On May 2, the Bayraktar TB2 reconnaissance drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed two Raptor-type patrol boats of the Russian Navy with high-precision strikes. On the appointment of patrol boats project 03160 “Raptor”, the characteristics of the latest boats of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea – in the material TSN.ua
The history of the patrol boat project 03160 “Raptor”
Project 03160 Raptor patrol boats are the fastest coastal patrol boats in service with the Russian Navy. The project was developed by KB “Pella” from St. Petersburg on the instructions of the Russian Navy. The boats are being built on the ship’s “Pella” in the city of Otradnoy, Leningrad Region. In appearance, the “Raptor” is very similar to another project 02510 landing craft of the “BK-16” type, developed by the Kalashnikov concern. Both projects are based on CB90 speedboats, most likely they were created on their basis or under license.
In general, traces of Western technology can be found in many novelties of the Russian defensive complex. Boats of project 03160 “Raptor” and the boat of project 02510 of the type “BK-16”, for example, are copied from the external, enlarged view of the boat CombatBoat 90 of the Swedish company Dockstavarvet. Inside, the engine room is equipped with two American CATERPILLAR C18 ACERT E-rating turbodiesels, and jet engines are made in England by Rolls-Royce Kamewa 36A3 HS.
The purpose of project 03160 “Raptor” is to patrol the coastal zone and deliver special forces units to their destinations.
“Raptors” are designed to operate in the coastal zone of the seas, straits and estuaries at a maximum distance of up to 100 miles from the base point. They can be placed in a docking chamber or aboard an amphibious capital ship or an amphibious assault ship.
The tasks of the Raptor boat include patrolling the water area, defending naval bases, ensuring the safety of ships on unprotected roads, identifying, intercepting and detaining small targets, and performing search and rescue operations.
In addition to patrolling and guarding, one of the main tasks of the Raptor boats is the delivery of special forces units of 20 people with weapons, equipment and equipment, that is, saboteurs behind enemy lines. In March 2022, after an unsuccessful attempt to land troops in Mariupol, one of these boats was shot down.
On May 2, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 2 Russian Raptor boats that were “circling” around Zmeiny Island and which, most likely, were trying to land enemy troops. At the beginning of the war, there were 17 Raptor boats in Russia, of which 6 were in the Black Sea.
The performance characteristics of the boat “Raptor”
- Length: 16.9 m
- Width: 4.1 m
- Displacement: 23 t
- Max speed: 48 knots
- Total power of the power plant: 1690 kW
- Cruising range: 480 km
- Crew: 2 people
- Landing: up to 20 people
- Armament: combat module “Uprava-Kord” with a 14.5 machine gun, two 7.62-mm PKM/PKP machine guns
Project Raptor patrol boat can be upgraded for medical purposes
Medical boat based on project 03160 “Raptor”
The cost of the patrol boat “Raptor”
From the materials of the court between the manufacturer and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the subject of which was the construction of nine patrol boats of the Raptor project under a state contract concluded in April 2016, the cost of a series of boats was $ 19.5 million, that is, $ 2.16 million for one boat.
Read also:
Air assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – purpose, composition, armament
Marine Corps – what kind of military service it is, how it differs from other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
