Kara-class

The Kara class, designated Project 1134B Berkut B, was a class of guided missile cruisers built for the Soviet Navy. Classified by the Soviet Union as large anti-submarine warfare ships, the type was developed as an iteration of the preceding Kresta II class. Between 1968 and 1979, seven vessels were constructed at the 61 Communards Shipyard in Nikolayev. The design was finalized in the late 1960s to incorporate gas turbine propulsion, enhanced anti-aircraft armament, and improved artillery systems. To accommodate these new systems, the hull length and beam were increased relative to the Kresta II design.

The class utilized a COGAG (Combined Gas and Gas) propulsion plant. Primary air defense consisted of the M-11 Shtorm surface-to-air missile system, which underwent modernizations during the 1970s and 1980s to improve performance against low-altitude targets. This was supplemented by the 4K33 Osa-M system for short-range defense. For anti-submarine warfare, the ships were equipped with the URPK-3 Metel complex, which delivered a torpedo via a cruise missile to engagement areas. Other anti-submarine systems included RBU-6000 and RBU-1000 rocket launchers and quintuple torpedo tubes. Gun systems included AK-726 naval guns and AK-630 rotary cannons for point defense.

Sensor systems featured the MR-600 Voskhod and MR-310 A Angara air search radars. Fire control was provided by Grom-M and 4R-33 systems. Submarine detection relied on the MG-332 Titan-2 under-keel sonar and the MG-325 Vega variable-depth sonar. The ships carried a Ka-25PL helicopter for remote detection and engagement. To prevent the landing pad flooding issues observed in the Kresta class, the Kara class featured a raised helipad and a recessed hangar.

The lead ship, Nikolayev, entered service in 1971. During initial trials, the ship required modifications to its gas generator intakes to prevent water ingestion. The vessel Azov served as a dedicated trials platform for the S-300F missile system and the 3R41 Volna radar, remaining within the Black Sea throughout the Cold War. Most units were decommissioned in the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ochakov was decommissioned in 2011 and scuttled in Donuzlav Bay in 2014, while Kerch remained in service until 2020, serving as the final active unit of the class.