Sverdlov-class cruiser

Sverdlov-class cruiser Admiral Ushakov in 1981
Class overview
Name:	Sverdlov class
Builders:	Baltic Yard, Leningrad Nikolayev Admiralty yard, Leningrad Severodvinsk
Operators:	Soviet Navy  Indonesian Navy
Preceded by:	Chapayev class
Succeeded by:	Kynda class
Planned:	30
Completed:	14
Cancelled:	16
Retired:	13
Preserved:	1 (Mikhail Kutuzov)
General characteristics
Type:	Cruiser
Displacement:	13,600 tons standard, 16,640 tons full load
Length:	210 m (689 ft 0 in) overall 205 m (672 ft 7 in) waterline
Beam:	22 m (72 ft 2 in)
Draught:	6.9 m (22 ft 8 in)
Installed power:	6 boilers, 118,100 shp (88,100 kW)
Propulsion:	2 shaft geared steam turbines
Speed:	32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range:	9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement:	1,250
Armament:	12 × 152 mm (6 in)/57 cal B-38 guns in four triple Mk5-bis turrets 12 × 100 mm (3.9 in)/56 cal Model 1934 guns in 6 twin SM-5-1 mounts 32 × 37 mm (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns 10 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Belt: 100 mm (3.9 in) Conning tower: 150 mm (5.9 in) Deck: 50 mm (2.0 in) Turrets: 175 mm (6.9 in)

The Sverdlov-class cruisers, Soviet designation Project 68bis, were the last conventional gun cruisers built for the Soviet Navy, in the 1950s. They were based on Russian, German and Italian designs and concepts developed prior to the Second World War, but were modified to improve their sea keeping capabilities that allowed them to run at high speed in the rough waters of the North Atlantic. The basic hull was more modern and had better armor protection than vast majority of the post WW2 gun cruiser designs built and fielded by peer nations and they also carried an extensive suite of modern radar equipment and anti-aircraft artillery. This class of cruiser satisfied Stalin's and Soviet Navy leadership's desire to field a ship that was in keeping with a Soviet Naval doctrine that was focused on supporting the defense of the Russian coastline, operating out of naval bases worldwide and protecting Arctic, Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Sea interests. A secondary commerce raiding and political presence mission in the third world was also envisioned for this class of ship. They were considered obsolete by Soviet Premier Khrushchev, who believed they had a limited role in supporting strategic and tactical naval operations during 1955-1967 era, when theories of mutually assured destruction limited their use.

The Soviets originally planned to build 40 ships in the class, which would be supported by the Stalingrad-class battlecruisers and aircraft carriers. This represented a significant risk to the Royal Navy, especially in the North Atlantic. Britain responded by introducing the Blackburn Buccaneer, a carrier-based strike aircraft that had the performance required to approach and attack Sverdlov class ships at ultra low level, using toss bombing attacks to deliver nuclear ordnance, while remaining outside the 5km lethal range of the Russian 100mm/37m gun. When the building program was cut back and the battlecruisers and carriers were cancelled, the Sverdlovs were left dangerously unprotected when operating in areas outside the cover of land-based aircraft. Their secondary mission, operating on their own as commerce raiders was also compromised as they would be extremely vulnerable, in good weather, to USN Carrier Battle Groups equipped with modern strike aircraft and the few remaining Baltimore class conventional cruisers equipped with 8 inch guns. The Royal Navy's few remaining Colony and Tiger class conventional gun cruisers probably lacked the range and speed required to counter the Sverdlov, which was also true of the USN's Gearing and Forrest Sherman class destroyers.