However, the Soviets returned to stationary basing of their submarines and the Don class were later converted into flagships.

One vessel was exported to Indonesia in 1962 and due to the ship's heavy armament, was used primarily for patrol duties.

With the advent of nuclear war and the danger that stationary bases faced, the Soviet Navy sought to disperse the fleet while still maintaining functionality.

[1] As a result, the Soviet Central Design Bureau came up with Plavuchaya Baza (Russian) meaning "Floating Base" in the mid 1950s to serve as distant logistic support for submarines.

[2] The Don-class tenders were powered by diesel-electric system comprising four diesel engines and two electric motors turning two propeller shafts creating 6,000 kilowatts (8,000 bhp).

[1] Those Don-class ships equipped with the 100 mm guns were given two Hawk Screech fire control radars operating on the I band.

[6] All seven ships were constructed at the Ivan Nosenko #444 Black Sea Shipyard in Nikolayev, Soviet Union.

Following the expansion of stationary naval bases by the Soviet Navy, some of the vessels were converted to flagships.

Fyodor Vidyaev and Dmitriy Galkin were given Vee Cone antenna for long range communications.