Russia laid down two Gorshkov-class frigates of Project 22350.

Russia`s naval shipbuilding industry has laid down several surfaced combatants (including Project 22350 Gorshkov-class frigates), launched a submarine, and linked the sections of a Corvette, according to the country`s officials.

Project 22350 lead frigate Admiral Gorshkov in St. Petersburg in October 2016

"I hope that the planned construction terms will be kept. [Those programs] are vitally important for the strengthening of our fleet, maintenance of our security, and protection of the country`s interests in blue and green waters of the World Ocean," said President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during an official ceremony.

According to him, the Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF) has received more than 80 naval platforms, including three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, seven nuclear-powered attack underwater combatants and diesel-electric submarines, and 21 surface ships since 2012. "I would point out that we have sustained high rates of the Navy`s rearmament in recent years … We will support our shipbuilding industry and shore up its scientific, human, and technological potential," said Putin.

The head of the state has participated in the laying down of two Project 22350 (NATO reporting name: Gorshkov-class) guided missile frigates, ‘Admiral Amelko’ (factory number: ‘925’) and ‘Admiral Chichagov’ (factory number: ‘926’), at the Severnaya Verf (a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC)) in Saint Petersburg. The enterprise has also linked the sections of the Project 20386 type corvette ‘Merkuriy’. During a teleconference, Putin has also overseen the laying down of two Project 11711 large landing ships (LLSs), ‘Vasiliy Trushin’ and ‘Vladimir Andreev’, at the Yantar Shipyard (a subsidiary of the USC) in Kaliningrad and launching of the Project 09852 submarine ‘Belgorod’ at the Sevmash Shipyard (A subsidiary of the USC) in Severodvinsk.

The head of the Project 22350 program at the Severnaya Verf Andrey Dudich told the news agency Flotprom that the fourth and fifth ships of the class would carry three eight-cell 3S-14 vertical launch systems (VLSs) for the Kalibr cruise missiles (SS-N-27 Sizzler) instead of only two VLSs integrated into the first three platforms of the class. He said ‘Admiral Amelko’ and ‘Admiral Chichagov’ would be commissioned in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

The Navy now operates the Project 22350 type frigate, ‘Admiral Gorshkov’. The second ship, ‘Admiral Kasatonov’, is now passing through its trials. The third and fourth platforms, ‘Admiral Golovko’ and ‘Admiral Isakov’, will be delivered to the Navy in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

The Project 22350 guided missile frigate is designed to engage surface and underwater combatants in blue and green waters and repel air strikes. The naval platform can operate independently or in naval formations. The Project 22350 frigate has a full displacement of 5,000 t and is 135 m long and 16 m wide. She produces a speed of up to 29 knots, a cruising range of up to 4,600 nautical miles, and an endurance of 30 days. The ship`s crew totals approximately 170 sailors.

The frigate is a flush-decked ship with a three-island superstructure, tower-mast construction, and funnel. Both hull and superstructure are made of steel. The platform features low acoustic and radar signatures.

The frigate`s powerplant combines a 65,000-hp combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) engine that integrates two M55R diesel-gas turbine units (each unit comprises a 5,200-hp 10D49 diesel engine built by the Kolomna Plant (a subsidiary of Transmashholding) and a 27,500-hp M90FR gas-turbine engine built by the Rybinsk-based ODK-Saturn (a subsidiary of the Rostec`s United Engine Corporation). It should be mentioned that the powerplants for the first two Project 22350 frigates were supplied by Ukraine`s engine manufacturer Zorya-Mashproekt, while the remaining ships will be powered by the engines that will be produced by the Russian industry.

The attack armament suite of the naval platform integrates two 16-cell 3S-14 vertical launch systems (VLSs) for the Kalibr-family missile weapons, including the 3M-54 and 3M-541 anti-ship missiles (ASMs), 3M-14 land-attack sea-launched cruise missiles, and 91RT2 anti-submarine missiles. The 3S-14 VLSs can store the 3M55 Oniks (SS-N-26) ASMs and, in a longer run, the Zirkon hypersonic missiles.

The frigate`s air defence (AD) component is built on the Poliment-Redut air defence system (ADS) that comprises four eight-cell 3S.97 Redut VLSs and the Poliment radar, the phased antenna arrays of which are embedded in the tower-mast construction. The Poliment-Redut fires four types of surface-to-air missiles, including the short-range 9M100, the medium-range 9M96E and the long-range 9M96E2 and 9M96E2-1. It should be mentioned that those SAMs are also integrated with the newest S-350 Vityaz (Noble Knight) ground-based ADS. The above-mentioned missiles feature high manoeuvrability and can engage all types of aerial targets. The short-range AD is provided by two 3M89 Palash close-in weapon systems (CIWSs) mounted in pair on the roof of the aft superstructure. The ship`s nose features an A-192M 130 mm naval gun. The Project 22350 frigate is fitted with the 5P10 Puma fire control system.

The naval platform also carries the Paket anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system with two four-cell SM-588 rotating launchers that store 324 mm torpedoes or anti-torpedoes. The ship`s electronic suite has been reinforced with the Zarya-3 onboard sonar and the Vinyetka-M towed sonar.

The frigate can store a Kamov Ka-27/29 (Helix-A/Helix-B) family ASW/search-and-rescue/transport/airborne early warning rotorcraft in an onboard hangar. The ship`s sensor suite comprises an electronic warfare system, navigation devices (including inertial measurement units), laser warning systems, and communications units. The ship is controlled by the Sigma-22350 combat management system (CMS).

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