View source for Tapir-class landing ship

{{Short description|Class of Soviet/Russian/Ukrainian landing ships}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| sclass = 2
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = NikoraiFil'chenkov2007Sevastopol.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Nikolay Filchenkov'' in [[Sevastopol]], 2007
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = 
| Builders = 
| Operators = *{{navy|Soviet Union}}
*{{navy|Russia}}
*{{navy|Ukraine}}
| Class before = 
| Class after = {{sclass|Ivan Gren|landing ship|4}}
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = 
| Built range = 1964–1975
| In service range = 
| In commission range = 1965–present
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 15
| Total ships completed = 14
| Total ships cancelled = 1
| Total ships active = 3
| Total ships laid up = 1 (claimed)
| Total ships lost = 1
| Total ships retired = 10
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = 
| Ship type = [[Landing ship, tank]]
| Ship tonnage = 
| Ship displacement = *3,400 tons standard
*4,360–4,700 tons full load
| Ship length = {{cvt|112.8|-|113.1|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|15.3|-|15.6|m|ftin}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{cvt|4.5|m|ftin}}
| Ship depth = 
| Ship hold depth = 
| Ship decks = 
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = 2 diesels, 2 shafts, {{cvt|9,000|bhp}}
| Ship sail plan = 
| Ship speed = {{convert|16|-|18|kn|km/h}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship test depth = 
| Ship boats = 
| Ship capacity = 1,000 tons
| Ship troops = 300–425 troops and 20 tanks, or 40 [[Armoured fighting vehicle|AFVs]], or 1,000 tons
| Ship complement = 
| Ship crew = 55
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *'''Missiles:''' 1 × 122 mm [[BM-21 Grad#Russia|naval Grad]] bombardment rocket launcher in some, 3 × [[SA-N-5]] [[Surface-to-air missile|SAM]] positions in some.<ref name="Polmar">{{cite book |last=Polmar |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Polmar |year=1991 |title=Guide to the Soviet Navy |edition=5th |publisher=[[Naval Institute Press]] |page=219 |isbn=978-0-87021-241-3}}</ref>
*'''Guns:''' 1 dual 57 mm/70 cal DP, 2 dual 25 mm AA in some.<ref name="Polmar" />
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}
The '''Tapir-class landing ship''', Soviet designation '''Project 1171 landing ship''' ([[NATO reporting name]]: '''Alligator''') is a class of Soviet/Russian general purpose, beachable [[amphibious warfare ship]]s (Soviet classification: large landing ship; {{lang-ru|большой десантный корабль, БДК}}).

==History==
In Soviet post–[[World War II]] analysis of [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operations]], the recommendation was made that the Soviet Navy should start building dedicated amphibious ships. Among the first ships, launching in 1967, was the {{sclass2|Polnocny|landing ship|4}} of medium landing ships, whose 900-ton vessels could transport six tanks and 180 troops.

[[File:Saratov2007Sevastopol.jpg|''Saratov'' at Sevastopol, 2007|thumb|left]]
A newer type of amphibious warship followed in the late 1950s, a true [[Landing Ship, Tank]] (LST) that was named Project 1171 and also designated Tapir. Labelled "Large Landing Ship", her displacement was 4,360 tons full load and could transport up to 313 troops and 20 tanks. Additional vehicles could be stored on the upper deck. [[NATO]] gave these ships the code name "Alligator", and several subtypes were created.

The design of Project 1171 was initiated in 1959 by the Navy, while a similar dual-purpose Project 1173 was ordered by the [[Ministry of the Maritime Fleet]]. Eventually both designs were merged under the Project 1171 umbrella, and the resulting vessel was a compromise between military (speed, [[survivability]]) and civil (fuel economy) objectives. The design team produced four different configurations; the Navy selected the most powerful and fastest option, which was also the least fuel-efficient, while the Ministry of the Maritime Fleet withdrew from the project completely. All production ships were made for the Navy and never operated on shipping lines.<ref name="EncyShips">{{cite web |title=1171 Тапир |url=http://ship.bsu.by/ship/102137 |website=Encyclopedia of Ships |language=ru |access-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425204824/http://ship.bsu.by/ship/102137 |archive-date=25 April 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

