According to information published by the Times of Malta on December 30, 2022, the Russian Slava class cruiser Varyag is sailing in the Central Mediterranean near Malta.
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Russian Navy's Slava class cruiser Varyag. (Picture source: inosmi)
Russian cruiser Varyag, is the third ship of the Slava-class of guided missile cruisers built for the Soviet Navy now serving the Russian Navy. She was launched on 28 August 1983 and commissioned on 16 October 1989.
The vessel has a standard displacement of 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) and 12,700 t (12,500 long tons) at full load. Varyag measures 186.4 metres (611 ft 7 in) long with a beam of 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in) and a draught of 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in).
The vessel is powered by a combined gas or gas (COGOG) system comprising four 23,300 kilowatts (31,250 shp) boost gas turbines and two 8,900 kW (12,000 shp) cruise gas turbines driving two shafts for a combined 93,000 kW (125,000 shp).
This gives the cruiser a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). It has a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). As built the cruiser had a complement of 505.[2] This was later reduced to 476 including 62 officers.
Varyag is armed with sixteen P-1000 Vulkan (SS-N-12 Sandbox) anti-ship missiles (SSM) in two eight-missile launchers located amidships to either side of the superstructure.
It is also equipped with 64 S-300F Fort (SA-N-6 Grumble) long-range surface-to-air missiles (SAM) in eight eight-missile launchers located aft of the funnel and four OSA-M (SA-N-4 Gecko) SR SAMs in two twenty-round launchers located aft, to either side of the hangar.
Varyag is armed with twin-mounted AK-130 130 mm (5 in)/L70 dual purpose guns located forward and six AK-630 30 mm (1.2 in) close-in weapons systems with two located forward atop the superstructure and four located amidships to either side of the superstructure.
For anti-submarine warfare (ASW), the cruiser mounts two RBU-6000 anti-submarine mortars, each with six barrels and ten 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes two quintuple launchers behind shutters near the stern.
The ship was equipped with MR-800 Voskhod/Top Pair 3-D long range air search and MR-700 Fregat/Top Steer air/surface search radar. For ASW, the cruisers is equipped with MG-332 Tigan-2T/Bull Nose hull-mounted LF and Platina/Horse Tail MF VDS sonar.
Varyag mounts MR-184/Kite Screech fire control radar for the 130 mm guns, 3R41 Volna/Top Dome radar for SA-N-6 SAM control, MPZ-301 Baza/Pop Group radar for SA-N-4 SAM control and Argument/Front Door-C radar for SSM control and 3 Bass Tilt radars for the AK-630s.
