LADEN with a fearsome array of missiles and electronic gear, the two operational Kresta II-class guided-missile cruisers reflect the skill of Soviet naval architects in putting the maximum punch in the smallest package. Equipped to operate without long range air cover, the 6,000-ton Kresta II has a crew of 500 and a cruising speed of 33 knots. It carries one pair of surface-to-air missile launchers forward and another aft, each pair with its individual radar-guidance and fire-control unit. Towering atop the Kresta II is its big Top Sail surveillance radar, designed to spot enemy ships and planes. One back-to-back search radar...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
