Natya-class minesweeper


The Natya class is the NATO reporting name for Project 266M Akvamarin, a class of minesweepers built for the Soviet Navy and export customers during the 1970s and 1980s. The ships were used for ocean minesweeping.

Design

The design evolved from the with new demining equipment including more advanced sonar and closed circuit TV. A stern ramp made recovering sweeps easier. The hull was built of low magnetic steel. The engines were mounted on sound dampening beams and shrouded propellers were used to reduce noise. An electrical field compensator was also installed. A single ship designated Natya 2 by NATO was built with an aluminium hull for reduced magnetic signature.
Ukrainian forces claimed to have sunk the minesweeper Kovrovets on 19 May 2024. At the same time, in other sources they claimed to sink the small missile ship Tsiklon. There are no independent confirmations or comments from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Project 02668

  • Displacement: 852 tons.
  • Armament: 1 × 30mm AK-306 CIWS, 2 × 14.5 mm MTPU-1 machine guns, BKT high-speed pin sweep, TEM-4 electromagnetic sweep, AT-3 acoustic sweep, SZ-1 or SZ-2 depth charges, "Livadia" mine detector-finder.
  • Crew: 60.
Project 02668 was designed by Design Bureau "Almaz" and is a prototype, which demonstrates the latest technology - the logical continuation of a series of Project 266ME. The minesweeper is equipped with the most modern means of anti-mine protection. It was the first Russian mine-sweeping ship to have an integrated navigation bridge and main command center, as well as the "Diez-E" automated control system of anti-mine action activities.
The St. Andrew's flag-raising ceremony was held on 17 January 2009, and the ship was accepted into the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Operators

45 ships were built for the Soviet Navy from 1970 to 1982.
Libyan People's Army