Project 1241.1RZ

Description: The Project 1241 Molnaya or Tarantul is a class of missile boats designed to operate in the littoral environment conducting anti-surface warfare (ASuW) operations. The original 450-ton class Project 1241.1 Tarantul I was produced in 1980 by the Soviet Union for the export market equipped with four P-15M (SS-N-2C Styx NATO designation) anti-ship missiles and a COmbined Gas And Gas (COGAG) propulsion system developing a top speed of 42 knots. The Tarantul I missile boat also features a 76.2mm naval gun, one Igla/SA-N-8 Grouse short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and two 30mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns. Only one or two boats were produced. The Project 1241.2 Tarantul II missile boats were produced between 1981 and 1986 with the Soviet Union commissioning five hulls. Tarantul II boats have a maximum displacement of 469 tons compared with 455 tons in previous models. All these missile boats were decommissioned in the early 2000s.

The Project 1241.1RZ Molnaya-M, also referred to as Tarantul III, class of fast missile boats was introduced in 1987 by the former Soviet Union. Approximately 28 ships were commissioned between 1987 and the first half of the 1990s, with at least one boat being delivered to Ukraine after the dismissal of the Soviet Union. The Tarantul III missile boats features four 3M80 (SS-N-22 Sunburn NATO designation) supersonic anti-ship missiles replacing the P-15M missiles on Tarantul I/II boats while retaining the 76.2mm naval gun, Igla SAM system and two 30mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns. The propulsion was replaced with a COmbined Diesel And Gas (CODAG) developing a top speed of 38 knots compared with 42 knots with the previous COGAG propulsion. The CODAG propulsion includes two M510 cruise diesels yielding 8,000-bhp and two M70 boost gas turbines delivering 24,000-shp. As of May 2013, several missiles boats are still in the active duty with the Russian Navy who plans to replace them with large numbers of Project 20380 and 20385 class corvettes.

The Project 1241RE Tarantul I designed for the export market features a full displacement of 455 tons and a top speed of 43 knots therefore they are lighter and faster compared to the Soviet Navy boats. The weapon system differs by the fact that the 3M80 supersonic anti-ship missiles have been replaced by four SS-N-2C Styx missiles. Their propulsion system keeps the COGAG layout as the other Tarantul I boats.