The Storozhevoy class were a group of 18 destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s that were officially known as Project 7U (Uluchshennyy (Improved)).

The main changes were unit machinery (four boilers instead of three), a strengthened hull and reduced fuel capacity.

This change in design saved Slavny following mine damage in 1941, but led to a considerable delay in the Soviet destroyer program and the cancellation of six Type 7 ships.

Fitting the additional machinery in the same hull presented significant challenges, leading to an increase in weight, cramped accommodation and a reduction in fuel capacity.

These changes led Soviet sailors to nickname the Type 7U, 7 Ukhudshennyi (ухудшенный, made worse).

[2] The turbines, rated at 54,000 shp (40,000 kW), were intended to give the ships a speed of 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph).

Variations in fuel oil capacity meant that the range of the Storozhevoys varied between 1,380 and 2,700 nautical miles (2,560 and 5,000 km; 1,590 and 3,110 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).

It included a TsAS-2 mechanical analog computer that received information from a KDP2-4 gunnery director on the roof of the bridge which mounted a pair of DM-4 four-meter (13 ft 1 in) stereoscopic rangefinders.

Anti-aircraft fire control was strictly manual with only a DM-3 three-meter (9 ft 10 in) rangefinder to provide data to the guns.

The system could handle targets like bombers flying level, but was useless against aircraft attacking in a dive.