The new project 22350 frigate "Admiral Golovko" entered the Baltic Sea for the next stage of factory sea trials, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“During the second stage of testing on the frigate, the work of artillery and anti-aircraft missile systems, their control systems, as well as radio-technical weapons and communication equipment will be checked,” the military department said.

The first stage took place in late November - early December.

The output of "Admiral Golovko" at sea then lasted ten days.

“During this time, the crew of the ship and the factory acceptance team tested in practice the maneuvering characteristics of the ship, as well as the performance of components, mechanisms and systems.

Particular attention was paid to checking the main power plant of the frigate and the navigation complex," the Defense Ministry noted.

After that, the ship spent two weeks at the Severnaya Verf shipyard, where its systems were inspected and adjusted.

Recall that the frigate Admiral Golovko was launched in May 2020.

It is named after the Soviet naval commander Admiral Arseniy Golovko, who permanently commanded the Northern Fleet during the Great Patriotic War.

  • Launching of the frigate of project 22350 "Admiral Golovko"

  • © United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC

After passing the tests and handing over to the Navy, the ship will serve as part of the Northern Fleet.

The frigate "Admiral Golovko" is the first ship of project 22350 with completely Russian engines.

Previously, domestic units were installed on these vessels, however, Ukrainian-made gas turbine units were used as afterburner engines.

In 2014, cooperation with the Ukrainian side was terminated, so the developers had to resort to import substitution.

Armed with "Caliber" and "Zircons"

The project of multi-purpose frigates 22350 was developed by the Northern Design Bureau (St. Petersburg).

As noted on the website of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), ships of this series are designed to perform a wide range of tasks, including the destruction of surface ships, convoys, landing squads, search and destruction of submarines and ground targets, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-missile defense of ships and courts.

In addition, frigates of this type can be used in joint operations with amphibious assault forces, patrol service, and also used to protect state borders, protect civilian ships and industrial facilities in crisis and dangerous areas of the oceans.

  • Frigate "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov"

  • globallookpress.com

Project 22350 frigates have a displacement of 5 thousand tons, length - 135 m, width - 16 m, speed - up to 29 knots (53.7 km / h), cruising range - 4.5 thousand nautical miles (about 8.3 thousand . km).

The autonomy of such ships reaches 30 days, the crew consists of at least 170 people.

When creating these frigates, stealth technology is used, which makes it possible to reduce the visibility of the vessel for enemy surveillance equipment.

The lead ship of the project was the frigate Admiral Gorshkov of the Fleet of the Soviet Union.

It was handed over to the Navy in 2018.

The first serial ship was the Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov.

Like the Admiral Golovko, these ships were created for the Northern Fleet.

For the Northern Fleet, another frigate of this series is intended - "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Isakov", which is now being prepared for launching.

In September 2021, USC reported that turbines were loaded onto the ship along with the gearboxes of the diesel-gas turbine unit.

  • Loading turbines on the frigate "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Isakov"

  • © United Shipbuilding Corporation JSC

In the future, it is planned to equip the Pacific and Black Sea fleets with ships of this series.

The construction of four more vessels of this type has already begun.

Project 22350 frigates are armed with a 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 Paket-NK anti-submarine complex.

In addition, the Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopter is located on board the ship.

The lead frigate of this series, the Admiral Gorshkov of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, will be the first carrier of the latest Tsirkon sea-based hypersonic missiles.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in December 2022, this frigate, equipped with Zircons, will enter combat service in early January 2023.

The speed of this rocket is about 9 Machs, the range is more than 1 thousand km.

It is capable of hitting both sea and land targets.

It is planned that it will also go into service with submarines.

According to analysts, the main feature of the Zircon hypersonic missiles is their invulnerability to existing enemy air defense systems.

"Zircons" cannot be shot down by air defense systems.

I believe that Zircons will also be installed on subsequent ships of the 22350 series, ”said military expert Vasily Dandykin in an interview with RT.

In turn, the fleet historian, editor-in-chief of the Novosti mashinostroeniya portal, Dmitry Zhavoronkov, believes that the appearance of the Zircon missiles has changed the rules of the game in the field of armaments.

“The advantage of Zircon is speed.

It cannot be reflected by existing air defense systems.

The Zircon missiles turned the board upside down in the arms race.

We now hold the palm in terms of the quantity and quality of hypersonic missiles, which significantly expands our capabilities, ”the analyst said in a conversation with RT.

Moreover, in the future, ships of this series are planned to be built according to the updated version 22350M.

In February, 2021 the CEO of USC Alexey Rakhmanov told about it.

“This is just the beginning, and then the modernized Severnaya Verf will start building frigates of the modernized project 22350M.

They will be larger than their predecessors, which will make it possible to place even more formidable weapons on them, ”he said.

According to Dmitry Zhavoronkov, the composition of missile weapons may be subject to changes in the new version of the project.

“These ships will be as close as possible to the destroyers, they will be able to carry more weapons.

If the base "Admiral Gorshkov" has 16 "Caliber", then the project 22350M will already have 48 of them. In addition, it is possible that an improved hydroacoustic station, two helicopters, and more weapons will be installed on the new version.

All parameters of the 22350M frigate have not yet been disclosed, ”the analyst said.  

"Confront aircraft and conduct reconnaissance"

As Alexei Rakhmanov noted, Project 22350 ships are the flagships of the modern Russian fleet and the most technologically advanced ships in the Navy.

“On the lead ship, the Admiral Gorshkov, the most relevant solutions were used: from radio-electronic equipment to anti-aircraft missile systems and artillery installations.

"Gorshkov" became the first serious surface ship laid down in the post-Soviet era, ”said the head of the USC.

  • "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov"

  • globallookpress.com

As Rakhmanov noted, the developers were faced with the task of creating a technologically advanced and most versatile frigate.

“It is able to equally effectively fight both surface and submarine ships of the enemy, attack objects on land with high-precision weapons, counter aircraft and conduct reconnaissance, and perform many other tasks.

At the same time, a ship with excellent seaworthiness,” said the head of the corporation.

Vasily Dandykin agrees with this assessment of the 22350 project.

“These ships are armed with Caliber and Onyxes, Polyment-Redut air defense systems, and anti-submarine weapons.

They have everything you need to work in the far sea and ocean zones.

If necessary, he can also carry Zircons.

The project 22350 ship can be called a super frigate and the pride of Russian shipbuilding,” the specialist said.  

According to Dmitry Zhavoronkov, Project 22350 ships will become the basis of the Russian fleet in the future.

“Project 22350 multi-purpose frigates are real ships of the 21st century with guided missile weapons.

These are the first truly large surface combatants to be entirely designed, developed and built in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Despite the relatively small displacement, these frigates are quite powerful.

Their strike and anti-submarine capabilities are approaching those of destroyers.

The ships of this series will become the basis of the Russian Navy in the far sea and ocean zones for decades to come, ”concluded the analyst.