Končar class fast attack craft
Encyclopedia
The Končar class is a class of fast attack craft
that was built for the SFR Yugoslav Navy in the late 1970s. Following the break-up of Yugoslavia one craft went to the Croatian Navy whilst the remaining five went to the Montenegro Navy. As of 2009 three vessels remain in service.
As planned by the Yugoslav navy, the entire class of six ships was due to undergo extensive overhauls and modernization during the early 1990s. The ships' anti-ship armament was to be replaced by the Swedish
state-of-the-art RBS-15 system after the removal of the old Soviet P-15 Termit missiles. The stern Bofors 57 mm gun was also due to be removed and replaced by a CIWS AK-630
M unit. However, only one ship managed to undergo these changes. It was the RTOP-402 which, as the war in Yugoslavia
broke out, was being worked on in a Croatian shipyard and thus remained in Croatian service. All other RBS-15 missiles (out of roughly 100 delivered by the time) were captured by the Croatian forces. This ship entered Croatian Navy service as RTOP-21 "Šibenik" in late 1991 and saw additional light upgrading and overhauls over the years.
The class is named after the first vessel which in turn was named after Rade Končar
.
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
that was built for the SFR Yugoslav Navy in the late 1970s. Following the break-up of Yugoslavia one craft went to the Croatian Navy whilst the remaining five went to the Montenegro Navy. As of 2009 three vessels remain in service.
As planned by the Yugoslav navy, the entire class of six ships was due to undergo extensive overhauls and modernization during the early 1990s. The ships' anti-ship armament was to be replaced by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
state-of-the-art RBS-15 system after the removal of the old Soviet P-15 Termit missiles. The stern Bofors 57 mm gun was also due to be removed and replaced by a CIWS AK-630
AK-630
The AK-630 is a Soviet fully automatic naval close-in weapon system based on a six-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar and television detection and tracking. The system's primary purpose is defense against anti-ship missiles and other...
M unit. However, only one ship managed to undergo these changes. It was the RTOP-402 which, as the war in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
broke out, was being worked on in a Croatian shipyard and thus remained in Croatian service. All other RBS-15 missiles (out of roughly 100 delivered by the time) were captured by the Croatian forces. This ship entered Croatian Navy service as RTOP-21 "Šibenik" in late 1991 and saw additional light upgrading and overhauls over the years.
The class is named after the first vessel which in turn was named after Rade Končar
Rade Koncar
Rade Končar was a Yugoslav Communist leader and legendary World War II resistance fighter.-Biography:...
.
Units
- RTOP-401 Rade Končar - withdrawn from service in 2006, currently awaiting sale in BarBar, MontenegroBar is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has a population of 17,727...
- RTOP-402 Vlado Ćetković - in service with the Croatian Navy as RTOP 21 Šibenik
- RTOP-403 Ramiz Sadiku - withdrawn from service in 2007, currently awaiting sale in TivatTivatTivat is a coastal town in southwest Montenegro, located in the Bay of Kotor...
- RTOP-404 Hasan Zahirović-Laca - withdrawn from service in 2006, currently awaiting sale in Bar
- RTOP-405 Jordan Nikolov Orce - in service with the Montenegran Navy
- RTOP-406 Ante Banina - in service with the Montenegran Navy