Thread by @CovertShores

#Russia's forgotten super-missile boat in Black Sea, the BORA Class 'hovercraft'

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We haven't heard much about these but they are an interesting design. The most powerful missile boats of the Cold War.

Only two Pr. 1239 built, both now based in Sevastopol, Crimea.

Primary armament is 8 x 3M-80E "Moskit", aka SS-N-22 SUNBURN supersonic anti-ship missiles. Really impressive weapons, famous in the 1990s.

Same armament as the Sovremenny Class destroyer, much heavier than other fast attack craft (FACs)

Here it is next to a Tarantul class missile corvette and Buyan class ships

We say hovercraft, or surface effect ship. It looks like a catamaran but hovercraft skirts rotate down between the hulls both fore and aft.

When these are retracted they are not always obvious

It also has two sets of extra screws (propellers) which fold down when it is in 'hovercraft' mode

As well as anti-ship missiles and guns, it has an SA-N-4 GECKO SAM (surface to air missile) launcher at the back. this is retractable so not always easy to see

It's quick, capable of 55 knots (102 km/h, 63 mph). It's forte is inshore

Two were built, both are still in Sevastopol but only one, , is believed to be active right now. Here it is exercising just before the invasion. It is heading away from the camera