The raised after section appears to create room for a towed-array sonar at a time when such systems were emerging, but no array was fitted. The empty volume illustrates a conservative development sequence in which space is established before the equipment intended to use it. That approach lowers the risk of redesigning the hull when the sensor becomes available. It also means a ship can carry the weight and complexity of reserved volume without receiving the capability that justified it. Kresta II therefore preserved growth potential while leaving an immediate anti-submarine opportunity unrealized.
Notable Point · 23:54-24:49
Stern volume arrives before a towed array
The Kresta II gains stern volume suited to a towed sonar system, yet the class never receives one, illustrating how space and equipment could enter Soviet designs in separate steps.