A total of 14 vessels were completed between 1964 and 1975; all were retired between 1992 and 1995.<ref name="EncyShips" /> As of September 2008, two vessels, currently named ''Orsk'' and ''Saratov'', were in active service with the 197th Brigade of Landing Ships in the Russian [[Black Sea Fleet]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Alligator Class – Project 1171 Tapir class Alligator |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1171.htm |website=[[GlobalSecurity.org]] |access-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425204823/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/1171.htm |archive-date=25 April 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> As of March 2014, ''Saratov'' and ''Nikolay Filchenkov'' were in service with the 197th Brigade of Landing Ships in the Black Sea Fleet, ''Nikolay Vilkov'' was in service with the 100th Brigade of Landing Ships in the Russian [[Pacific Fleet (Russia)|Pacific Fleet]], and ''Orsk'' was inactive and undergoing refits.<ref>{{cite web |title=1171 Tapir /Alligator class large landing ships |url=http://warfare.be/db/catid/272/linkid/2096/title/1171-tapir-/alligator-class-large-landing-ships/ |website=Russian Military Analysis |access-date=11 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131201032959/http://warfare.be/db/catid/272/linkid/2096/title/1171-tapir-/alligator-class-large-landing-ships/ |archive-date=1 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''Saratov'' (BDK-65) was [[ceremonial ship launching|launched]] in July 1964, [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] in 1966 as ''Voronezhsky Komsomolets''. As a [[lead ship]] of a formation, she lacked the habitable troop compartments installed on other ships of the class. ''Saratov'' was stationed in [[Donuzlav]] (Black Sea Fleet) until the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] and then remained mothballed in [[Odesa]] until 1994. The ship was reported in active operations in 2000 and later.<ref>{{cite web |title=Большой десантный корабль "Саратов" |trans-title=Large landing ship ''Saratov'' |url=https://www.kchf.ru/ship/desant/saratov.htm |website=kchf.ru |language=ru |access-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425204823/https://www.kchf.ru/ship/desant/saratov.htm |archive-date=25 April 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

From 2013 on, ''Nikolay Filchenkov'' and ''Saratov'' were used to transport military equipment from [[Novorossiysk]] to [[Tartus]] in Syria, during the [[Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war]], along with {{sclass2|Ropucha|landing ship|0}} ships.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kubiak |first=Krzysztof |date=2017 |title=Syryjski ekspres |magazine=Raport-WTO |language=pl |number=4 |page=48 |issn=1429-270X}}</ref>

''Orsk'' (BDK-69) was launched and commissioned in 1968 as ''Nikolay Obekov''. She served a total of 11 campaigns in the [[Indian Ocean|Indian]] and [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] oceans and the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. Later, under the Russian flag, she carried troops and materials to [[Yugoslavia]], [[Adjara]], and [[Abkhazia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Большой десантный корабль "Орск" |trans-title=Large landing ship ''Orsk'' |url=https://www.kchf.ru/ship/desant/orsk.htm |website=kchf.ru |language=ru |access-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425204825/https://www.kchf.ru/ship/desant/orsk.htm |archive-date=25 April 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, the vessel was seen transporting Russian equipment to Syria.<ref>{{cite AV media |title=-YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmYH9u6guq4 |website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=10 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123140938/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmYH9u6guq4 |archive-date=23 November 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 21 March 2022, she appeared in Russian TV reports unloading military equipment in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian [[port of Berdiansk]],<ref>{{cite web |date=28 March 2022 |title=Assessing Russia's first major naval loss of the war in Ukraine |url=https://www.navylookout.com/assessing-russias-first-major-naval-loss-of-the-war-in-ukraine/ |website=Navy Lookout |access-date=8 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402143422/https://www.navylookout.com/assessing-russias-first-major-naval-loss-of-the-war-in-ukraine |archive-date=2 April 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> which led to initial confusion when her [[sister ship]] ''Saratov'' was destroyed three days later at the same place.

During the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], in the aftermath of the [[Southern Ukraine campaign|Battle of Berdiansk]], ''Saratov'' was reported as destroyed by a [[2022 Berdiansk port attack|Ukrainian attack on 24 March 2022]] while in the port of Berdiansk.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 March 2022 |title=Russian warship destroyed in occupied port of Berdyansk, says Ukraine |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60859337 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324105130/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60859337 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Video showed a large fire, smoke, and explosions, with one explosion engulfing the bow of the ship.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mcilkenny |first=Stephen |date=24 March 2022 |title=Ukraine conflict: Large Russian ship, the Orsk, destroyed by Ukrainian military – reports |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/ukraine-conflict-large-russian-ship-the-orsk-destroyed-by-ukrainian-military-reports-3624749 |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324091242/https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/ukraine-conflict-large-russian-ship-the-orsk-destroyed-by-ukrainian-military-reports-3624749 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Hannah |date=24 March 2022 |title=Russian Navy Ship Destroyed After Propaganda Footage Gave Away Its Location |url=https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/russian-navy-ship-destroyed-after-propaganda-footage-revealed-location-20220324 |website=[[UNILAD]] |page=1 |access-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324150800/https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/russian-navy-ship-destroyed-after-propaganda-footage-revealed-location-20220324 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ship was originally reported as having been ''Orsk'', but the [[General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces]] later reported that ''Saratov'' had been destroyed, and two Ropucha-class ships, {{ship|Russian ship|Tsezar Kunikov||2}} and {{ship|Russian landing ship|Novocherkassk||2}} damaged.<ref>{{cite news |date=25 March 2022 |title=General Staff update: Not Orsk but Saratov landing ship destroyed at Berdiansk Port |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3439345-general-staff-update-not-orsk-but-saratov-landing-ship-destroyed-at-berdiansk-port.html |publisher=[[Ukrinform]] |access-date=25 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325102653/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3439345-general-staff-update-not-orsk-but-saratov-landing-ship-destroyed-at-berdiansk-port.html |archive-date=25 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Russian sources confirmed a missile attack on Berdiansk harbour (without clarification of missile type), which damaged two landing ships—''Saratov'' and unnamed one, as well as sinking ''Saratov''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kots|first=Andrey |date=4 April 2022 |access-date=2024-01-01 |title=Какое оружие Россия впервые применила на Украине |url=https://ria.ru/20220404/ukraina-1781317938.html |language=ru |publisher=[[RIA Novosti]] |quote=Двадцать четвертого марта ВСУ выпустили ракеты по порту Бердянска, повредив два больших десантных корабля. На БДК "Саратов" разгорелся сильный пожар, в результате его пришлось притопить у причала. Фактически этот обстрел — единственный более-менее значимый успех украинских военных в противостоянии с российским флотом. |trans-quote=On March 24, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired missiles at the Port of Berdyansk, damaging two large landing ships. A strong fire broke out at the large landing ship ''Saratov'', as a result she had to be flooded at the pier. In fact, this strike is the only more or less significant success of the Ukrainian military in the confrontation with the Russian fleet.}}</ref> On 2 July 2022, Russian official in southern Ukraine [[Vladimir Rogov]] confirmed a [[OTR-21 Tochka|Tochka-U]] ballistic missile was used back on 24 March to target the Port of Berdiansk and that ''Saratov'' was [[scuttling|scuttled]] by her crew in order "to prevent detonation of the on-board munitions by the fire that had started". There are no Russian reports publicly available as to the extent of damage to the ship, but Russian sources state she was salvaged and was to be towed to [[Kerch]], [[Crimea]].<ref>{{cite news |date=2 July 2022 |title=Russia salvages landing ship hit by Ukraine missile fire |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62022476 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=11 July 2022}}</ref>

