The former anti-submarine ship was equipped with the most powerful strike weapons
Already in May, the unique frigate "Marshal Shaposhnikov" will be able to take up combat duty after the completion of the modernization started in 2016. In the near future, its crew will conduct training shooting with all standard weapons. The former large anti-submarine ship (BOD) became the carrier of cruise missiles "Onyx" and "Caliber", as well as hypersonic "Zircons". The updated combat unit is necessary for the fleet's actions in the Asia-Pacific region, off the coast of Africa and in the Middle East, experts say
Get in line
Now the ship is completing the necessary tests and in May will be able to take up combat duty as part of the Pacific Fleet (TOF), sources in the military department told Izvestia. After the modernization, the Marshal Shaposhnikov was officially reclassified as a frigate due to radically changed armament characteristics.
Earlier, the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Sergei Avakyants, said that the frigate will combine the capabilities of an anti-submarine ship and a carrier of high-precision cruise missiles.
Its sea trials began in July last year. By the end of December, the full cycle of factory inspections was completed. To do this, "Shaposhnikov" went to sea several times and performed shooting with standard weapons.
In March, the press service of the Ministry of Defense reported on the implementation of the frigate's second course task K-2. Together with other ships of the Pacific Fleet, its crew in Peter the Great Bay trained to find and destroy a submarine.
Upgraded large anti-submarine ship of the Pacific Fleet project 1155 "Marshal Shaposhnikov" during the stage of factory sea trials in the Sea of Japan, July 2020
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
"There are many tasks for such a ship in the region," military expert Vasily Kashin told Izvestia. - The Pacific Fleet is involved in many activities: joint exercises with China and other countries, visits to the ports of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, trips to the Indian Ocean. Until recently, there were simply not enough ships for this, sometimes even it was necessary to cancel joint exercises. Now these functions will be taken over by a modernized frigate, and in the future, as the construction of the project 22350 ships will come to the Pacific Fleet. "Marshal Shaposhnikov" carries on board a powerful sonar system, high-precision weapons. It has good driving characteristics and reliable mechanisms, which allows it to make long trips. If necessary, it will be able to participate in the fight against piracy, go to the shores of Somalia or provide a Russian presence in Syria.
Universal Marshal
For five years, the ship was thoroughly modernized. The main caliber of the new frigate has been completely revised. The Soviet project BOD project 1155 carried a powerful and numerous anti-submarine weapons-missiles, torpedoes and rocket-propelled bombs. But he had nothing to attack coastal and surface targets, except for artillery installations. At sea, the anti-submarine ships were planned to be escorted and covered by the destroyers of the project 956 "Modern" with their strike complexes and a strong air defense system.
The updated "Marshal Shaposhnikov" became an independent combat unit. It received universal ZS-14 launchers for 16 vertical launch missiles. It can be loaded with various combinations of anti-ship and anti-submarine ammunition, as well as cruise "Calibers" for attacking land targets. It is also possible to use advanced hypersonic "Zircons", which are not intercepted by modern air defense systems.
Test of the new artillery systems of the frigate "Marshal Shaposhnikov" in the Sea of Japan, December 2020
Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The universal launchers are complemented by eight separately mounted X-35 Uran anti-ship missiles. They allow you to free up cells for more " Calibers "or"Zircons". Two artillery installations were replaced with one more accurate and rapid-fire A-190 gun with a caliber of 100 mm.
Immediately after the modernization, Shaposhnikov will be able to hit ground targets at a distance of up to 2500 km, ships - up to 420 km. The frigate's anti-aircraft armament has also been slightly improved. A Dagger air defense system was installed on it. This made it possible to increase the range of air targets to 18 km, and the altitude to 10 km.
The matter was not limited to weapons. At the ship repair plant, the ship's superstructure was replaced by 20 percent. Completed the repair of the housing. Updated the communication and control equipment. They replaced some of the components of the power plant and added a more powerful sonar system for detecting submarines.
Mobile unit
Modernization of the BOD built in the USSR continued at JSC "Ship Repair Center "Dalzavod" since 2016. Before being docked, "Marshal Shaposhnikov" was regularly on long hikes and in " hot spots»
In the early 1990s, Shaposhnikov evacuated Soviet citizens from Ethiopia and collected intelligence information about the actions of the parties in the first Gulf War. In 2010, the BOD patrolled the Gulf of Aden for several months, participating in an international operation to protect civilian shipping. The Marines stationed on it released the tanker "Moscow University" with the Russian team, which was captured by Somali pirates. Subsequently, the BOD was on duty more than once in this troubled area.
The frigate "Marshal Shaposhnikov" during tests in the Sea of Japan, December 2020
Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
After the modernization, the Marshal Shaposhnikov will retain the high performance of the original project 1155 and will be able to operate far from the Russian coast. At the same time, in terms of strike weapons, it will become one of the most powerful surface ships of the Russian Navy.
It is expected that other Project 1155 BOD will be upgraded after Shaposhnikov. The first candidate will be "Admiral Vinogradov" from the Pacific Fleet. It will additionally strengthen its anti-aircraft weapons, installing the Shtil-1 or Pantsir-M anti-aircraft system, as well as completely update the radar set.
Anton Lavrov