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The Gurza-M (Project 58155)-class small armoured artillery boats are under construction for the Ukrainian Navy. The Project 58155-class has been developed based on the Project 58150-class armoured artillery boats.
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Designed by the State Research and Design Shipbuilding Centre (SRDSC) of Ukraine, the boats are being built by Kuznya na Rybalskomu shipbuilding facility in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The vessels are intended to conduct patrols in harbours, rivers, lakes, territorial waters and isolated areas. Other missions include protection of borders and river ports of Ukraine, assistance to aircraft or vessels in distress, and combating illegal migration, piracy and smuggling in the Danube river and waters of the Black Sea-Azov basin.
The Ukrainian Navy currently operates seven Gurza-M-class boats. The boats can also be deployed in UN peacekeeping missions.
Gurza-M boats construction
Keels for the first two armoured artillery boats in the Project 58155-class were laid in October 2012, after which the project was frozen for approximately two years.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine awarded a state contract to Kuznya na Rybalskomu to resume the construction of the two boats in October 2014. The vessels were launched in November 2015 and commissioned in December 2016.
A state contract for the construction of the next four Gurza-M-class armoured artillery boats was signed in March 2016. Keels for four artillery boats, namely Vyshgorod, Lubny, Kremenchuk and Nikopol, were laid in April 2016. The vessels were launched in June 2017 and commissioned in July 2018.
Kostopil, the seventh boat in the Gurza-M-class, was commissioned by the Ukrainian Navy in September 2020, while the eighth boat is currently under construction.
Project 58155 artillery boat class design and features
The Gurza-M armoured artillery boat’s engine compartment, weapon stores and wheelhouse are built using bullet-resistant steel materials.
The overall length and beams of the boat are 23m and 4.8m, respectively, and the maximum draught is 1m. The boat has a full load displacement of 54t and is manned by five crew members.
The wheelhouse, located amidships, provides an unobstructed view through square windows fitted in the front and sides.
An integrated bridge system located in the wheelhouse provides centralised monitoring of on-board sensors, electronics, and propulsion, navigation and communications systems.
The boats can also be fitted with weapons and sensors according to the customer’s requirements.
Weaponry for small armoured artillery boats
The forward and aft sections of the boat are fitted with a BM-5M.01 Katran-M remote-controlled naval combat module, manufactured by Kuznya na Rybalskomu. Each turret is fitted with two 30mm automatic grenade launchers.
The armament of the boat also includes a 30mm ZTM-1 automatic gun, 7.62mm CT machine gun and laser-guided man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS).
The ZTM-1 automatic gun can be fired at enemy aircraft flying at low altitudes, light armoured infantry combat vehicles and dismounted soldiers.
The vessel is also armed with two Barrier anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to fight against stationary and moving light-armoured objects, helicopters and modern armoured combat vehicles, fitted with explosive reactive armour (ERA).
Equipped with a tandem warhead, the ATGMs can engage targets at a distance between 100m to 5,000m.
Sensors and communications
An electro-optical fire control system is located atop the bridge for surveillance and monitoring of the sea surface. The boat also features a navigation radar, antenna masts and communications systems. A laser range finder is installed to detect and track targets.
Propulsion and performance of Project 58155 artillery boats
Powered by two diesel engines, the Project 58155-class can sail at a maximum speed of 25k and reach up to a range of 900nmi at 12k. It can travel up to 80km from its base port and stay afloat for approximately 120 hours.
