In Russia, on July 20, six warships were simultaneously laid down at three shipyards at once. The frigates "Admiral Yumashev" and "Admiral Spiridonov" of the modernized project 22350 were laid down in St. Petersburg, the nuclear submarines "Voronezh" and "Vladivostok" of project 885M Yasen were laid in Severodvinsk. In Kerch, where Vladimir Putin was present at the laying ceremony, the project 23900 universal landing ships - Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko - were laid down.
“Today, at the three leading shipyards of Russia, six new ships of the far sea zone are simultaneously laid. Here in Kerch there are two universal amphibious assault ships, in St. Petersburg at the Severnaya Verf plant there are two frigates, and in Severodvinsk at the Sevmash enterprise there are two nuclear submarine cruisers, "Vladimir Putin said during his working trip to Crimea.
These six warships were laid down as part of the state fleet rearmament program, military observer Viktor Baranets recalled in a conversation with RT.
“Thanks to this program, new ships appear that will absorb the best achievements of military-technical progress. For 30 years Russia has not commissioned such military equipment, but over the past 3-4 years it has quickly learned to make ships with the most modern electronic fillings, weapons, and powerful engines. Today Russia is regaining the title of a great power, ”the expert noted.
These ships have different combat capabilities and "will significantly expand the range of combat missions performed by the Russian fleet," said Viktor Baranets
Frigates and strategists
Project 22350 frigates, the lead ship of which is the Admiral Gorshkov, are designed to destroy surface and submarine ships, convoys and amphibious troops, ground targets, and carry out anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-missile defense of ships and vessels.
The frigates of this series are armed with a 130-mm artillery mount A-192, anti-aircraft missile system "Polyment-Redut", launchers for anti-ship missiles "Onyx" or "Caliber", anti-submarine complex "Packet-NK". In addition, the Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopter is located on board the ship.
The length of the ship is 135 m, the displacement is about 5000 tons. The ship can reach speeds of up to 29 knots. Its autonomy reaches 30 days, the cruising range is 4500 miles.
Project 855M "Ash" belongs to the fourth generation of multipurpose nuclear submarines. Its main difference lies in the absence of a two-body scheme. Previously, domestic submarines were assembled from durable and lightweight hulls, between which ballast tanks were located.
- K-560 Severodvinsk
- © Ministry of Defense of Russia
Submarines 855M "Ash" are equipped with the most modern equipment. So, they are equipped with a new generation hydroacoustic complex MGK-600 "Irtysh" with a nasal spherical antenna "Amphora". The system is necessary for noise direction finding, measuring ice thickness, detecting hydroacoustic signals.
In addition, the "Ash" are installed developed in OKBM them. I.I. Afrikantov reactors OK-650V. Easy to operate, this reactor will increase the reliability of the sub's power system.
The core of the Project 855M Yasen-M submarine arsenal, like the Project 22350 frigates, is Caliber and Onyx missiles.
Russian helicopter carriers
In Kerch, at the Zaliv plant, Vladimir Putin took part in the installation of a mortgage board on one of the future landing ships. During his conversation with the workers, the Russian president said that based on the results of the practice of using the ships "Ivan Rogov" and "Mitrofan Moskalenko", a decision would be made on a test program and additional design work for ships of this type.
It should be noted that "Ivan Rogov" and "Mitrofan Moskalenko" will become the first landing helicopter carriers in the history of the USSR and modern Russia. Previously, ships of this type were not built in the country. Despite the fact that in the Soviet Union the helicopter carriers "Moscow" and "St. Petersburg" were in service, they were anti-submarine ships and did not have the capabilities of modern universal amphibious assault ships.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin during a conversation with employees of the Zaliv shipyard at the laying ceremony for warships for the Russian Navy in Kerch
- RIA News
- © Alexey Druzhinin
In an interview with RT, Doctor of Military Sciences, retired captain of the 1st rank Konstantin Sivkov recalled that there were also projects of amphibious helicopter carriers in the USSR, but their development was stopped during the reign of Yeltsin.
“The fact that Russia was able to revive the entire class of these ships means that in the future the naval power of its fleet will grow. These warships will be able to carry out the most difficult combat missions, for example, to land amphibious units directly into the theater of operations, ”the expert said.
In January 2020, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, announced that the displacement of the Russian amphibious assault helicopter carriers would be more than 20 thousand tons.
Moreover, they will have better seaworthiness, operational and design characteristics than the Mistral landing helicopter carriers, which Russia was supposed to receive from France.
The official characteristics of the domestic amphibious assault helicopter carriers have not been made public, however, various sources reported that the new amphibious ships will be able to carry at least 20 heavy helicopters and carry up to 900 marines.
Recall that the French authorities at the final stage of implementation terminated the contract for the construction and delivery of two Mistrals in 2015. A contract worth € 1.2 billion was signed between the French DCNS / STX and Rosoboronexport in January 2011. Both ships - "Vladivostok" and "Sevastopol" - were launched and in November 2014 the first helicopter carrier was to be handed over to the Russian side.
However, the then president of the country, François Hollande, decided to suspend the contract, linking it with the events in Ukraine. In mid-2015, the agreement was terminated at the initiative of Paris. Later, France agreed to transfer the Mistrals to Egypt. After the proceedings, the Russian side was paid compensation in the amount of about € 950 million.
The demarche of the French authorities with the supply of Mistrals led to the appearance in Russia of its own modern amphibious assault ships, military expert Viktor Litovkin said in an interview with RT.
“The experience and knowledge gained by Russian engineers in the construction of helicopter carriers will now be used in the creation of new Russian ships of this type. This is not a copy of the French Mistrals, but their development, since this technique will be equipped with Russian stuffing, equipment, technology, ”the expert noted.
These helicopter carriers will be part of the naval strike group, and together with other frigates, destroyers will solve a more serious set of tasks, he added.
“Undoubtedly, these ships will increase the strike force of the Russian Navy,” concluded Viktor Litovkin.