Russian Navy to get upgraded antisubmarine warfare ships.

The Russian Navy will get upgraded big antisubmarine warfare ships of project 1155. They have good running qualities, can destroy adversary submarines, but are incapable against ground targets. The problem will be resolved by the upgrade. The first warship is preparing for the handover to the Navy, the Izvestia daily writes.

The Marshal Shaposhnikov will be the first upgraded warship which the Navy is scheduled to receive by the end of the year (Picture source: US Navy)

The main Navy command said the air defense and antisubmarine warfare will be switched to a new element base. In particular, the ships will have a modern acoustic system. The upgrade will install Kalibr and Kh-35 cruise missile launchers. Kalibr has a range of 1500 km. Low altitude and precise navigation make it nearly invisible for high-tech detection means. They can strike at ground targets. Kh-35 is a subsonic low-altitude antiship missile with a range of 260 km. The Marshal Shaposhnikov will be the first upgraded warship which the Navy is scheduled to receive by the end of the year.

Twelve Udaloi-class big antisubmarine warfare ships of project 1155 were built. The Navy currently operates eight of them. The Vice Admiral Kulakov, the Severomorsk, and the Admiral Levchenko operate in the 14th antisubmarine brigade of the Northern fleet. The 36th division of the Primorye flotilla of the Pacific fleet operates the Admiral Vinogradov, the Admiral Panteleev, and the Admiral Tributs. The Admiral Kharlamov stays idle and the Marshal Shaposhnikov is upgraded. The Admiral Chabanenko of project 1155.1 of the Northern fleet is in a shipyard.

Project 1155 is a technically perfect project. The gas-turbine power plant helped get rid of many operational problems with boiler-turbine systems. The ships are armed with Polinom acoustic sensor, antisubmarine Rastrub-B missile complex capable of striking at surface targets, and close-range Kinzhal missiles. Artillery includes 100mm and 30mm automatic guns. There are hangars for Ka-27 antisubmarine helicopters.

The misbalance in armaments emerged in 1970s as large-size onboard equipment made it necessary to separate the functions of a universal ship between project 956 destroyers and project 1155 antisubmarine ships with a powerful acoustic sonar.

Project 1155 enjoyed many shipbuilding achievements, former Navy Chief-of-Staff Admiral Valentin Selivanov said. "Many of them have been operational for over 35 years and there are no doubts the modernization will make them serve longer. Warships of the project sailed to all oceans, including the Arctic. They sailed to the Caribbean and Cuba, in particular. They have powerful antisubmarine arms. New missiles will increase their combat capabilities," he said.

The antisubmarine ships numerously participated in humanitarian operations outside Russian territorial waters. In 1990, the Marshal Shaposhnikov evacuated Soviet citizens from the civil war in Ethiopia to Abu-Dhabi and Aden. The Admiral Panteleev, the Admiral Levchenko, the Admiral Vinogradov and the Admiral Chabanenko sailed to the Gulf of Aden to fight Somali pirates. In May 2010, the Marshal Shaposhnikov freed the Moskovsky Universitet tanker seized by pirates in the Arabian Sea.

Project 1155 warships were for many years the backbone of surface forces and were considered the most seaworthy ships, expert Dmitry Boltenkov said. "The upgrade will develop them into multirole ships. They will be able to strike at sea and ground targets and carry two helicopters. The upgrade will make project 1155 a strong force for many years," he told the Izvestia.

© Copyright 2019 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.