Russian Gremyashchiy corvette undergoing sea trials in Gulf of Finland.

The Gremyashchiy corvette of project 20385 has entered the Gulf of Finland for sea running trials, Captain 1st rank Igor Dygalo, the Russian Navy official spokesman, said.

First of the two Project 20385 Corvettes leaves the Severnaya Verf shipyards for sea trials (Picture Source: Severnaya Verf)

"The corvette is checking the speed parameters in various modes, responsiveness to command and manoeuvrability as well as other characteristics of the life-support systems; communication equipment and radio-electronic weapons in compliance with a program of the first phase of factory running trials," the spokesman said.

The crew and the acceptance team from the Severnaya Verf shipbuilding plant, which had built the corvette, received all the necessary instructions before the trials. Special verification checks took place onboard the Gremyashchiy. The crew also trained to establish communication and hand over reports on various elements of the trials to the Main Navy Staff and the headquarters of the Leningrad naval base.

The Gremyashchiy is the first project 20385 corvette developed from the upgraded main corvette of project 20380. The Severnaya Verf enterprise is building a second corvette of this project - the Provornyi.

The Gremyashchiy corvette was developed by the Almaz Design Bureau. Multi-role corvettes of this type are designed to detect and destroy adversary submarines and surface ships; ensure landing operations and fulfil diverse tasks in the near maritime zone. The corvettes have hangars for two Ka-27 helicopters.

The water displacement of project 20385 corvettes is 2,200 tons; the navigation range is 3,500 miles; autonomous navigation is 15 days. The corvettes are equipped with the Kalibr-NK universal missile system; the Redut air defence missile system and the Paket anti-submarine system.

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