TNI: Admiral Amelko frigate is a concern for US strategists
Russia is rapidly increasing the use of domestic technologies in the face of serious geopolitical changes, writes The National Interest. Most recently, the ultramodern frigate Admiral Amelko was launched, a formidable flagship equipped with Onyx and Caliber hypersonic missiles.
Brandon Weichert
The Admiral Amelko frigate, designed for the Pacific Fleet, will strengthen Russia's naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with NATO and regional powers.
The Russian frigate Project 22350, better known as the Admiral Gorshkov type frigate, is another logical step in the Russian surface fleet modernization program. Such multi—purpose frigates with missile weapons are designed to expand Russia's ocean capabilities and can perform a wide range of tasks, from anti-submarine warfare to long-range strikes. Admiral Amelko occupies a special position in its class, being the fifth ship of this project and the first to undergo significant modernization, including an increase in missile capability.
Launched on August 14 at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg, Admiral Amelko is scheduled to join the Pacific Fleet by 2027 or 2028. It will strengthen Russia's maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific region. The frigate is named after the outstanding Soviet naval commander Admiral Nikolai Amelko and is the epitome of Russia's desire to use domestic technologies in the face of serious geopolitical changes.
Russian frigates of project 22350
The frigates of Project 22350 were conceived in the early 2000s as a replacement for obsolete Soviet-era vessels such as ships of the type "Intrepid" and "Burevestnik". The frigate project, approved in 2003 by the Northern Design Bureau, is aimed at creating multifunctional warships capable of operating in remote seas and ocean areas. Despite delays caused by problems with the power plant after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, when Ukraine stopped supplying turbines, Russia has developed domestic alternatives, ensuring the continuation of the program. By 2027, it is planned to create 10 ships of this type. These frigates should become the basis of the Russian surface fleet.
The implementation of the 22350 project began with the construction of the lead ship Admiral Gorshkov, laid down in 2006 and joined the fleet in 2018 after extensive testing. When creating subsequent ships of this project, such as Admiral Kasatonov (2020) and Admiral Golovko (2023), the experience of operational use in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic was taken into account. The project was upgraded, in particular, in 2023 it was decided to install Zircon hypersonic missiles on the ships, which enhanced their strike capabilities in the fight against land and sea targets.
Characteristics of Project 22350 ships
Year of entry: 2018
Number of ships built: 3 (10 ships of this project are planned)
Length: 135 m
Width: 16 m
Draft: 4.5 m
Displacement: 4,500 tons (standard), 5,400 tons (full)
Running speed, full: 29.5 knots (34 mph)
Cruising range: 4,850 miles at 14 knots
Navigation autonomy: 30 days
Crew: 210 people (including the flight technical staff of naval aviation)
About "Admiral Amelko"
The frigate was laid down on April 23, 2019, and it was an upgraded version. The changes are related to modern threats. To enhance the firepower, the cells of the vertical launch system were increased. Obstacles such as sanctions arose during the implementation of the project, which required the independent development of power plants. Currently, the ship is equipped with a main power plant with diesel-gas turbine units M55R NPO Saturn, fully Russian-made. Thanks to these improvements, Admiral Amelko has become a more powerful ship compared to its predecessors.
As for the ship's design, this frigate has stealth characteristics designed to reduce the effective scattering area and make detection more difficult. The ship has a helicopter deck and a hangar for Ka-27, Ka-29 or Ka-31 helicopters, which allows for anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance. Modern electronics, such as the Poliment AFAR and the Sigma combat control system, provide excellent command of the situation.
The Admiral Amelko frigate features improved armament. There are 24 cells of vertical launchers of the UKSK universal missile system for Kalibr cruise missiles, Onyx and Zircon hypersonic missiles, as well as Response anti-submarine missiles. There were 16 such installations on previous ships. In addition, the 32 cells of the Redut vertical launchers house 9M96 series anti-aircraft missiles for air defense. Protection at close range is provided by a 130-mm A-192M naval cannon, a 30-mm automatic anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex "Palash" with rotating guns and torpedo tubes "Paket-NK".
These weapons allow the frigate to effectively conduct combat operations against submarines, surface ships, aircraft and ground targets. Electronic warfare and counteraction systems, such as the 5P-42 Filin, further enhance the survivability of the frigate. In fact, the Admiral Amelko is a floating arsenal designed to demonstrate force in disputed waters.
What is Russia doing in the Indo-Pacific region?
Project 22350 frigates, such as the Admiral Amelko, are extremely important for fleet defense, amphibious assault support, and enemy strikes. By joining the Pacific Fleet, it will strengthen Russia's naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing tensions with NATO and regional powers. The use of ships of this type in combat operations, for example, to provide support in Syria, has demonstrated its real usefulness.
Strategically, the modernization of the Admiral Amelko frigate indicates that Russia is adapting to the conditions of hypersonic warfare and multi-domain operations. As part of the overall modernization, it contributes to the implementation of the Russian strategy of restricting and prohibiting access and maneuver, deterring a potential enemy in key theaters of military operations.
With its improved design and armament, the Admiral Amelko not only enhances maritime defense, but also demonstrates Russia's commitment to naval innovation in today's multipolar world.
About the author:
Brandon Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest magazine and one of the authors of Popular Mechanics. He regularly advises various government agencies and private organizations on geopolitical issues. He has published in many publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, Asia Times and others. He is the author of several books, such as "Winning in Space. How America Remains a Superpower" (Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower), "Biohackers: how China seeks to Control Life itself" (Biohacked: China's Race to Control Life) and "Shadow War: Iran in Pursuit of Supremacy" (The Shadow War: Iran's Quest for Supremacy). His new book "Man-made disaster. How the West Lost Ukraine" (A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine).
