took part in the evacuation of Odessa. Fast minesweepers laid mines in the port and on the approaches to it - on October 14, the T-405 “Fuse” laid 30 mines near Grigoryevka, on October 16 it mined the Odessa port with 50 mines, on October 20 its sailors laid 26 mines in the Odessa Gulf. On October 24, T-404 “Shield” and T-408 “Anchor” laid 27 and 26 mines in the Dnieper-Bug estuary. The Black Sea Fleet lost some of its bases and relocated to the Caucasus, and parts of the Wehrmacht broke into Crimea. Coastal battery No. 54 was the first to defend the city. For several days, artillerymen fired at enemy troops. On November 2, the T-406 “Seeker” and two “sea hunters” were sent for them. The 250-day defense of Sevastopol began, which in our country became a symbol of the courage and fortitude of the Black Sea sailors.

The T-412 high-speed minesweeper lays a defensive minefield near Odessa, July 1941.

Defending our native Sevastopol

The defenders of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet managed to repel German attacks on Sevastopol and parts of the Wehrmacht, having captured Crimea, began to prepare for the assault on the fortress. Soviet troops also accumulated strength - reinforcements, weapons and ammunition were delivered by sea, the wounded and civilians, and various cargoes were transported to the mainland. German aviation received airfields in Crimea and began systematically bombing the port, enemy artillery constantly shelled the city and bays, and the Germans laid new mines on the approaches to the port. The main forces of the Black Sea Fleet went to the Caucasus, but the OVR ships continued to carry out their difficult service: they fought against mines, went out on patrol, covered convoys, transported reinforcements and cargo, escorted transports and fired at enemy positions near Sevastopol and Balaklava. The T-413, ten “sea hunters”, nine KM-type boats, seventeen KATSCH and floating battery No. 3 remained in Sevastopol. The base minesweeper patrolled the approaches to the fortress, it met convoys and warships, and had a pilot and a division navigator on board. The minesweepers repeatedly came under enemy fire and were constantly attacked by German aces. The ships were not always able to avoid damage; the crews suffered losses. Damaged main switchboards were being repaired and the load on the remaining “plowmen of the sea” increased. In December, German units began the assault on Sevastopol. From December 1 to December 29, minesweepers conducted 29 firing exercises at advancing enemy troops and expended 659 100-mm shells. In December 1941, the minesweepers T-401 "Tral", T-404 "Shield", T-410 "Explosion", T-411 "Defender" and T-412 took part in the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation, which eased the situation for the defenders fortress and allowed Soviet troops to create a springboard for the offensive in Crimea.

Mine model 1926 on the deck of the T-408 “Anchor” BTShch. The photo was taken in July 1941 during the laying of a minefield in the Oyster Lake area

The hull of the minesweeper T-405 “Vzryvatel” on the shore near Evpatoria, January 1942.

A more difficult task was assigned by the Black Sea Fleet command to the commander of the T-405 “Fuse”. On January 4, 1942, he left Sevastopol with paratroopers on board. He, along with the tugboat SP-12, seven “sea hunters”, landed 740 paratroopers and three tanks in Yevpatoria on the night of January 5th. They managed to quickly capture the city center, but they were unable to build on their success. The Germans quickly brought up their reserves, but the Soviet troops did not receive help due to bad weather. At dawn, aviation took over, and the minesweeper, which was helping the paratroopers with gunfire, received significant damage. On the evening of January 5, waves threw the damaged ship onto a sandy shore 6 km south of Evpatoria. On the morning of January 6, “Fuse” was shot by German tanks, and the remnants of the landing force were destroyed or captured; only a few were able to break through to the partisans.

After intense landing operations, the “plowmen of the sea” returned to their “direct” duties - escorting transports and convoys, delivering cargo, ammunition and reinforcements to Sevastopol. During the spring of 1942, the Germans intensified the blockade of the approaches to the fortress; they attracted torpedo bomber aircraft, torpedo boats and mini-submarines to operate on Soviet communications, and the number of raids on the port increased significantly. The blockade of the fortress began, and all ships with cargo for the defenders had to fight their way into the fortress.

