Sovetsky Soyuz-Class Battleships: The Unfulfilled Soviet Dream
Okay…. Anyone who has played World of Warships or Azur Lane knows about this monster. It may be hard to believe, but the Soviet Union (mainly Stalin) wanted a fleet of modern battleships.
The Birth of Sovetsky Soyuz-Class Battleships
Back in 1935, designers in the USSR began to draw up plans for what would have been known as the “Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleships.” This came at a time when the Soviet Navy was becoming more and more obsolete, as most of their ships were holdovers from what had once been the Imperial Russian Navy. The Soviet Navy was able to get some modern vessels in service, but Stalin wanted the Soviet Navy to be a reflection of what the USSR should be: powerful and unrivaled. They had even gone as far as to buy designs from private companies in Italy and even the U.S.
Design and Specifications
It took some time, but eventually, a design was selected and would become the Sovetsky Soyuz-class. According to the plans, these vessels would have a displacement of 59,150 tons and a top speed of 28 knots. Main armament would consist of 9 x 406 mm naval rifles mounted in 3 x turrets, with a secondary battery of 6 × twin 152 mm (6 in) guns, 6 × twin 100 mm (3.9 in) DP guns, and 10 × quadruple 37 mm (1.5 in) AA guns. All the while, having a 16-inch belt of armor along the waterline. But the really interesting part about all this was that 14 ships were planned, with the first four being laid down in 1938. But they were not meant to be.
Challenges and Ultimate Fate
Despite what some fanboys want to believe, the Soviet Union was not exactly an industrial powerhouse at this time. Nor did they have any real experience in building such vessels from scratch. Not to mention, Stalin’s purges ensured that those who may have had some idea of what to do were no longer available. As a result, the construction of the first 4 ships was an absolute nightmare, plagued with numerous issues, delays, and design faults.
But it was the start of WW2 which more or less doomed the project, as resources were diverted away from construction to supporting the Red Army. As a result, all 4 ships were never completed and were eventually scrapped.
~NC
