Vishnya

Intelligence Shipconfirmed

The Vishnya class, Soviet designation Project 864, is a class of large intelligence collection ships (AGI) designed for signals intelligence (SIGINT) and communications monitoring. These vessels are equipped with an array of specialized antennae and processing systems to intercept electronic emissions. They serve as dedicated reconnaissance platforms, monitoring foreign naval activities and strategic maritime areas.

Specifications

Type	Intelligence Ship
Origin	Soviet Union
Manufacturer	Stocznia Północna
Introduced	1985
Status	In service
Displacement	3,470 tons (full load)
Length	91.5
Crew	146
Speed	16
Range	7,900 at 12 knots
Propulsion	2 x Sulzer-Ggielski 12AV25/30 diesel engines, 2 shafts
Armament	2 x AK-306 30mm close-in weapon systems, 2 x SA-N-8 Strela-3 surface-to-air missile launchers

History

Developed in the early 1980s to replace the aging Primor'ye-class intelligence ships, the Project 864 vessels were constructed at the Northern Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, for the Soviet Navy. A total of seven ships were completed and commissioned between 1985 and 1988. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, all seven units were transferred to the Russian Navy. They remain highly active today, conducting regular surveillance deployments near NATO coastlines, transatlantic cables, and international naval exercises.