On May 27, the Georgia transport successfully broke through to Sevastopol. He was accompanied by the destroyer Bezuprechny, T-404 Shield, T-408 Anchor and T-409 Harpoon. On the evening of June 2, the tanker Gromov was sunk near Yalta. He was accompanied by the T-411 "Defender", T-412 and 4 patrol boats, but they were unable to repel the attack of 10 torpedo bombers. On June 7, Wehrmacht units launched a new assault. On June 10, the T-408 “Anchor” and T-411 “Defender” supported the Red Army units with fire; on June 11, the T-401 “Tral” and T-410 “Explosion” fired at German troops. Soon the defenders of the fortress began to experience an urgent need for ammunition and replenishment. It was necessary to urgently deliver goods to Sevastopol and evacuate the wounded. On June 10, the transport “Abkhazia” broke into the port, accompanied by the destroyer “Svobodny”, minesweepers T-408 “Anchor” and T-411 “Zashchitnik”. On June 11, the Bialystok transport broke the blockade. He was accompanied by the T-401 "Tral" and T-410 "Explosion", which were immediately sent by the SOR command to fire at the advancing German units. On June 12, the Georgia transport arrived, which was accompanied by the T-404 Shield and T-409 Harpoon. On June 13, on the outer roadstead of Sevastopol, a T-413 was sunk by German aircraft, killing 18 sailors. During the raids on Sevastopol on June 17 and 18, the T-409 “Harpoon” was severely damaged, but it was able to be taken out for repairs in Tuapse. To restore it, parts of the hull of an unfinished minesweeper were used. On the evening of June 19, at Cape Fiolent, enemy torpedo bombers sank the Bialystok transport. He was accompanied by the T-408 “Anchor” and 5 patrol boats. German aircraft continued raids on the remains of the convoy. The minesweeper received significant damage from nearby bomb explosions, but managed to reach Tuapse on June 20. At least 150 tons of water entered the minesweeper’s compartments, the draft increased by 0.5 m, and the list to the left side reached 12 degrees.

The fast minesweeper T-404 "Shield" departs from the pier in Novorossiysk, early 1942. Type 7 destroyers are visible in the background

The high-speed minesweeper T-401 "Tral" leaves Novorossiysk for Sevastopol, spring 1942. The photo was taken from the board of the leader "Tashkent". The hull of the unfinished Project 68-K cruiser is visible in the background.

The T-412 high-speed minesweeper moored after a combat campaign, Batumi, 1942. The photo clearly shows the design of the forecastle of the land mine type BTSH

An observer monitors the sea on the forecastle of one of the Black Sea Fleet's high-speed minesweepers

Meanwhile, the agony of Sevastopol began, and minesweepers took part in the evacuation of the wounded and defenders of the fortress. But it was not organized and took place in the most difficult conditions - complete dominance of German aviation in the air, a large number of enemy boats on the sea approaches to the city, great amount people abandoned by the SOR command to their fate, about 35 batteries without ammunition, food and water. On July 2, minesweepers T-410 “Explosion”, T-411 “Defender” and “sea hunters” were evacuating people from Sevastopol. They took up to 700 people on board and managed to break through to Novorossiysk. The T-404 "Shield", which was heading towards the agonizing fortress, was attacked by German planes. As a result, damaged by nearby explosions, he was unable to break through to Sevastopol. He returned to Novorossiysk, removing 32 people from the GST seaplane along the way. Soon the fortress fell, and most of the defenders of the Black Sea stronghold were captured.

Landing of paratroopers on the high-speed minesweeper T-412 "Arseny Raskin", 1943.

Sailors are preparing to set up a paravane trawl on one of the high-speed minesweepers of the "Rus" type

Off the coast of the Caucasus and on enemy communications

The main task of the “plowmen of the sea” was still to guide convoys along the coast of the Caucasus. They escorted transports and tankers along the route Batumi - Poti - Tuapse - Novorossiysk, escorted warships, and carried out various orders of the Black Sea Fleet command. The minesweepers took part in laying a defensive minefield near Novorossiysk. On July 16, 150 mines were delivered by the gunboat “Red Abkhazia”, T-401 “Tral”, T-406 “Iskatel” and T-412. On the night of July 31, T-407 “Mina” and T-411 “Defender” fired at Feodosia. On August 14, in the Ozereyka area, enemy aircraft severely damaged the T-410 “Explosion”, and it was with great difficulty The tug "Simeiz" brought it to Novorossiysk. On September 19, T-401 "Tral" and T-406 "Seeker" fired at German positions near Myskhako. On October 18, T-408 “Anchor” and T-412 fired at Anapa. Almost every convoy crossing along the coast of the Caucasus was accompanied by enemy attacks.

Soon, minesweepers were also involved in raiding operations against enemy communications. Four minesweepers and the destroyer Soobrazitelny took part in the first voyage. On the morning of December 13, the T-406 “Seeker” and T-407 “Mina” attacked an enemy convoy near the village of Shagany, but during the two-hour battle they were unable to inflict significant damage on the enemy ships. The minesweepers T-406 “Iskatel” and T-408 “Anchor” did not detect the enemy and fired at its coastal facilities. The second campaign (December 2629) to the shores of Romania also did not bring success to the Soviet sailors, and they limited themselves to shelling objects near the village of Burnasy. The “plowmen of the sea” were no longer involved in operations on enemy communications. On January 15, the T-412 received the name “Arseny Raskin” in honor of the head of the Political Directorate of the Black Sea Fleet, who died on October 26, 1942, and became famous as the commissar of the Hanko naval base.

