Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette

The Project 1241 Molniya, known to NATO as the Tarantul-class, is a Soviet-designed missile corvette family built by Almaz-associated and other Soviet and Russian shipyards for coastal anti-ship warfare, patrol, and export service. The family spans early Styx-armed boats, Tarantul-III Moskit upgrades, and later Molniya derivatives such as Project 1241.8 with Uran-E missiles.

Russia-Ukraine War🏳️ Unspecified

Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette, Missile corvette class, Naval Systems

Image source: R-334.Ivanovets.201208.2cropped.JPG

Profile

Origin: Soviet Union
Built by: Almaz Central Marine Design Bureaumultiple Soviet and Russian shipyards
Built in: Soviet UnionRussia
Type: Missile corvette class
Service note: Late Cold War-present
Designer: Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau
Designed: Late 1970s
Produced: 1977-present
Number built: About 80
Variants: Project 1241.RE / Tarantul-I, Project 1241.1 / Tarantul-II, Project 12411 / 1241.1M / 1241.1MR / Tarantul-III, Project 1242.1 / 1241.8 Molniya

Also Known As

Tarantul-class corvette
Tarantul class
Tarantul-class missile corvette
Project 1241
Project 1241 Molniya
Project 1241.1
Project 1241.RE
Project 12411
Project 1241.8 Molniya
Molniya class

naval fast attack craft anti-ship missile guided missile

Specifications

Displacement: 480 long tons standard / 540 long tons full load
Dimensions: 56 x 10.5 x 2.5 m
Speed: 42 knots
Range: 2,400 nmi at 12 knots; about 10 days autonomy
Crew: 50
Propulsion: COGAG turbines with cruising engines
Armament: P-15 Termit, P-270 Moskit, or Kh-35 anti-ship missiles; 76 mm AK-176 gun; AK-630 30 mm CIWS; SA-N-5 or SA-N-8 point air defense

Major Variants

Project 1241 split into export and domestic branches, then into later Molniya developments. The table below groups the main family members by the most visible differences.

Variant	NATO name	Distinguishing fit
Project 1241.RE	Tarantul-I	Export variant with P-20 Styx missiles and bridge-top navigation radar.
Project 1241.1	Tarantul-II	Soviet Navy version with P-15 Termit / SS-N-2 missiles, AK-176 gun, and AK-630 CIWS.
Project 12411 / 1241.1M	Tarantul-III / Tarantul-III Mod	Upgraded CODAG variant with P-270 Moskit missiles and improved electronic warfare fit.
Project 1242.1 / 1241.8	Molniya	Later development rearmed around Uran-E missiles and built by Vympel.

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Entered Soviet Navy service in 1979; export and Russian derivative boats remained in service into the 2020s.
Used by: Soviet Navy, Russian Navy, Indian Navy, Vietnam People's Navy, Polish Navy
Wars: Russia-Ukraine War

Conflict Usage

Side: 🏳️Unspecified

Ivanovets, a Tarantul-class corvette of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, was reported sunk by Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels near Crimea on 31 January/1 February 2024.

Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette Images

Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette, Missile corvette class, Naval Systems - view 1 — Source: Pr.12411T.jpg

Project 1241 Molniya / Tarantul-class missile corvette, Missile corvette class, Naval Systems - view 2 — Source: ORP Rolnik.jpg

Related Weapon Systems

Iranian small attack boats, Small attack boat / fast attack craft, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsIranian small attack boatsSmall attack boat / fast attack craftIranian small attack boats are a mixed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast attack craft and fast inshore attack craft force used for swarm harassment, mine laying, anti-ship missile attack, and littoral sea denial around the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. The family covers domestically produced speedboats and named classes such as Ashura/Ashoora, Tareq, Zolfaghar/Peykaap, Thondor/Houdong, Boghammar-derived craft, and Bladerunner-derived craft rather than a single standardized design.

Peykaap / Zolfaghar missile boat, Fast attack craft / missile boat, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsPeykaap / Zolfaghar missile boatFast attack craft / missile boatThe Peykaap and Zolfaghar missile-boat family is a set of small Iranian fast attack craft derived from North Korean IPS-16 concepts and adapted for torpedo or anti-ship missile attack. Public references describe Peykaap variants with lightweight torpedoes or Kowsar/TL-10 and Nasr/C-704-family missiles, making it one of the clearest military small-boat families within the IRGC Navy inventory.

Project 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvette, Guided missile corvette family, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsProject 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvetteGuided missile corvette familyProject 1234 Ovod / Nanuchka-class missile corvette is a Soviet-designed guided-missile corvette family built by Almaz and Vympel shipyards for Soviet and export customers. The class centered on P-120 Malakhit anti-ship missiles in Soviet service, used export P-15 Termit missiles, and later Nanuchka III refits added Kh-35 or Uran anti-ship missiles and stronger point defense.

Thondor / Houdong missile boat, Fast attack missile boat, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsThondor / Houdong missile boatFast attack missile boatThe Thondor or Houdong missile boat is Iran's Chinese-origin large fast attack missile boat family, distinct from the smaller speedboat-derived craft but often grouped with Iran's missile-armed littoral attack inventory. Public references describe a roughly 38-meter craft with four anti-ship missiles and gun armament for short-range naval strike missions.

Project 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvette, Guided-missile corvette, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsProject 21631 Buyan-M-class guided-missile corvetteGuided-missile corvetteProject 21631 Buyan-M is a Russian river-sea guided-missile corvette class designed by Zelenodolsk Design Bureau and built at Zelenodolsk Plant named after A.M. Gorky. The class combines shallow-draft inland-water mobility with an 8-cell UKSK launcher for Kalibr or Oniks missiles, a 100 mm gun, and close-in air defense.

Project 22800 Karakurt-class guided-missile corvette, Small missile ship / guided-missile corvette, Naval Systems

Naval SystemsProject 22800 Karakurt-class guided-missile corvetteSmall missile ship / guided-missile corvetteThe Project 22800 Karakurt-class guided-missile corvette is a Russian small missile ship class designed for near-sea strike missions and coastal surface warfare. Later Russian Navy units carry eight-cell Kalibr-NK or Oniks launchers, a 76.2 mm AK-176MA gun, and, on newer ships, Pantsir-M air defense systems; the class has also been built by multiple Russian shipyards since the mid-2010s.

Sources

Tarantul Class CorvettePublisher: Naval Encyclopedia | Note: Supports Project 1241 background, class history, branch structure, and family-level specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-25 Project 1241 - Tarantul ClassPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Project 1241 builder context, dimensions, propulsion, speed, crew, and armament across the class family. | Accessed: 2026-06-25 What the Sinking of the Russian Corvette Ivanovets TeachesPublisher: U.S. Naval Institute | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use context by reporting the Tarantul-class corvette Ivanovets sunk in a Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicle attack near Crimea on 31 January 2024. | Accessed: 2026-06-25 R-334.Ivanovets.201208.2cropped.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance and licensing context for the Ivanovets photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-25 Pr.12411T.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and licensing context for the Tarantul II class photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-25 ORP Rolnik.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and licensing context for the Polish Tarantul-I class photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-25