The Kometa is a seagoing hydrofoil, the marine variant of the Meteor (hydrofoil) (projects 342M, 342MT, 342ME, 342MS), designed by the Gorky bureau of Rostislav Alekseev. The lead vessel was built in Poti in 1962, and from 1964 the series was produced at the More shipyard in Feodosia. Kometa vessels were widely exported and became the best-known Soviet hydrofoil abroad. [1][2]
The sea instead of the river
The river-going Meteor was thoroughly reworked for sea service: the hull was reinforced, the foil arrangement was changed, and seaworthiness qualities were added to let the vessel hold its own against waves. Passenger capacity stayed close to the prototype's, while the operating range expanded to coastal sea routes. [1]
The vessel was produced in several modifications differing in equipment and purpose — from the basic transport version to export variants with altered cabin fittings. [1][2]
Export
Kometa vessels operated on routes across the Black, Azov, Caspian, and Baltic seas, and were also exported abroad — to countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. For many foreigners, the Kometa was the face of Soviet shipbuilding: a fast white vessel rising above the water made a more convincing case than any trade brochure. [1][2]
The series was built until 1981. Later, the name returned: since 2013 the Alekseyev Central Design Bureau has been running the Kometa 120M project — a modern seagoing hydrofoil inheriting both the design and the name. [1]
Sources
- spkfleet.ru — The Kometa ship (archive)
- fleetphoto.ru — Project 342M Kometa (archive)