Russia launches Third Project 22800 Corvette Shkval - 1st one with Pantsir-M.

The second serial-produced (third overall) Project 22800 Karakurt-class corvette Shkval has been launched at the Pella Shipyard in the Leningrad Region in northwest Russia.

Launch ceremony of the third "small rocket ship" Project 22800 "Shkval" at the JSC "Leningrad Shipyard Pella". Picture by RussianArms / forums.airbase.ru

"The project has been fulfilled as quickly as possible. Less than two years ago, we laid down the ship. Indeed, it is an innovative project incorporating cutting-edge technologies," Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said during the launching ceremony.

According to him, the ship has been armed with high-power weapons.

"This is the first ship of the type to receive the Pantsyr [NATO reporting name: SA-22 Greyhound] antiaircraft missile/gun system," the deputy defense minister said. "Thus, the ship resulted balanced in terms of its combat capabilities. I believe that its contribution to ensuring the country’s defense capabilities in green waters will be significant," he added.

Launch ceremony of the third "small rocket ship" Project 22800 "Shkval" at the JSC "Leningrad Shipyard Pella". Picture by RussianArms / forums.airbase.ru

Russia’s Defense Ministry will order six Project 22800 Karakurt-class corvettes for the Pacific Fleet in 2019, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said. The ships will be built in the Far East, he added.

"From 2019, we will sign contracts for the construction of six ships of the type. Four of them will be built by the Amur Shipyard and the remaining two by the Eastern Shipyard," Borisov said. "We have reached a pace when it will take us about 30 months to build the ships. It is a very good pace. The fleet is waiting for these ships as they are regarded to be the best vessels in their class in terms of seaworthiness, operational capabilities and combat potential," the deputy defense minister said.

The Project 22800 corvette was designed by Russia’s Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau. The ship has a displacement of about 800 tons and a speed of 30 knots.
The corvette is armed with Kalibr (SS-N-27 Sizzler) missiles and advanced artillery systems. It also has Russian-made propulsion units.
The ship’s seaworthiness has been improved due to the hull design, which allows it to operate on the high seas.

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Close up view of the Pantsir-M CIWS aboard Project 22800 corvette Shkval. Picture by Curious / forums.airbase.ru

Navy Recognition Comment
Shkval's keel was laid at the Pella plant on July 29, 2016. This is the first Russian Navy ship fitted with a new close in weapon system (CIWS): The Pantsir-M. At sea trials of the Pantsir-M prototype are set to start in 2018 on the project 12417 "Shuya" (Tarantul class corvette) of the Black Sea Fleet. It was recently announced that Pantsir-M would be fitted aboard the Russian Navy aircraft carrier as well.

According to Rostec, The Pantsir-M complex combines a powerful artillery weapon system, effective multimode missiles and an integrated multispectral radar and optical fire control system fitted on the turret.

The combat capability and kill capacity of one channel of these missile and artillery systems are 2 to 4 times higher than those of systems comprising only artillery weapons.
Engagement zone:
- missiles, km: range: 1.5-20; altitude: 0.002-15
- artillery, km: range: 0.3-4; altitude: 0-3

The first two Karakurt-class "small rocket ships" (the Russian designation -MRK), "Hurricane" and "Typhoon", are fitted with AK-360 CIWS instead of the Pantsir-M.

First ship of the class, "Hurricane", was launched on July 29, 2017 and should begin factory trials in May 2018. The second corvette, "Typhoon", was launched on November 24, 2017. Both these IRs do not carry the "Pantsir-M", and are equipped instead with two old 30-mm artillery munitions AK-630.