Moskva calls on Colombo

Uvindu Illperuma

Moskva,A Russian Slava class guided missile cruiser has already arrived in Colombo port. The call of the ship to the Sri Lanka’s economic hub - Colombo harbour will mark a significant event in the Sri Lankan maritime history. ON 14 th Saturday the ship will be welcomed in a ceremonial mode as this is a historic turning point in the Sri lankan and Russian diplomatic ties.

The model of this ship is recognized as BLACKCOM ( Black combatant 1) which is equipped with powerful battery unit intended for missions against surface fleets. The ship was manufactured in between 1970s and 1980s. It means that the construction of the ship had come up during a time period that cold war war between USA and USSR was reaching its boiling point. At that time two nations were engaged. in an arms race to show up the rest of the world their military superiority.

As theses kind of impressive ships were well fortified with the battery power to confront surface attacks western critics used to term this product as putting all the ship’s armament in the shop windows.

The ship is totally designed for anti ship role as the Soviet doctrine during a time the nation believed in a completely different political ideology was to combat American carrier battle groups. The ship’s unique battery of sixteen SS N 12 Sand box surface missiles sited in two rows along either side of the ship gives a formidable fire power to the ship to engage in sea battles successfully.

The eight anti air craft guns positioned on the boards. The intention of positioning anti air craft guns on the ship is to shield the Soviet battle groups against a carrier or land based air craft firing . The anti submarine weapons compromise fixed 533 mm torpedo tubes and two twelve barreled RBU 6000 launchers speaks to the truth of its superb fire power.

A helicopter pad is also available on the ship on which a KA 27 can operate.