Altay-class oiler

The Altay class (Project 160) is a class of replenishment oiler built for the Soviet navy between 1967 and 1972.

Altay – the civilian type ship of the class
Class overview
Name:	Project 160 (NATO: Altay Class)
Builders:	Rauma-Repola, Finland
Operators:	Soviet Navy  Russian Navy
Built:	1967-1972
In commission:	1968-present
Completed:	6
Active:	4
Retired:	2
General characteristics
Displacement:	7,230 tons full load
Length:	106.17 m (348 ft)
Beam:	15.4 m (51 ft)
Draught:	6.7 m (22 ft)
Propulsion:	1 diesel (B&W-550 VTBN-110) 3,250 bhp 1 shaft
Speed:	14 knots (26 km/h)
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h) 8,600nm at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Capacity:	1,300 tons heavy oil 2,700 tons distilled fuel 200 tons water 100 tons lube oil
Complement:	60
Sensors and processing systems:	2 Don-2 (navigation) NEL-5 (sonar) MGL-25 (underwater telephone)
Electronic warfare & decoys:	IFF
Armament:	none
Aircraft carried:	none

Construction

The vessels were built for the USSR by the Finnish shipbuilding yard Rauma-Repola. Over 60 vessels of this type were built for Soviet service, most with the fishing fleet and merchant fleet. Only 6 vessels were ordered for service with the Soviet navy. Project 160 tankers can refuel one ship at a time from either side or over the stern.[1][2][3]

Ships in class

There were 6 vessels in the class.[4][5][6]

Name	Yard No.	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Fate
Kola	No. 163	not known	30 July 1967	1967	Still active as of 2021[7]
Yel'nya	No. 168	not known	21 February 1968	June 1968
Yergorlik	No. 174	not known	15 November 1968	April 1969	sold commercial 1996
Izhora	No. 181	not known	21 October 1969	1970
Prut	No. 203	not known	30 July 1971	1971
Ilim	No. 215	not known	21 August 1972	November 1972	transferred to merchant fleet

Yel'nya incident

In April 1993, while in reserve with the Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol, the Yel'nya was taken over by Ukrainian dissidents. After a brief seizure, control was reestablished by the Russian Navy. The Yel'nya was later transferred to the Baltic Fleet.[8]

References

1. Guide to the Soviet Navy (Polmer)
2. Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (Wertheim)
3. russian-ships.info (accessed 29 Feb 2012)
4. Guide to the Soviet Navy (Polmer)
5. Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (Wertheim)
6. russian-ships.info (accessed 29 Feb 2012)
7. https://structure.mil.ru/structure/forces/navy/news/more.htm?id=12334902@egNews
8. Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (Wertheim)

External links

• Project 160 medium seagoing tanker (English)