The minesweeper "Vladimir Gumanenko" (Project 12660 "Rubin") and other mine countermeasures (MCM) ships of the Kola Flotilla of diverse forces of the Northern Fleet practiced searching for and destroying mines in a designated area of the Barents Sea. This was reported by the fleet's press service.
The maneuvers also involved the base minesweepers "Solovetsky Yunga" (Project 1265 "Yakhont"), "Kotelnich" and "Kolomna" (both Project 12650 vessels). The crews of the ships used various types of trawls. Then they performed joint maneuvering and escorted Northern Fleet submarines along the swept fairway (a path cleared of explosive objects).
A feature of this exercise was that the minesweeper crews practiced mine countermeasures in an area where, the day before, the small anti-submarine ship (MPK) "Yunga" (Project 1124M) had carried out practical mine laying.
As part of the preparation, an Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft set up aerial targets. The minesweeper artillery crews hit all designated targets.
Project 12660 "Rubin"
The minesweepers of this project are the first in the history of Soviet naval shipbuilding capable of destroying American Captor deep-sea mines at depths of up to 1000 m. They are used to escort nuclear submarines (NPS) into the operational zone of the sea and ocean (from the basing point to the combat mission area).
Characteristics of Project 12660 "Rubin" minesweepers:
- Displacement — 1100 t
- Length — 70 m
- Width — 12 m
- Draft — 4 m
- Engines — diesel
- Speed — 18 knots
- Cruising range — 1500 miles
- Crew — 60 people
"Vladimir Gumanenko" and other minesweepers of the project are equipped with the "Gyurza" underwater mine destruction complex, as well as the "Ketmen" self-propelled mine hunter-destroyer.
Read more on the topic:
- Crews of the Baltic Fleet minesweepers "Novocheboksarsk" and "Pavel Khenov" conducted air defense exercises
- New Minesweeper "Polyarny" Joins Russian Navy
- The sixteenth Project 12700 "Alexandrit" minesweeper laid down at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard