Moscow. June 10. INTERFAX-The Project 20386 Mercury stealth corvette may become an experimental vessel and not be part of the Russian Navy, the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Alexey Rakhmanov, told Interfax.
"If, within the framework of our existing understanding, modern technologies are used on the corvette, then, in fact, its construction may be delayed until the moment of testing these technologies," Rakhmanov said.
"And if we take into account that the ship itself can become a pilot ship, then it will never (become part of the Navy, - "IF). It will surf the sea and work out new technologies, " the head of USC added.
According to him, the corvette is not waiting for the fate of the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov", the delivery of which was postponed several times due to the need to refine the new technologies used on it. "If it is really a pilot vessel, it will be put into operation as a pilot vessel," the head of the USC said.
Rakhmanov also said that the fate of the ship will depend on "how many innovations the customer would like to have on this corvette."
Mercury is the lead ship of Project 20386. This project was developed by the Central Marine Design Bureau "Almaz". Thanks to the use of composite materials, it will be able to use stealth technology more fully than its predecessors.
The corvettes of the project are capable of hitting surface ships and vessels with cruise missiles of the ship's missile system, searching for and destroying enemy submarines with torpedoes of a small-sized anti-submarine complex, ensuring the combat stability of ships and vessels from attacks by enemy air attack means with an anti-aircraft missile system, and providing artillery support for amphibious landings.