Red Banner EMTSH-401 "Trawl" is towing electromagnetic trawl, September 1944

The Red Banner EMTSH-407 “Mina” moored in the South Bay of Sevastopol, 1946.

On the night of February 4, 1943, three base minesweepers took part in the landing operation in the South Ozereyka - Stanichka area. The T-412 "Arseniy Raskin" was towing the bolinder No. 4, the T-411 "Defender" was towing the bolinder No. 6, and the T-404 "Shield" was towing the boliner No. 2. There were tanks on board the bolinders. It was possible to create a bridgehead on enemy territory, called “Malaya Zemlya”, which began to be provided with reinforcements and ammunition by ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Every night, gunboats, minesweepers, cutters, motor boats and seiners brought vital supplies for the defenders. For example, during the night of February 8, the T-404 “Shield” and T-412 “Arseniy Raskin” transported the 144th battalion of the 83rd Marine Brigade, numbering 1,020 people. They were opposed by German “mosquito” forces, enemy artillery and aircraft. February 27 near Myskhako torpedo boats The enemy was sunk by the T-403 “Cargo”, which was delivering soldiers and ammunition. After this, minesweepers were not involved in delivering cargo. On March 1, the minesweeper T-411 “Defender” was awarded the Guards rank.

German forces began to operate actively off the coast of the Caucasus. submarines. On March 12, they torpedoed the Moscow tanker, and on March 31, a torpedo hit the Kremlin tanker. On May 22, enemy aircraft attacked a Soviet convoy in the area of ​​Cape Chugovkopas. They sunk SKA No. 041 and damaged the International transport and the T-407 Mina. Only the help of aviation saved them from death. On June 15, near Sukhumi, the German submarine U-24 sank the Guards T-411 Defender, killing 46 sailors. The security of the convoys was strengthened, Soviet aviation was actively involved, but enemy submarines and aircraft did not stop attacking Soviet convoys off the coast of the Caucasus. On November 18, the tanker I. Stalin was torpedoed; on November 29, a torpedo hit the tanker Peredovik, but, fortunately, did not explode. On January 16, 1944, off Cape Anakria, the Germans sank the tanker Vaillant Couturier, which was accompanied by 4 basic minesweepers and 10 “sea hunters”.

End of hostilities in the Black Sea

In the spring - summer of 1944, Soviet troops liberated Sevastopol. Minesweepers continued to escort transports and were used to transport valuable cargo. In April-May, the minesweepers T-401 "Tral" and T-407 "Mina" received English type LL trawls and they began to be called EMTSH. However, German submarines still continued active operations off the coast of the Caucasus, and the Black Sea Fleet command decided to eradicate the threat. On July 15, 19, 21 and 22, the T-406 “Seeker” laid out an anti-submarine minefield (from antenna mines) near Cape Anakria and Gudauta. Convoys again began to receive additional escort forces, and aviation was actively used. On July 22, the base minesweepers T-401 "Tral", T-404 "Shield", T-407 "Mina" and T-412 "Arseniy Raskin" were awarded the Order of the Red Banner for their contribution to the defeat of Germany. Their crews faced enormous work in clearing German, Romanian, Bulgarian and Soviet minefields. On August 18, the Red Banner T-404 “Shield” conducted a control trawling of the fairways of the Novorossiysk port. On August 20, the Red Banner T-407 “Mina” began work on destroying magnetic mines near Odessa; in the fall, the minesweeper worked on clearing Constanta and Sevastopol. To clear the ports of Romania from mines, the Black Sea Fleet command sent 3 minesweepers, 2 large hunters and a small hunter. On September 2, the T-410 “Explosion” was sunk on the outskirts of Constanta by the German submarine U-19, killing 74 sailors. The boat was pursued, but failed to be destroyed. This was the last combat loss of the Black Sea Fleet in the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet offensive developed rapidly, and the “plowmen of the sea” took an active part in it. On September 9, the T-406 “Seeker” and 4 patrol boats occupied the Bulgarian port of Burgas without a fight, and the red banner minesweeper T-404 “Shield”, a large hunter and 4 “sea hunters” delivered the Soviet paratroopers to Varna. Both ports were occupied without a fight, and the local population enthusiastically greeted the Soviet troops.

Minesweepers of the Black Sea Fleet in the Southern Bay, Sevastopol, 1947. The first at the berth is the EMTSH-407 “Mina”, in the background the destroyer “Ognevoy” and the battleship “Sevastopol”

On October 15, 1944, the Red Banner T-407 “Mina” began trawling the Sevastopol bays; it destroyed 30 bottom non-contact mines. Since October 28, the Sevastopol fairways began to be cleared of mines by the T-406 “Seeker” and the Red Banner T-404 “Shield.” On November 5, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet returned to Sevastopol. This was the great merit of the “plowmen of the sea,” whose unnoticed military work is invaluable.

