The military department is working on the issue of laying a new ship of the project 20380The Russian Navy (Navy) may receive an unscheduled stealth corvette.
We are talking about a new ship of the project 20380 type "Guardian". It was assumed that the series would be finished, but the decision was revised. Experts suggest that this is due to the need to load production facilities while promising ships remain at the development stage. Together with the experts, Izvestia figured out what kind of novelty it is and what kind of fleet it can get into.
New series
The issue of the construction of a new corvette project 20380 is being worked out, sources told Izvestia in the military department. It is assumed that the ship will be laid down next year at the Severnaya Shipyard, where corvettes for the Baltic and Black Sea fleets are being built. Prior to that, it was believed that the construction of a series of such ships at this enterprise would be completed: the last hull of project 20380 was laid there back in 2015.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Andrey Stanavov
Image source: iz.ru
— The series has proven itself, the ships are very successful. Several corvettes are currently being built for the Pacific Fleet," military historian Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. — Well-armed ships, mastered in production. Previously, it was assumed that after this series, modular corvettes of the 20386 project would be built, but they have not yet gone: there are many new systems in them that are still under development. Apparently, in order to load the shipbuilding capacity for now, and it was decided to lay another ship of project 20380.
According to sources, it is assumed that the newly laid corvette will be built according to the updated project. A mast with a Zaslon radar station integrated into its design will be placed on its board.
The new radars are capable of effectively detecting stealth technology devices at a distance of 75 km, and simpler targets - at least 300 km away. The antenna unit is fixed at the base of the mast and looks like a pyramid with a large number of faces. Behind each face are hidden stationary receiving and transmitting devices that track the movement of objects.
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| The ship of project 20380. |
| Source: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Epanchintsev |
Radar operators can receive on the screens an accurate and continuous picture of the air, surface and ground situation in real time (on traditional installations it is interrupted due to the rotation of the receiving and transmitting unit). The complex includes a hardware room, a command post, posts of high-frequency and radio-technical devices.
— The updated ships have a new mast-tower structure, the Zaslon radar, — Dmitry Boltenkov confirmed. — This allows you to detect objects at a much greater distance than it was on the first corvettes of the series. With the new radar system, the "Watchers" will be more effective at detecting air and surface targets.
Izvestia has already written that all the representatives of the series built will be upgraded to the level of one of the last ships put into service — the Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov. They should receive powerful modern radars, as well as an improved air defense system. The modernization project and all repair and technical documentation should be developed by the end of this year.
A difficult path
The corvettes of the project 20380 of the "Guardian" type became the first ships of the far sea zone, completely created in the post-Soviet period. They are being built at two factories. The ships built at the Severnaya Shipyard are sent to serve in the Baltic and Black Seas, and the Amur Shipyard makes ships for the Pacific Fleet (TOF). At the same time, initially the production of corvettes for the Pacific Fleet was accompanied by difficulties — the first representative of this series was built for 11 years.
Guards corvette "Smart" project 20380
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Galperin
To date, seven corvettes of project 20380 are in service. "Watchful", "Quick-witted", "Brisk" and "Persistent", built at the "Northern Shipyard", serve in the Baltic Fleet. "Perfect", "Loud" and "Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov", created at the Amur Shipyard, are assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Three more ships are being built for the Pacific Fleet — "Sharp" is already at the stage of sea trials, "Grozny" and Brave" should be transferred to the Navy in 2024 and 2026. And at the Severnaya Shipyard, two corvettes are being built for the Black Sea Fleet: the Mercury is being tested and should be commissioned next year, the Strict is being completed. In early December, the Ministry of Defense reported that the Mercury had entered the Gulf of Finland to conduct the final stage of factory sea trials.
Mooring of the new corvette project 20380 "Perfect" in the port of Vladivostok
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Ankov
In 2019, the construction of the series was going to be stopped, but in 2020 a new contract was signed for several ships for the Pacific Fleet. In July last year, the Amur Shipyard was visited by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, who instructed the relevant ministries to develop measures to support the enterprise.
Invisible and All-seeing
All ships of project 20380 are designed using stealth technologies. Their superstructures are made of composite materials, which seriously reduces visibility in the radar range.
The "Watchers" have an automatic control system (ACS) installed, which allows real-time transmission of any information from one ship to another. This allows you to effectively distribute goals between several crews.
Corvette "Guarding"
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Vitaly Nevar
The Minotaur-M hydroacoustic station with a towed antenna makes it possible to effectively detect enemy submarines. The Paket-NK complex can be used to destroy both enemy torpedoes and submarines.
The corvettes of Project 20380 carry an impressive arsenal. It includes the anti-ship complex "Uranus" with X-35 missiles. They are also armed with a universal 100-millimeter A-190 artillery system capable of firing up to 80 rounds per minute. To protect against air attacks, the Sharp received a long-range anti-aircraft complex Redut, and there is a hangar for the Ka-27 helicopter on its stern.
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| Corvette of project 20380. |
| Source: iz.ru |
Roman Kretsul
