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Just after 16:00 on Friday 22nd July, the Russian anti-submarine destroyer ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ (??????? ?????????) docked at Pier 31 in Dublin Port. With a full load displacement of 8,950 tons and measuring 163 metres (534ft) she has the distinction of being only Udaloy-II class destroyers completed for the KGB Maritime Border Guard. Heavily armed and equipped with missiles, torpedoes and guns, the ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ can achieve speeds of up to 30 knots. It also has the ability to carry helicopters, but unfortunately, for aviation enthusiasts, the ship was not open to the public and was located in Alexandra Basin in the secure area of the port and was as such out of bounds. Fortunately ‘Flying in Ireland’ was permitted brief access to the ship and was able to view one of the two embarked Kamov Ka-27 helicopters and learn something of her history and present mission.

‘Admiral Chabanenko’ was laid down at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad on 28th February 1989 and was launched on 14th December 1992. She was an improved version of the earlier Udaloy I class, 12 of were built between 1980 and 1991 although a number of these have been removed from service and scrapped. Admiral Chabanenko’s path to the high seas however was to prove long and complicated. Her crew was first embarked in 1993 but she did not sail out for the first performance trials until 1995! The following year she was transferred to the Russian Navy but acceptance tests suffered prolonged delays and although 98% complete she remained in port for several more years. At the end of 1998, she was prepared for the State trials for a third time and her Kamov Ka-27 helicopter made its first landing on her deck at that stage. Finally, on 28th January 1999, the St. Andrew colours of the Russian Navy were hoisted for the first time symbolising her formal commissioning into the Navy. The same year, she moved from Baltysk (originally the German East Prussian town of Pillau) to Severomorsk (near Murmansk) to take up service with the Northern Fleet. Meanwhile her sister ships ‘Admiral Kucherov’ and ‘Admiral Basisty’ were cancelled and scrapped in 1993/4.

Despite her chequered history ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ is a capable and advanced vessel and her tactical and technical characteristics make her a formidable adversity. Her modern gas turbine engines give her a 3,000 n.m range at 14 knots. Her 296 man crew has a potent range of guns (1 x 2 AK-130 DP 130 mm cannons plus 4 x6 AK-630 CIWS 30mm gattling guns), torpedo and rocket launchers and eight SS-N-22 Sunburn anti submarine missiles, 64 SA-N-9 Gauntlet and two Kortik (SA-N-11) surface to air missiles in her inventory. She has also proved to be an excellent ambassador for the Russian navy. She first visited the UK in August 2002 as part of her first ocean cruise attending the Royal Navy day in Plymouth following a visit to Reykjavik. In April 2003, she visited Liverpool to take part in celebration of 60th anniversary of battle for Atlantic. In February 2004 she took part in exercises in Norway and in September she took part in a joint Russian-French naval exercise in the northeast Atlantic.

Two years later she again attended the Royal Navy day and took part in joint Russia-US exercises and in July 2007 took part in the FRUKUS-2007 exercises when she visited Norfolk in the United States. ‘FRUKUS’ stands for the participating nations (France, UK and US) and aims to improve maritime security through open dialogue and increased training between the participating navies. It was originally created in 1988 as ‘RUKUS’ with just Russia the UK and the United States but when France joined in 2003 it was renamed. It rotates between the four navies with the lead nation traditionally provides the setting for a range of professional and cultural activities. Between December 2007 and February 2008 ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ took part in exercises in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Later in 2008 she was again on patrol in the Mediterranean and Atlantic visiting Libya, Turkey, France, and finally Venezuela where she took part in the joint Russian-Venezuelan naval exercise VENRUS-2008 in December 2008. She became the first Russian warship to transit the Panama Canal since World War II visiting Rodman (Panama) and Havana (Cuba), however plans to take part in joint Russian-Indian exercises INDRA-2009 were  cancelled as she had to return for repairs in Baltysk. Before completion of these repairs she was urgently sent to Somali on 24th January 2009 before joining the ‘Admiral Kuznetsov’ for her now infamous patrol in the in the Atlantic when the carrier was involved in an oil spill 80 km south-west of Cork. On 16th February, the Russian naval attaché in Ireland confirmed that the ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ and the ‘Admiral Kuznetsov’ had been carrying out a fuel transfer operation at the time of the incident.

