Facing Bayraktar TB2 Drone, Vasiliy Bykov Class Stealth Corvette Mounted with Tor-M2 Hanud Missile

In a conflict situation, if the situation is urgent, then improvisation must be done. And speaking of air defense systems on surface warships, the Vasiliy Bykov Class (Project 22160) corvette of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is reported to have been fitted with ground-based Tor missiles on the helicopter deck.

Quoted from Defense Express (7/6/2022), the placement of Tor missiles on the Vasiliy Bykov Class corvette was first reported by journalist Alexander Kovalenko. Seen in the photo is one of the Vasiliy Bykov Class corvettes while sailing in the Gulf of Sevastopol. 

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It is not yet clear what the purpose of installing Tor on this stealth designed corvette is, although there are allegations that Tor was introduced to protect this corvette from the threat of the Bayraktar TB2 combat drone attack.

As a sophisticated corvette, the Vasiliy Bykov Class is certainly equipped with an air defense system, such as the 3M-47 Gibka naval air defense system against the Bayraktar TB2 drone. But the problem is, the hanud system is based on the Igla SHORAD MANPADS missile, meaning that the Igla cannot cope with drones flying at an altitude of more than 3,500 meters. The maximum firing range of the missile is no more than 6,000 meters.

Due to the above conditions, improvisation is required, and that may be the reason for the installation of the Tor missile system on the Vasiliy Bykov Class corvette. Prior to this, the Russian Navy in 2016 had tested the installation of a ground-based Tor on the helipad deck of the cruiser Admiral Nakhimov.

Outside of Russia, Israel has also installed an Iron Dome ground-based hanud system on the INS Lahav (Sa'ar 5 Class) corvette deck. Not just one launcher, recently two launcher systems were placed on the semi-stealth design corvette. The installation of the Iron Dome on the warship is strongly suspected of being linked to the potential threat of ballistic missile attacks and kamikaze drones from Iran.

Russia is actually developing a naval variant of the Tor missile system. According to information published by the Russian news agency TASS on February 10, 2020, the Russian defense industry will develop a naval version of the Tor-M2 missile system for the Russian Navy. 

However, considering the urgent need, namely to equip a medium-range defense system on the Vasiliy Bykov Class corvette, the most ideal option is placing a ground-based Tor on the deck of the warship.

The Tor missile system was designed by the Antey design bureau in 1975. Meanwhile, the missile designer was specially worked on by MKB Fakel. After passing the testing phase, Tor began production in 1983 by IEMZ Kupol Metrowagonmash. The first generation Tor missiles entered service in the Soviet Union in 1986.

The Tor missile is vertically launched (VLS) with a range of 12 km and an altitude of up to 10 km. With an improved radar system, this Hanud defense weapon system can detect everything from stealth aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and precision ammunition to aerial bombs.

Tor-M2 Hanud Missile installed

In the early stages of launching, the Tor missile uses the cold launch method up to a distance of 20 meters. The missile with the support of a solid fuel rocket in destroying its target adopts RF (radio frequency) proximity technology, which does not require a fuze impact (direct hit on the target).

Realizing the potential for jamming, due to relying on radio command guidance, Tor has been equipped with enhanced ECM (Electronic Countermeasure) protection.

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But it should be noted that the effectiveness of the ground-based missile system on deployment on warships has not been fully tested. The fact is that ground-based missile systems differ in terms of their resistance to naval-based missiles, aggressive marine environmental factors, humidity, salinity, to the ability to operate in wave swing conditions are challenges and risks that must be faced...