After the war

The fighting in the Black Sea ended, but the mine danger remained - during the Second World War, 19,995 mines and mine defenders were planted by opponents. Some of the mines were destroyed during the fighting, but the rest had to be removed at the earliest short time. It was titanic, deadly dangerous job and the crews of the base minesweepers coped with it. For example, the basic minesweeper T-408 “Anchor” covered 9,114 miles in 1945, of which more than 5,000 miles with a trawl. The Red Banner minesweeper T-412 "Arseniy Raskin" was trawling near Varna, where minesweepers destroyed 132 mines. At Constanta, the Soviet “plowmen of the sea” cleared 71 mines. When trawling fairways near the port of Odessa in 1946, 177 mines were destroyed. In 1947, trawling continued. T-406 “Seeker”, Red Banner minesweepers T-404 “Shield” and T-412 “Arseniy Raskin” destroyed a minefield near Yevpatoriya. In four days they trawled 45 minutes. In total, during the period from 1945 to 1953, 5,945 mines and mine defenders were destroyed in the Black Sea, and an area of ​​9,624 square miles was cleared. A significant part of the mines were destroyed by landmines. At the end of the 50s. The veteran ships were withdrawn from the fleet, but for several more decades they served in the Black Sea Fleet as experimental ships.

The hull of the minesweeper T-413 after lifting, Sevastopol, 1947.

Monument to those killed on the T-413 at the Communards Cemetery in Sevastopol

Memory

The memory of the heroic deeds of the crews of the Black Sea “plowmen of the sea” is carefully preserved in the OVR museum in Sevastopol, and in Feodosia at the city cemetery there is a small monument dedicated to the dead sailors of the base minesweeper T-402 “Minrep”. A small obelisk was also erected in Sevastopol at the Communard Cemetery on the grave of the sailors of the minesweeper T-413. In 1947, its body was raised and sent to the “needles”. Ultimately, the same fate befell all the Black Sea landmines.

Almost nothing remains of them except photographs and memories of the sailors who served on these ships. Only the Central Naval Museum houses the minesweeper winch control controller from the Red Banner base minesweeper T-412 Arseny Raskin. There is also a magnificent model of the Red Banner T-407 “Mina”, made on a scale of 1:50 in 1951 in the museum’s model workshop.

The feat of the Evpatoria landing was not forgotten either. Vladimir Vysotsky dedicated the song “Black Pea Jackets” to this landing. In 1970, a monument was erected at the site of the death of “Fuse”. Its author, sculptor N.I. Bratsun, depicted three paratroopers rushing in a single impulse to attack. In the Evpatoria city museum there is a hall dedicated to the landing, and a diorama “Landing of the Evpatoria landing”, created in 1988 by the artist V.B. Tatuiev.

Performance characteristics high-speed minesweeper T-406 "Iskatel"
Displacement standard 400 t, gross 494 t, length 62 m, width 7.2 m, draft 2.2 m, two 42-BMRN-6 diesel engines with a total power of 2800 hp, speed 18.4 knots, cruising range 3300 miles (at 16 knots); armament: one 100-mm, one 45-mm, three 37-mm, 2x12.7-mm DShK machine guns, 1x12.7-mm Browning machine gun, 20 depth charges, can accept 31 mines of the 1926 model, Schultz and snake trawls . Crew 66 people (7 officers, 59 petty officers and sailors).

The article uses photographs from the author’s collection, the collections of V.N. Danilova, A.G. Kuzenkova, S.A. Balakina

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) through minefields.

They are the main component of the mine-sweeping forces of the Navy of the armed forces of individual states of the world.

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Subtitles

Story

In connection with the emergence of a new type of weapon in service with the fleets armed forces many states - a sea mine, retaliatory measures were also required to successfully solve the eternal “sword-shield” problem, and for the first time it was successfully solved in the Russian fleet. Minesweepers were first used by the Russian fleet in Port Arthur in 1904

The emergence of minesweepers and mine hunters was caused by the improvement of mine fuses, which reduced the reliability of mine sweeping. Therefore, a logical development of combat trawling was proposed: not to use trawls, but to search for and destroy mines with demolition charges. The main weapons here are search engines or miner swimmers. The conditions for their use are becoming more important, although the requirements for reducing the physical fields of the mine detector remain.

By 2000, the world's fleets had 60 minesweepers, 181 minesweepers, one squadron of minesweeper helicopters (22÷24 vehicles).

Aviation equipment can also be used as minesweepers. Thus, during the Second World War, a number of British Air Force bomber aircraft were converted for these purposes. At the same time, a number of German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Junkers Ju 52 aircraft underwent similar modifications. To combat magnetic mines, they were equipped with large conductive rings and separate motors with generators to create a powerful magnetic field. The disadvantages of such systems, in addition to complicated piloting, were that with overly sensitive mine fuses, they could detonate directly under the aircraft, which was forced to fly above the very surface of the water. In addition, mines could only be destroyed at a very shallow depth this way. Currently, US Navy MH-53E helicopters are actively used as minesweepers.

