The frigate of project 22350 Admiral Kasatonov was transferred to the Russian Navy. The ceremony for the delivery of the ship to the customer took place at the Northern Shipyard, where it was built.
As Deputy Admiral Igor Mukhametshin, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, who was present at the event, noted that the Andreevsky flag on the ship will be raised on July 21. He recalled that this day will mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov, in whose honor the frigate was named.
“Today is a very significant event, because soon, on July 21 of this year, there will be the 110th anniversary of the birth of Fleet Admiral Kasatonov Vladimir Afanasevich,” TASS quotes him. “It is very remarkable that the Severnaya Verf shipyard did everything possible to make a gift in memory of this wonderful person.”
After approval of the acceptance act by the Navy Commander-in-Chief Nikolai Evmenov, the ship will be ready for delivery to the Northern Fleet, where the head ship of this series, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, has been in service since July 2018.
Anti-torpedoes and electronic warfare
The tests of "Admiral Kasatonov" began on November 20, 2019 and were divided into several stages.
At first, the frigate’s missile weapons were tested in the White Sea. The crew launched Caliber cruise missiles at the coastal target. The use of weapons for naval purposes was also tested, for which the Onyx and Caliber cruise missiles were used.
Then, in the Barents Sea, “Admiral Kasatonov” performed artillery fire, torpedo launches on underwater targets and worked out interaction with aviation and support vessels.
- Admiral Kasatonov
- RIA News
- © Alexey Danichev
In February 2020, it became known about the successful tests of the electronic warfare complex: the Admiral Kasatonov’s crew set up passive jamming and false targets.
In June, the frigate tested the protection using the anti-torpedo of the small anti-submarine complex “Package”, which is designed to destroy submarines and torpedoes in the near zone of the ship.
The Package package “autonomously or as part of the ship’s anti-submarine defense and anti-torpedo defense circuit provides automatic or automated target designation according to ship’s sonar systems and stations, as well as the detection, classification and determination of motion parameters of torpedoes attacking the ship,” the website of the Ministry of Defense notes .
At the final stage of testing in the Baltic Sea, all design characteristics of the ship, the operation of systems and weapons were checked, interaction with submarines and aircraft was worked out, and rescue and evacuation exercises were conducted.
The state tests were completed on June 6, 2020.
“For ten months, the ship passed the test phases in two fleets - the Northern and Baltic, worked in different weather conditions. The commissioning team, together with the crew and fleet support services, carried out a thorough check of the frigate, ”said Igor Ponomarev, Director General of Severnaya Verf, in June this year.
"Admiral" series of frigates
The frigate Admiral Kasatonov was designed by the Northern Design Bureau and built at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg.
For the needs of the Northern Fleet, another frigate of project 22350, Admiral Golovko, is currently being built at this enterprise. He was launched in May 2020.
- Launch ceremony of Admiral Golovko
- © JSC "United Shipbuilding Corporation"
As indicated on the website of the Russian defense department, the ships of the project 22350 are created using stealth stealth technology. They are intended for the destruction of surface and submarine ships, convoys and landing troops, ground targets, the implementation of air defense, anti-submarine and anti-missile defense of ships and vessels.
In addition, frigates of this type can be used for “joint operations with amphibious assault forces, sentinel service, guarding state borders, participating in counterterrorism and peacekeeping operations, ensuring the protection of civilian vessels and production facilities,” the website of the United Shipbuilding Corporation states.
The frigates of this series are armed with the 130-mm A-192 artillery mount, the Poliment-Redut anti-aircraft missile system, launchers for 16 Onyx or Caliber-NK anti-ship missiles, and the Package-NK anti-submarine system. In addition, the Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopter is located on board the ship.
The length of the vessel is 135 m, displacement - 5000 tons. The ship can reach speeds of up to 29 knots. Its autonomy reaches 30 days, cruising range - 4500 miles.
Admiral Kasatonov has a very serious security system at the maritime theater of war. Starting with radio-technical and electronic weapons and ending with various missile weapon systems that can be used both against surface ships and submarines, and against ground targets, ”retired Rear Admiral, Hero of Russia Vsevolod Khmyrov told RT in an interview.
In turn, the editor of Independent Military Review Dmitry Litovkin drew attention to the powerful rocket armament of the frigate.
“With the inclusion of Admiral Kasatonov in the Northern Fleet, the power of this formation will certainly increase. The ship is equipped with Caliber missiles, and it is a modern and formidable weapon that has proven itself well. In the future, there may be a question of installing “Zircon” hypersonic missiles on these ships, ”he said in an interview with RT.
According to Khmyrov, such frigates can significantly strengthen the Northern Fleet of the Russian Federation.
“The Northern Fleet controls not only the Arctic, but also the Atlantic. For him, such ships are very necessary and important for solving those operational and strategic tasks that are set before him by the high command, ”the expert said.
A similar point of view is shared by Dmitry Litovkin.
“The Northern Fleet is solving strategic tasks in the oceans and it needs ships that have the autonomy necessary to stay in the ocean. These ships include this frigate. So the news about his transfer to the Navy can be evaluated extremely positively, ”the analyst concluded.