Sivuch (Project 1239 (Dergach))

Project 1239 'Sivuch' (NATO reporting name: Dergach) is a class of Russian large missile hovercraft corvettes. These unique warships are designed for high-speed anti-ship operations, utilizing an air-cushion system for propulsion and enhanced maneuverability.

Developed by the Almaz Design Bureau in the 1980s, the Project 1239 class was conceived to counter NATO naval forces in littoral zones by combining the heavy armament of a guided-missile corvette with the extreme speed of a catamaran surface-effect ship. The lead vessel, Bora, entered service with the Soviet Navy in 1989, followed by its sister ship, Samum, which was commissioned into the Russian Navy in 2000. Operating exclusively within the Black Sea Fleet, these vessels have participated in numerous regional exercises, and in September 2023, Samum was reportedly targeted and damaged by a Ukrainian experimental sea drone. Today, both ships remain on active duty as the largest operational military air-cushion catamarans in the world, serving as a testament to late-Soviet naval engineering innovation despite their high maintenance complexity.