Division

• contact - which are usually strong chains with a number of knives attached to them and a retractor-deeper at the end; with their help, mines are cut off, pop-up mines are shot;
• acoustic - designed to detonate mines with acoustic fuses, simulating the acoustic pattern of the passage of a large ship;
• electromagnetic (solenoid) - similar to acoustic ones, imitate electromagnetic radiation goals.

In accordance with this, the minesweeper is subject to requirements for acoustic and electromagnetic stealth. To satisfy them, measures are taken:

• Constructive. The hull of the minesweeper is made of non-magnetic materials (wood, plastic), the dimensions and draft are limited, demagnetizing devices are installed, damping and sound insulation of mechanisms are used, and non-cavitating propellers are used.
• Preventive. Periodically, or before trawling, the ship's physical fields (primarily acoustic and magnetic) are measured and reduced.
• Tactical. The ship is used in modes that minimize induced fields: low speed, to reduce noise and dynamic pressure, movement, if possible, along the Earth's magnetic lines, etc.

They are the main component of the mine-sweeping forces of the navies of the armed forces of individual states of the world.

Story

The emergence of minesweepers and mine hunters was caused by the improvement of mine fuses, which reduced the reliability of mine sweeping. Therefore, a logical development of combat trawling was proposed: not to use trawls, but to search for and destroy mines with demolition charges. The main weapons here are search engines or miner swimmers. The conditions for their use are becoming more important, although the requirements for reducing the physical fields of the mine detector remain.

By 2000, the world's fleets had 60 minesweepers, 181 minesweepers, one squadron of minesweeper helicopters (22÷24 vehicles).

Aviation equipment can also be used as minesweepers. Thus, during the Second World War, a number of bomber aircraft of the British Air Force were converted for these purposes. At the same time, a number of German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Junkers Ju 52 aircraft underwent similar modifications. To combat magnetic mines, they were equipped with large conductive rings and separate motors with generators to create a powerful magnetic field. The disadvantages of such systems, in addition to complicated piloting, were that with overly sensitive mine fuses, they could detonate directly under the aircraft, which was forced to fly above the very surface of the water. In addition, mines could only be destroyed at a very shallow depth this way. Currently, US Navy MH-53E helicopters are actively used as minesweepers.

Division

• contact - which are usually strong chains with a number of knives attached to them and a retractor-deeper at the end; with their help, mines are cut off, pop-up mines are shot;
• acoustic - designed to detonate mines with acoustic fuses, simulating the acoustic pattern of the passage of a large ship;
• electromagnetic (solenoid) - similar to acoustic ones, they simulate the electromagnetic radiation of a target.

In accordance with this, the minesweeper is subject to requirements for acoustic and electromagnetic stealth. To satisfy them, measures are taken:

• Constructive. The hull of the minesweeper is made of non-magnetic materials (wood, plastic), the dimensions and draft are limited, demagnetizing devices are installed, damping and sound insulation of mechanisms are used, and non-cavitating propellers are used.
• Preventive. Periodically, or before trawling, the ship's physical fields (primarily acoustic and magnetic) are measured and reduced.
• Tactical. The ship is used in modes that minimize induced fields: low speed, to reduce noise and dynamic pressure, movement, if possible, along the Earth's magnetic lines, etc.

see also

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Notes

Literature

• N. G. Kuznetsov, “On a Course to Victory” - M.: Military Publishing House,
• F. B. Mudrak, “On the tacks.” - M.: VI, 1980

Excerpt characterizing the Minesweeper

The appearance of what at first seemed to be universal means of combating mines ahead of the ship's course required the creation of very expensive mine-resistant ships of a new class - minesweepers-mine hunters and their latest mine-fighting weapons, the basis of which is reusable self-propelled underwater vehicles (SUVs). In addition, this led to the creation and introduction of special channels into bottom mines, causing the detonation of mines from the physical fields of the underwater vehicle and its destruction, which turns out to be economically beneficial, given the higher cost of a launch vehicle compared to a bottom mine and the incomparable numerical ratio of bottom mines and launch vehicles .

In addition, by the beginning of the 1980s, the combat capabilities of mines had increased many times over, including the depth of deployment, multi-channel and multiple action of fuses, difficulty of detection (dielectric materials of the hulls, siltation, etc.), and stealth of deployment (submarines, aircraft). Particularly dangerous in this regard was the anchor mine adopted by the United States in 1976 with a deployment depth of 500 - 1000 m, posing a serious danger to submarines.

