Bayan-class cruiser

The Bayan-class was the fourth class of armored cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. Ships of the class were in commission from 1902 to 1920.

Design
This class was a considerable advance on previous Russian armored cruisers. These ships were designed as fleet scouts rather than commerce raiders. The first pair were built in France and the second pair were built in Russia.

The design for the Bayan-class was developed by the MTK (Morskoi Tekhnicheskii Komitet, or Naval Technical Committee), consisting of representatives of the Russian shipbuilding, armaments, and engineering industries, and the contract was given to the French shipyard Compagnie des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée à la Seine based in Toulon.

The new design was completely different from the three previous types of armored cruisers in Imperial Russian service. The Bayan had little more than half of the displacement (7,775 tons) with almost the same firepower and greater speed than her three predecessors.

Ships

 * RUSSIAN CRUISER Bayan, (Boyan, or Bayan was a legendary medieval bard) built in France by "Compagnie des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée à la Seine" – laid down 1899 launched May 1900, commissioned December 1902. Served in the Port Arthur squadron of the Russian Pacific Fleet. She was trapped in the Siege of Port Arthur and sunk at her moorings by Japanese howitzer shells. Subsequently raised and repaired by the Japanese and served in the Imperial Japanese Navy as the IJN Aso.  Decommissioned in 1920 and sunk as target in 1930.


 * RUSSIAN CRUISER Admiral Makarov, named after Admiral Stepan Makarov – built in France by "Compagnie des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée à la Seine" – laid down 1905, launched 25 April 1906, commissioned 1908. Served in the Baltic Fleet during World War I, took part in the battle of Moon Sound and the Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet. Scrapped in Germany in 1922.


 * RUSSIAN CRUISER Bayan (or Bayan II), built by the Admiralty Yard St Petersburg. Laid down 11 June 1905, launched 2 August 1907, commissioned 1911, served in the Baltic Fleet during World War I, took part in the Battle of Moon Sound and the Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet. Scrapped in Germany in 1922.


 * RUSSIAN CRUISER Pallada, named after the Greek goddess Pallas Athena – built by the Admiralty Yard St Petersburg. Laid down 1905, launched 1906, commissioned 1911, served in the Baltic Fleet. Torpedoed and sunk with all hands 11 October 1914 by the German submarine U-26.