March 19, 2009:
Libya is buying three Russian Molniya class patrol boats. These are 550 ton craft that are 174 feet long and carry a crew of 44. Top speed is 70 kilometers an hour, while cruising speed is 24 kilometers an hour. Sufficient supplies are carried to keep the ship at sea about ten days. The ship is air conditioned and has air and surface search radars, as well as jammers and IFF equipment. Molniyas are armed with one 76mm gun, two (six barrel) 30mm antocannon and anti-ship missiles. The latter can be either four 3M80 supersonic "Sunburn" missiles, weighing four tons each (120 kilometers range) or 16 smaller 3M24, .63 ton missiles (130 kilometers range). There are also a dozen Igla-1M 38 pound, shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles (max range 5 kilometers). The Molniya's cost about $60 million each.