Russian training ship back from long training voyage

On 18 October 2024, the Russian training ship "Smolny" returned to Kronstadt from a training voyage lasting almost four months. The voyage, which began on 27 June, took the "Smolny" to Havana, Cuba (27 July), La Guaira/Caracas, Venezuela (7 August), Cape Town, South Africa (29 August), Walvis Bay, Namibia (7 September), Luanda, Angola (10 September), Douala, Cameroon (26 September) and Cotonou, Benin (30 September). The visit to Cuba in particular, during which the "Smolny" was accompanied by the frigate "Neustrahimiy" and the fleet tanker "Yelnya" (Altay class), caused quite a stir.

Training ship Smolny, Baltic Red Banner Fleet. Photo: Michael Nitz

"Smolny" is one of two Project 887 ships that are officially deployed as training ships in the Russian Navy. According to Russian sources, the 138-metre-long ships, which displace 7,200 tonnes, can take 30 teachers and 300 cadets on board in addition to the regular crew of 132. They are equipped with special navigation simulators on the teaching decks to enable comprehensive training. The armament with two 76 mm AK 726 twin cannons, two 30 mm AK 230 cannons and two RBU 2500 U-Jagd depth charge launchers allows practice-orientated training on obsolete weapon systems that are still in use in the navy. The radar and radio equipment should also be designed in the same way. At 14 knots, the range is 9,000 nautical miles and the maximum speed is 20 knots.

Construction of the "Smolny" and its sister ship "Perekop" began at Polish shipyards in 1974. Both are still in service in the Baltic Red Banner Fleet (Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy). The third training ship of the same type, the "Hasan", was decommissioned and scrapped in 1998.

Despite the simplicity of the description - a contemporary training ship looks different! It is obviously well suited to paying its respects to distant friendly nations and flying the flag on long voyages halfway around the world, but an affinity for modern training and high-tech weapon systems that makes an impression overseas is not recognisable on this training ship. That was probably not the main focus of this itinerary. And perhaps basic nautical training is not necessarily linked to more complex technology - as long as it really is about seamanship. But was it in this case? Nevertheless, a "training voyage abroad" worth noting.