Scheme for laying a mine (container with a torpedo) Mark 60 CAPTOR

Therefore, in the late 1970s - early 1980s, there was an urgent need to create a new generation of mine-sweeping ships with the most widespread use automation and remote control, with improved living conditions and increased navigation safety. More attention has also been paid to environmental issues.

The first studies on the creation of a new sea minesweeper were carried out in the 1970s. The design of the ship began at the Western Design Bureau (chief designers N.P. Pegov and V.S. Sergeev) in 1972, then, according to one of the options, the installation of a minesweeper helicopter on the ship was studied. However, even without this, the ship’s displacement increased to 1150 tons, and power plant remained the same under Project 266M. At the same time, a low-speed power unit and a bow thruster were additionally installed.

Sea minesweeper project 12660

The armament of this ship includes a new anti-mine complex for searching for bottom, near-bottom and anchor mines along the course, as well as contact and non-contact trawls. The minesweeper was equipped with the most advanced mine-sweeping weapons: a mine destruction complex with a self-propelled homing anti-mine torpedo projectile "Cobra" and a self-propelled anti-mine projectile - a torpedo for cutting mine-repairs "Gyurza" according to the target designation of the ship (both projectiles were created at the Central Research Institute "Gidropribor"), self-propelled remote-controlled seeker-destroyer "Ketmen", seeker-destroyer "Halibut", electromagnetic and acoustic trawls, mine detection sonar "Kabarga", etc. The ship's combat equipment consisted of a 76-mm AK-176 cannon, a 30-mm AK-630M assault rifle with a system fire control "Vympel" and MANPADS "Strela-3".

The deep-sea hydroacoustic towed searcher-destroyer of bottom mines "Halibut" began to be developed at the Central Research Institute "Gidropribor" in 1976. In comparison with the Luch-1 finder, in the new product the detected objects had to not only be indicated by markers, but, if necessary, destroyed directly during the towing process. The GAS for the seeker was created at the Morfizpribor Central Research Institute. Soon, work on the entire Halibut system was transferred to the Ural branch of the Central Research Institute "Gidropribor" (chief designers Kh.Kh. Davletgildeev and V.I. Gul), created on the basis of the SKB machine-building plant named after. K.E.Voroshilova. The seeker-destroyer was tested and adopted by the Navy in 1985, but due to shortcomings in the sonar system, it did not enter mass production.

The development of the new GASM "Kabarga", modifications of which were installed on raid and sea minesweepers of the Navy, was completed in 1990 by the Breeze Research Institute. However, in terms of the level of secondary information processing and interaction with mine action weapons, it is practically no different from previous station models.

At the same time, after the appearance of effective ship mine detection stations of the Kabarga type in the USSR Navy in the 1980s. Work continues on the creation of self-propelled mine seekers and destroyers. In 1989, the second generation self-propelled remote-controlled seeker-destroyer STIU-2 “Ketmen” was adopted by the fleet, working on the target designation of a ship's sonar mine detection station at depths of up to 100 m. It was developed by the Ural branch of the Central Research Institute "Gidropribor" (chief designer A .A.Kazin).

STIU-2 provides search at a speed of up to 3 knots and destruction of bottom and anchor mines ahead along the course of the minesweeper ship. A charge was placed on the detected mine (there are two of them on the device with an explosive charge of 130 kg each), and after the STIU retreated to a safe distance, the mine was detonated.

Model of a self-propelled remote-controlled seeker-destroyer STIU-2 “Ketmen”

The construction of Project 12660 ships has been carried out at the Sredne-Nevsky plant since 1983. The ships were built from low-magnetic steel to combat deep-sea anti-submarine mines of the Captor type and to provide mine countermeasures to ships and transports in remote sea areas. The lead minesweeper "Zheleznyakov" was built at the Sredne-Nevsky plant in 1988. The dimensions of the ship required, when removed from the slipway in the workshop, to increase the opening of the workshop gate, and the launching device could withstand the maximum loads at the time of launching. Deliveries were late new technology, which complicated and delayed the installation work.

The two ships “Zheleznyakov” and “V. Gumanenko” that entered service are significantly superior in mine action efficiency by several times. Construction of the third ship's hull was stopped due to lack of funding.

The creation of Project 12660 ships is a whole era in Soviet shipbuilding. They became the first sea minesweepers of the USSR Navy, capable of conducting mine action ahead of the course and fighting modern deep-sea mines. The experience gained during their creation and use is invaluable in the further design of mine defense ships.

According to the MTSh shipbuilding program of project 12660 (known in NATO as Gorya) it was supposed to build much more than was possible. Already during the testing process, it became clear that the project was very complex and the ship turned out to be large. And besides, the Soviet Union collapsed, different times came and defense funding decreased sharply. Therefore, it was decided to build new sea ​​minesweepers in the body of the well-proven MTShch project 266M, but with new means of searching and destroying mines, which were not supposed to be as expensive as project 12660 “Rubin”.