== Ships of class ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Type
!In service
!Status
|-
|{{ship|Russian landing ship|Saratov||2}} (BDK-65)
| rowspan="4" |1171
|18 August 1966
|Sunk or scuttled on 24 March 2022 in the Port of Berdiansk after sustaining missile damage during operations against Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |last=Newdick|first=Thomas |date=24 March 2022 |title=Russian Landing Ship Destroyed In Massive Explosion In Captured Ukrainian Port City |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44904/russian-landing-ship-destroyed-in-massive-explosion-in-captured-ukrainian-port-city |website=The Drive|access-date=25 March 2023}}</ref>
|-
|''Krymsky Komsomolets'' (BDK-6)
|30 December 1966
|Decommissioned on 19 March 1992, scrapped in 1995
|-
|''Tomsky Komsomolets'' (BDK-13)
|30 September 1967
|Decommissioned on 5 July 1994
|-
|''Komsomolets Karelii'' (BDK-62)
|29 December 1967
|Decommissioned on 1 December 1997
|-
|''Sergey Lazo'' (BDK-66)
| rowspan="2" |1171/II
|27 September 1968
|Decommissioned on 5 July 1994
|-
|{{interlanguage link|Russian landing ship Orsk|ru|Орск (большой десантный корабль)|lt=''Orsk'' (BDK-69)}}
|31 December 1968
|In service
|-
|''50 Let Shefstva VLKSM'' (BDK-77)
| rowspan="6" |1171/III
|30 September 1969
|Decommissioned on 5 July 1994
|-
|''Donetsky Shakhtyor''
|31 December 1969
|Decommissioned on 10 April 2002
|-
|''Krasnaya Presnya'' (BDK-100)
|30 September 1970
|Decommissioned on 30 June 1993, sold to commercial service, sunk in a storm on her way to be scrapped in 1995 
|-
|{{interlanguage link|Ukrainian landing ship Rivne|uk|Рівне (корабель)|lt=''Ilya Azarov'' (BDK-104)}}
|10 June 1971
|Acquired by Ukraine on 10 January 1996 as ''Rivne'' (U762). Decommissioned and used as a civilian freighter in 2004 before being scrapped in 2007.
|-
|''Aleksandr Tortsev''
|31 December 1971
|Decommissioned on 5 July 1994
|-
|''Pyotr Ilyichyov''
|29 December 1972
|Decommissioned on 30 June 1993
|-
|{{interlanguage link|Russian landing ship Nikolay Vilkov|ru|Николай Вилков (большой десантный корабль)|lt=''Nikolay Vilkov''}}
| rowspan="3" |1171/IV
|30 July 1974
|In service
|-
|{{interlanguage link|Russian landing ship Nikolay Filchenkov|ru|Николай Фильченков (большой десантный корабль)|lt=''Nikolay Filchenkov''}}
|30 December 1975
|In service
|-
|''Nikolay Golubkov''
| -
|Never completed
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[List of active Russian Navy ships]]
*[[List of ships of the Soviet Navy]]
*[[List of ships of Russia by project number]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Voronezhskiy Komsomolets class landing ship}}
* [http://russianships.info/eng/warships/project_1171.htm All Alligator Class Landing Ships – Complete Ship List]

{{Soviet and Russian ships after 1945}}
{{2022 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tapir}}
[[Category:Alligator-class landing ships|*]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessel classes]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the Russian Navy]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the Soviet Navy]]
[[Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the Soviet Union]]