The ships of the 20380 project will be able to hit coastal targets at a considerable distance
The Russian fleet is waiting for a large-scale missile reinforcement. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is working on options for equipping all corvettes of the 20380 project with Kalibr cruise missiles, and in the future — supersonic Onyx, sources told Izvestia. This will radically increase the firepower of these ships and the combat capabilities of the entire Navy. The decision was made based on the experience of a special military operation in Ukraine. Warships have become one of the most effective means of hitting ground targets. Project 20380 corvettes are the main combat units of the Russian Navy. According to experts, the new missiles will allow them to hit coastal targets at a distance of thousands of kilometers.
New missiles
The armament of the Russian corvettes of the 20380 project is planned to include Kalibr cruise missiles, and in the future — supersonic Onyx. The decision to increase the combat capabilities of these ships was made in the Russian Defense Ministry, based on the experience of a special military operation, sources in the military department told Izvestia.
Currently, several options for the placement of new weapons systems are being worked out. In one of them, they can be placed instead of the X-35 "Uran" missile systems in the middle part of the ship's hull. In another, it is planned to replace the containers of anti-aircraft missiles with universal UKSK-M (universal ship firing complex). The final decision has not been made yet.
Launch of the Kalibr high-precision cruise missile
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
As the interlocutors of the publication noted, the experience of a special military operation has shown that surface ships are the most important element in defeating ground targets, therefore, the maximum number of universal missiles, such as Kalibr and Onyx, is required in their arsenal.
Design changes are planned to be made to the ships that will be built. Already built representatives of the series will receive "Calibers" after modernization.
— Anti—ship missiles "Uranus" were initially placed on the corvettes of the project 20380, - military historian Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. — These are good missiles, they are also used in a special military operation to shoot at coastal objects. Their range is more than 300 km. At the same time, Kalibr has proven itself even better. The range is longer, the accuracy is better. And it is quite a sound idea to adapt such missiles for these ships during modernization.
Launchers of the Uran missile system on the Pacific Fleet corvette "Perfect"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Andrey Stanavov
The expert noted that the corvettes of the project 20380 are the most massive of the modern ships of the Russian fleet.
— Even in Soviet times, our ships differed from foreign ones precisely in the saturation of weapons. It will be good if this is done now. This will dramatically increase their combat capabilities at a relatively low cost," Dmitry Boltenkov summed up.
Equipping with "Calibers" will significantly increase the range at which corvettes will be able to hit coastal targets, military expert, Captain 1st rank Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
"This will significantly increase the salvo power of the Baltic and Pacific Fleets," the expert explained. — In addition, in this way, Russian surface ships will have largely unified weapons. It is likely that universal launchers will be made on corvettes, and other types of missiles can be used from them.
Corvette "Persistent" project 20380
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Galperin
Kalibr is the latest Russian development in the field of missile weapons. The family consists of two main types of missiles: the 3M—14 for strikes against ground targets at a range of up to 2500 km and the 3M-54 anti-ship. Their export analogues are also produced.
They were created and tested in the 1990s and 2000s, while work was underway to create their land-based counterpart — a rocket for the Iskander-M universal complex. Today, Kalibry is the most massive and high–precision long-range non-nuclear weapon of the Russian Navy and missile units of the Russian Ground Forces. This is the main shock armament for hitting any objects at a range of 500 to 2500 km.
The combat use of "Calibres" occurred on October 7, 2015. Four missile ships launched 26 launches at 11 terrorist targets in Syria from the Caspian Sea. As Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Vladimir Putin, all targets were successfully hit, and at long distances — almost 1.5 thousand km.
Corvette project 20380 "Perfect"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Mikhail Klimentyev
New corvettes
The corvettes of the project 20380 of the "Guardian" type are the basis of the modern Russian surface fleet. These are the first ships of the far sea zone, completely created in the post-Soviet period. They are being built at two factories. From the "Northern Shipyard" ships 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.
To date, nine Project 20380 corvettes are in service. "Watchful", "Quick-witted", "Brisk" and "Persistent", built at the "Northern Shipyard", serve in the Baltic Fleet. "Perfect", "Loud", "Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov" and "Sharp", created at the Amur Shipyard, are part of the Pacific Fleet.
"Grozny" and "Brave" are also being built for the Pacific Fleet, they should be transferred to the Navy in 2024 and 2026. In May of this year, the Black Sea Fleet included the Mercury corvette built at the Northern Shipyard, and the Strict One is being completed.
The ceremony of withdrawal from the workshop of the corvette "Hero of Russia Aldar Tsydenzhapov"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Epanchintsev
All these ships are designed using stealth technology. Their superstructures are made of composite materials, which seriously reduces visibility in the radar range.
The corvettes have an automatic control system installed, which allows transmitting any information from one ship to another in real time. This helps to effectively distribute goals among several crews.
The Minotaur-M hydroacoustic station with a towed antenna effectively detects 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-mm A-190 artillery system capable of firing up to 80 rounds per minute. To protect against attacks from the air, "Sharp" received a long-range anti-aircraft complex "Redut", and on its stern there is a hangar for the Ka-27 helicopter.
Earlier, Izvestia wrote that all the built representatives of the series 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.
Roman Kretsul
Alexey Ramm