Modern approaches to mine action

In recent decades, a significant technological breakthrough has been the creation of minesweepers. Only the leading maritime powers and countries with high level industrial development, mainly through the implementation of the principle of interstate cooperation.

The modern concept of mine action, known as , is based on the active use of hydroacoustic weapons of mine-sweeping ships to search, detect and inspect all stationary underwater mine-like objects found within the specified boundaries of water areas.

Based on the results of the survey, mine-like objects classified as mines must be plotted on an electronic map (entered into a data bank) and destroyed, and information about foreign objects (sunk ships, industrial debris, large stones, noticeable folds of the bottom, etc.) must be also entered into the data bank to identify acoustic contacts during subsequent search operations in these waters.

The basis of the mine-anti-mine weapons of modern ships of this type are hydroacoustic mine-detecting stations, mine-anti-mine remote-controlled devices and automated systems mine action management.

As is known, the leading position in the construction of modern minesweepers and mine detectors and the creation of the main components of their mine action weapons is occupied by companies from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. IN last years they were also joined by companies from Japan, Sweden, Norway, South Korea, building minesweepers with mine-resistant weapons supplied in whole or in part by companies from the above countries. Most states are not able to build such ships and are forced to purchase them from exporting countries.

In an effort to keep up with the leading maritime powers, in the 1990s, enterprises defense complex Russia prepared proposals for the modernization of mine-resistant ships; then, for export to Russian minesweepers of type 10750E and 266ME, it was proposed to install mine-hunting stations MG-89M, MG-991, MG-992M and MG-993M, self-propelled remote-controlled underwater vehicles for additional search and destruction of mines ( ROV) “Ropan-PM”, “Route”.

In the promotional materials of the Western Design Bureau, it was noted that meeting modern requirements is facilitated by the installation on a ship of Project 266ME and the use of a mine detection system (Propelled variable depth sonar - PVDS) with a receiver-emitting system located on a self-propelled remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which provides detection , identification and classification of mines far ahead of the ship. The range of the GASM in this case is not limited either by the interference generated by the ship or by the hydrological conditions of the sea. Destruction of mines after detection can be carried out by a device of the same family, which has the function of a mine destroyer.

As specialists from the Central Research Institute "Gidropribor" once noted, the creation and development of means for searching and destroying mines will be a priority in the development of anti-mine weapons. New trends in this direction are seen in the creation of self-propelled hydroacoustic mine detection stations with variable immersion depth of their receiving and emitting antennas, anti-mine disposable projectiles - destroyers, towed mine detection stations as part of unmanned carriers.

In addition, the use of seemingly traditional mine action with the greatest effectiveness requires the use of modern technologies. The latter was clearly noticeable during a visit to St. Petersburg by a permanent mine-sweeping formation of the NATO Regional Command North at the end of 2004. Almost every ship had advanced means of space communications and navigation.

In addition, all ships in the group of minesweepers were equipped with special devices for remote search for mines. For example, a Belgian minesweeper (displacement 595 tons, length 51.5 m, crew 46 people) had two self-propelled remote-controlled underwater vehicles for searching mines PAP 104 (working depth up to 200 m), a mine detection sonar station, etc. necessary equipment and equipment. It, like the Dutch M857 Makkum, was created according to a joint Franco-Belgian-Dutch development.

M857 Makkum

Even the oldest ship that came to the Neva is the Polish minesweeper Czajka (tail number 624, displacement 507 tons, length 58.2 m, crew 49 people) of the Krogulec class (type 206FM), built in 1967 in Gdynia, despite its advanced age meeting NATO standards, it had two small-sized underwater vehicles for searching mines of Polish design.

German mine detector Pinguin B3. Demolition charges are attached under the body.

Modern Russian Navy is undergoing a period of modernization and re-equipment. The warships that were built during the existence of the Soviet Union are being replaced by new modern warships. The focus is on attack warships and submarines, which form the basis of any modern fleet. However, in the arms race one should not discount technical support ships, without which the fleet loses its combat effectiveness and efficiency.

Mine-protected ships continue to be one of the main elements of any fleet, and Russia today is making desperate attempts to replenish its ranks with a fleet of this class. The main combat unit in the structure of mine protection formations should be the Project 12700 ship.

What is the newest Tsch pr 12700 for the Russian fleet

The mine countermeasures ships in the current Russian Navy are mostly old Soviet-built ships. Modern requirements for conducting mine warfare at sea have indicated the need to create a completely different type of combat vessel. The new minesweeper must be completely invulnerable to mine weapons and be able to effectively combat the mine threat in the coastal sea zone.

The novelty was the use of completely new structural materials for warships to build the vessel. The new basic minesweeper, codenamed "Alexandrite", was designed by the Central Design Bureau "Almaz". The idea of ​​​​creating a mine-resistant ship has long been in the circles of the country's top naval leadership. Only in the 2000s technical task began to emerge as a real project, which received an index of 12700.