At the start of June, she left the Northern Fleet’s main naval base and set the course for the US to participate in this year’s FRUKUS-2011 exercise which was held from 20th – 30th June. The basic objective of the exercise, held in the Atlantic near the US coast was the improvement of cooperation within the joint anti-piracy task force and convoy escorts. It consists of two phases: ashore and at-sea. While ashore, sailors from each ship participated in training in areas such as damage control, fire fighting and ship handling. The at-sea portion involved ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ joint manoeuvring with the other participating vessels from the U.S. Carrier Strike Group 10, Destroyer Squadron 26 with the guided missile destroyer the USS James Williams (DDG 95), the Royal Navy’s HMS Dauntless (D 33) and the French frigate Ventose (F 733). Sea based exercises consisted of repelling of fast-speed vessels' attacks, dropping of search teams, inter-ship helicopter landings, etc with command and control for the ships provided by a shore-based multinational combined task group staff. NATO naval aviation also took part in the exercise.

With the exercise complete, ‘Admiral Chabanenko’ began her journey home with the four night visit to Dublin. On Tuesday morning, 26th July, the pilot cutter Dodder escorted her out into Dublin Bay as far as the Baily Lighthouse. She passed the North Burford buoy and headed for the Kish Lighthouse to proceed southbound over the horizon. Her visit was the second such visit by the Russian Navy to Dublin following a FRUKUS exercise. On the 3rd July 2009 her half-sister 'Severomorsk' (619) arrived for a three day visit following the exercise off the French coast near Brest, visiting Cherbourg enroute before her Dublin visit.

Both visits provided an all too brief glimpse of Russian Naval Aviation assets. For the 'Severomorsk' visit, Kamov Ka-27PS Helix-D , ‘54’ (Red) appeared briefly on the deck, although there are reports that it appeared on deck again for a photo opportunity on departure by an Air Corps AW139. The Ka-27PS is a SAR version of the Ka-27PL Helix-A, a basic anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. The SAR version is designed to carry out maritime search-and-rescue and salvage operations in any weather, day and night up to Sea State 5 and it has a new fuel system and upgraded radar. The radar is interfaced with specialised equipment to detect surface targets fitted with radar transponders. Speedboat-type targets are detected at a range of up to 25 km, and radar transponders at a range of up to 100 km. It usually carries external fuel tanks and flotation gear, and has a hydraulically operated, 300-kg capacity rescue winch. The Ka-27PL has it’s fuselage sealed over the lower portions for buoyancy, while extra floatation equipment can be fitted in boxes on the lower part of the centre fuselage. It has all the usual ASW and ESM equipment including dipping sonar and sonobuoys as well as Osminog (octopus) search radar. The anti-submarine variant is also distinguishable from the SAR version due to its lack of a rescue hoist and different colour scheme. Both versions of the Ka-27 are extremely stable and easy to fly, and automatic height hold, automatic transition to and from the hover and auto hover is also available.

Basic specifications

‘Admiral Chabanenko’ like ‘Severomorsk’ has two hangars set side by side with inclined elevating ramps to the flight deck. The roof of the hangars opens so that the helicopter (which is higher), can get in and the ramp is then lowered allowing the roof to be closed. With one of the hangars being used for a reception, it’s Kamov Ka-27PL, ‘35’ (Red) was on deck. Unfortunately, the second hangar was closed and its occupant could not be positively identified, although it is believed to be ‘34’ (Red). Finally for those hoping for another Russian visitor anytime soon, unfortunately the next FRUKUS exercise will take place in Russia in 2012 so we can only hope for a visit by way of other exercises or events.