RBU-6000

A RBU-6000 rocket launcher aboard a Udaloy class destroyer.

ORP Kaszub firing a RBU-6000 rocket depth charge.

INS Trikand, completed 2013, with its RBU-6000 launcher and BrahMos VLS, visiting Portsmouth, UK, on its delivery voyage from St Petersburg.

The RBU-6000 Smerch-2 (Реактивно-Бомбовая Установка, Reaktivno-Bombovaja Ustanovka; reaction engine-bomb installation & Смерч; waterspout) is a 213 mm caliber Soviet anti-submarine rocket launcher. It is similar in principle to the Royal Navy Hedgehog system used during the Second World War. The system entered service in 1960-61 and is fitted to a wide range of Russian surface vessels. It consists of a horseshoe shaped arrangement of twelve launch barrels, that are remotely directed by the Burya fire control system (that can also control the shorter ranged RBU-1000). It fires RGB-60 unguided depth charges. The rockets are normally fired in salvos of 1, 2, 4, 8 or 12 rounds. Reloading is automatic, with individual rounds being fed into the launcher by the 60UP loading system from a below deck magazine. Typical magazine capacity is either 72 or 96 rounds per launcher. It can also be used as a shore bombardment system.

The RPK-8 system is an upgrade of the RBU-6000 system, firing the 90R rocket, which is actively guided in the water. This allows it to home in on targets at depths of up to 1,000 meters. The warhead is a 19.5 kg shaped charge, which enables it to punch through the hulls of submarines. It can also be used against divers and torpedoes. System response time is reported to be 15 seconds and a single-salvo has a kill probability of 0.8.

RBU-6000 were the most widespread anti-submarine rocket launchers in the Soviet Navy, used on many ship classes.

Launcher

• Weight: 3,100 kg (empty)
• Length: 2 m
• Height: 2.25 m
• Width: 1.75 m
• Elevation: -15°to +65°
• Traverse: 180°

RGB-60 projectile

• Weight: 110 kg
• Warhead: 25 kg
• Diameter: 0.212 m
• Length: 1.83 m
• Range: 350 m to 5800 m
• Depth: 10 to 500 m
• Sink rate: 11.5 m/s

90R projectile

• Weight 112.5 kg
• Warhead: 19.5 kg
• Diameter: 0.212 m
• Length: 1.83 m
• Range: 600 m to 4,300 m
• Effective radius: 130 m
• Depth range:
  • Submarines: 0 to 1,000 m
  • Torpedoes and divers: 4–10 m

Ships

Ship classes fitted with RBU-6000 (list not complete)

•  Soviet Navy
   Russian Navy
  • Moskva class helicopter carrier(Project 1123)
  • Kiev class aircraft carrier(Project 1143/1143M)
  • Kynda class cruiser(Project 58)
  • Kresta I class cruiser(Project 1134)
  • Kresta II class cruiser(Project 1134A)
  • Kara class cruiser(Project 1134B)
  • Kirov class battlecruiser(Project 1144/11442)
  • Slava class cruiser(Project 1164)
  • Kotlin-SAM class destroyer(Project 56K/56A/56AE)
  • Kanin class destroyer(Project 57A)
  • Kashin class destroyer(Project 61/61M/61MP)
  • Udaloy class destroyer(Project 1155)
  • Burevestnik /Burevestnik M class frigate(Project 1135/1135M)
  • Neustrashimy class frigate(Project 1154)
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159)
  • Gepard class frigate(Project 11661)
  • Petya II/III frigate(Project 159A/159AE)
  • Mirka class frigate(Project 35/35M)
  • Grisha I/III/IV/V class corvette(Project 1124.1/1124M/1124K/1124ME)
  • Parchim II class corvette(Project 133.1M)
  • Poti class corvette(Project 204)*Kresta I class cruiser (Project 1134)
• Soviet border Guard
  Russian Border Guard
  • Nerei class frigate (Project 11351)
  • Grisha II/V class corvette(Project 1124P/1124ME)
•  Ukrainian Navy
  • Nerei class frigate (Project 11351)
  • Petya II frigate(Project 159A)
  • Grisha II/V class corvette(Project 1124P/1124ME)
•  Polish Navy
  • Kotlin-SAM class destroyer(Project 56AE)
  • Kashin class destroyer(Project 61MP)
  • ORP Kaszub corvette (Project 620)
•  Romanian Naval Forces
  • Mărăşeşti frigate
  • Rear-Admiral Eustaţiu Sebastian class frigate
•  Bulgarian Navy
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159)
  • Poti class corvette(Project 204)
•  Lithuanian Naval Force
  • Grisha III class corvette(Project 1124M)
•  Azerbaijani Navy
  • Petya II frigate(Project 159A)
•  Yugoslav Navy
   Military of Serbia and Montenegro
   Montenegrin Navy
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159)
  • Kotor class frigate(Project 1159)
•  Volksmarine
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159)
  • Parchim I class corvette(Project 133)
•  Indian Navy
  • Rajput class destroyer(Project 61ME)
  • Delhi class destroyer (Project 15)
  • Kolkata class destroyer(Project 15A)
  • Visakhapatnam-class destroyer(Project 15B)
  • Brahmaputra class frigate (Project 16A)
  • Talwar class frigate(Project 11356)
  • Shivalik class frigate (Project 17)
  • Kamorta-class corvette(Project 28)
•  Vietnam People's Navy
  • Petya II/III frigate(Project 159A/159AE)
  • Gepard 3.9 frigate Project 11661E (Gepard 3.9) .
•  Indonesian Navy
  • Parchim I class corvette(Project 133)
•  Libyan Navy
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159TP)
•  Syrian Navy
  • Petya III frigate(Project 159AE)
•  Algerian National Navy
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159T)
•  Ethiopian Navy
  • Petya II frigate(Project 159A)
•  Cuban Navy
  • Koni class frigate(Project 1159T)

References

• The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Systems 1997-1998