Russia Deploys Modernized Marshal Shaposhnikov Frigate With Kalibr Missiles in Doha.

The Russian Navy deployed its modernized Pacific Fleet frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov to Doha during DIMDEX 2026, docking the ship at Hamad Port for visiting delegations. The move highlights Moscow’s reliance on upgraded Cold War–era hulls to sustain blue-water presence as new warship construction continues at a slower pace.

At DIMDEX 2026 in Doha, the Russian Navy has chosen a high-visibility setting to underline its maritime ambitions, bringing the modernized Pacific Fleet frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov alongside at Hamad Port for visiting delegations. Observed firsthand by Army Recognition on the quay, the ship’s imposing profile sends a clear message: Moscow continues to prioritize sustained blue-water presence, relying increasingly on deeply modernized legacy platforms to project power abroad rather than waiting on the slower rhythm of new hull construction.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Russian Navy frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, a modernized Project 1155 combatant, combines long-range Kalibr and Oniks strike missiles, layered air defense, robust anti-submarine warfare systems, and Ka-27 helicopter support (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

Marshal Shaposhnikov is a Project 1155 warship (Udaloy-class lineage) that Russia has reclassified as a frigate after modernization, reflecting its shift from a pure anti-submarine platform to a multi-mission strike combatant. In physical terms, the ship is built on a large ocean-going hull, displacing about 6,200 tons standard and roughly 7,900 tons full load. It measures 163 m in length with a 19.3 m beam and a draught of about 7.8 m, giving it the sea-keeping needed for extended deployments across the Indian Ocean and into the Gulf. Propulsion is a two-shaft COGAG arrangement with four gas turbines producing around 120,000 hp, pushing top speed to about 35 knots, while endurance is typically cited at around 10,500 nautical miles at 14 knots. Crew size is around 300, a manpower footprint that reflects the ship’s original Cold War design but also the complexity of its upgraded combat system.

What makes the ship worth close study for a weapons-centric audience is the modernization package, visible in both launch architecture and combat management. The headline change is the installation of 16 UKSK vertical launch cells, enabling a mix of missiles depending on tasking: Kalibr-family cruise missiles for land-attack or anti-ship roles, P-800 Oniks for supersonic anti-ship strikes, and potentially 3M22 Zircon where integrated, plus Otvet as a rocket-delivered anti-submarine weapon. Complementing that, the ship fields the Uran anti-ship complex with 3M24-class missiles in deck launchers, giving it a second, more numerous option for sea-denial at shorter ranges and allowing commanders to preserve UKSK rounds for higher-value targets. For layered defense, the frigate retains the Kinzhal naval SAM system with 64 vertical-launched missiles, supported at close range by four AK-630 30 mm CIWS mounts. Naval gunfire comes from a 100 mm A-190 gun, a key part of the refit that improves engagement flexibility against small surface threats and provides a lower-cost option than missiles for warning shots, harassment, or littoral fire support. Anti-submarine lethality remains a core attribute through 533 mm torpedo tubes and two RBU-6000 rocket launchers, while organic aviation, with a flight deck and hangar for two Ka-27 helicopters, extends submarine prosecution, over-the-horizon targeting, and maritime surveillance. Sensors and self-protection include Fregat-series air and surface search radars, Bagira fire-control, an Anapa-M anti-saboteur sonar suite for port and anchorage security, TK-25-2 electronic warfare, and PK-10 decoy launchers.

Marshal Shaposhnikov should be read as a “tactical problem generator” in a surface action group. With UKSK it can threaten both ships and shore infrastructure, forcing an opponent to account for long-range precision strike while still bringing credible anti-submarine and air-defense tools to protect higher-value units. The combination of Kinzhal and AK-630 does not create area air defense in the modern destroyer sense, but it does provide point-to-local coverage against aircraft and some missile profiles, especially when integrated into a formation with additional sensors. The Ka-27 detachment is equally important tactically: it expands sonar coverage, complicates submarine approach geometry, and enables more persistent maritime domain awareness than shipboard sensors alone, particularly in cluttered littorals.

The ship’s history underlines why Moscow is pursuing this upgrade path. Built at Yantar and commissioned in 1985, Marshal Shaposhnikov spent decades as a Pacific Fleet anti-submarine workhorse before entering a major modernization cycle at Dalzavod in Vladivostok, emerging as a reclassified frigate and returning to the fleet on April 27, 2021. Russia continues to exercise the upgraded strike suite, with TASS reporting Kalibr and Uran missile firings during Pacific Fleet drills in the Sea of Japan on August 21, 2025, a practical indicator that the ship is not merely a showpiece but an operationally employed shooter.

In the regional context, the ship’s presence at Hamad Port matters because it signals reach and messaging, not just hardware. DIMDEX is a Gulf venue where partners and competitors measure intent as much as technology, and a modernized Russian surface combatant alongside regional and Western ships highlights Moscow’s interest in staying visible along the energy and shipping arteries connecting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Strait of Hormuz. For the Russian Navy, Marshal Shaposhnikov embodies a cost-conscious way to sustain blue-water relevance: a proven hull refitted into a multi-role combatant that can escort, deter, and, if required, deliver precision strike while operating far from home waters.