The new basic minesweeper of the Georgiy Kurbatov type should become the main combat unit for searching, detecting and destroying mines of all classes and types at the fleet's bases. The construction site of the new vessel was the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard. The series received the production code BT-730. The lead ship of the series, the minesweeper "Alexander Obukhov" of Project 12700, was laid down in 2011. Almost three years later, the newest basic minesweeper was launched. The result of the work of the St. Petersburg shipbuilders inspired the naval command, so the decision was urgently made to continue the series. Already on next year, in April 2019, the second ship was laid down, named “Georgy Kurbatov”, corresponding to the name of the type of ships for this project.

The basic minesweeper of the Georgy Kurbatov type, Project 12700, has a composite hull made of fiberglass using the vacuum diffusion method. The length of the vessel is 62 meters. The displacement of the minesweeper is also impressive. Until this moment, all ships made of composite materials had a displacement of no more than 450 tons. The Russian base minesweeper of Project 12700 has a displacement of twice as much - 800 tons. Today, this is the only combat vessel in the world of this size that has a non-metal hull.

According to the creators, the new basic minesweeper should become a new generation mine defense ship. The design of the ships of the mine-sweeping group was based on the concept of “mine hunting”. The emergence of new types of mines, equipped with multi-channel fuses of a combined type, into service with navies posed a threat to a warship of any class. The new mines were insensitive to existing types of minesweeping equipment, so it was decided to move from massive blind trawling directly to searching for mines and destroying them.

Main design features of the Project 12700 minesweeper

Thanks to the fiberglass hull, the ship has a reduced background of physical and electrical fields, reducing the likelihood of proximity mines being triggered. Unlike steel ship hulls, fiberglass construction can last 30-40 years without losing its basic physical and chemical properties. Project 12700 is considered the most successful development of Russian designers over the past decade. The practical experience gained in the use of composite materials for the construction of combat ships can lay the foundation for the construction of warships of other classes, designed for operation in the coastal sea zone.

To create a composite hull, for the first time at a shipyard, the latest equipment, which is a pilot production. The production complex created from scratch is unique of its kind and has no analogues in Russia. The technological capabilities of the equipment complex provide the ability to create monolithic fiberglass housings up to 80 meters long. Such a case has a number of obvious advantages:

• strength comparable to steel structures;
• long service life;
• minimal technological maintenance;
• low weight compared to similar sized steel structures.

The composite hull is ideal for installing a new anti-mine circuit on it, which, together with the latest hydroacoustic stations, significantly increases the survivability and combat effectiveness of the ship. The new anti-mine circuit is installed on the ship’s hull and on remote underwater vehicles towed by the ship. In addition to innovations in the field of mine detection, the new minesweeper is equipped with traditional minesweepers, contact and non-contact trawls. A set of mine action equipment and weapons is included in unified system management, which received the short name ASU PMD. The mine countermeasures system is controlled from the ship's command post.

New in mine action equipment are robots that operate autonomously or with the help of television equipment. The minesweeper is equipped the latest system positioning and can search for mines even with waves up to 5 points.

In the process of creating the ship, the features of the high buoyancy of the fiberglass hull were taken into account. The new vessel has a buoyancy reserve of 70%, in contrast to the traditional 50-60% buoyancy reserve for most military vessels. It was possible not only to create a seaworthy, durable and stable vessel, but also a maneuverable warship.

The Georgy Kurbatov-class BT combat ship received a powerful power plant. A 2500 hp diesel engine should provide the ship maximum speed at 15 knots. The cruising range at an economical speed is 1,500 km, which is quite enough for long-term combat work over a fairly large water area. The navigation autonomy for the new ship is determined to be 10 days, which is quite enough for the ship’s crew of 41 people.

The mine-anti-mine armament of the newest minesweeper is supplemented by a 30-mm AK-306 artillery mount, portable Igla air defense systems and two large-caliber 14.5 mm machine guns on turrets.

The future of the new Project 12700 minesweepers

Following the second ship of the BT series “Georgiy Kurbatov”, in 2019, with a difference of three months, two more ships were laid down on the slipways of the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard, which are currently at different stages of construction. The ship "Georgy Kurbatov" has not yet been commissioned. The reason for the delay in delivery of the warship is a fire on the ship that damaged the internal parts of the main hull. Today, restoration work on the ship is actively underway. There are prerequisites for using the main components and assemblies of the damaged ship to speed up the construction of the other two ships in the series.

The first-born of the series, the basic minesweeper of Project 12700 is in combat service in the Baltic Fleet. The tactical and technical characteristics demonstrated by the new vessel indicate the correctness technical solution and the course of design thought. Combat ships made from composite materials could serve as the basis for creating a mosquito fleet armed with missile weapons.

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