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Moskva enters Mediterranean
Russia's Moskva missile cruiser, dubbed a "carrier-killer" by NATO,
...dubbed 'dinner' by Lawn Dart pilots...
has passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and is now heading toward the eastern Mediterranean to assume command of the Russian naval force there. The Russian Navy said in a statement that the Moskva cruiser passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on September 10.

Moskva weaponry:

-16x SS-N-12 Sandbox anti-ship missiles
- 8x8 (64) S-300PMU Favorit (SA-N-6 Grumble) long-range surface-to-air missiles
-2x20 (40) OSA-MA (SA-N-4 Gecko) SR SAM
-1x twin AK-130 130mm/L70 dual-purpose guns
-6xAK-630 close-in weapons systems
-2x RBU-6000 anti-submarine mortars
-10x (2 quin) 533mm torpedo tubes
-1 Ka-25 or Ka-27 helicopter
Interfax news agency added that the Moskva cruiser, "commanded by Sergey Tronev, Captain 1st Rank of the Guards... has enough room for maneuver now."

"The Black Sea flagship entered the Russian Navy's area of responsibility in the Mediterranean at 11:00 pm Moscow time yesterday," the agency reported a military source as saying.

The missile-carrying cruiser is expected to join its final destination in eastern Mediterranean on September 15 or 16. Upon arrival, the command of the Russian Navy unit in the Mediterranean, currently stationed onboard the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine ship, will be relocated to the Moskva.

The missile cruiser, initially known to Western naval intelligence as "Slava" (Glory), was launched in 1979 and entered service in 1983. It was later renamed the "Moskva" in 1995. Designed to be carrier-killers, the cruisers of Class 1164 are equipped with 16 anti-ship launchers P-1000 Vulkan, or Volcano (SS-N-12 Sandbox anti-ship missiles, according to NATO classification).
1979? She's getting a little old...

Posted by: Steve White 2013-09-11
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=375651