The corvettes built in Zelenodolsk pass through internal waterways to Novorossiysk
On October 12, the Kiev–controlled media announced another "victory" - damage to a patrol patrol ship (PSKR) "Pavel Derzhavin" on the outer roadstead of Sevastopol. This "fact" was also mentioned by the speaker of the Naval Forces of Ukraine (VMSU) Dmitry Pletenchuk: "We can officially confirm that this ship was damaged." The captain of the 3rd rank refused to give any details of "this incident".
Popular information resource ForPost ( www.sevastopol.ru ) reacted with a publication with reference to his own anonymous sources, which states that "Pavel Derzhavin" remains in the active composition of the Russian Navy (Navy). "The ship is on the move, in perfect order, ready to perform new tasks," one of the sources stressed.
However, let's not relax. On the contrary, it is now necessary to mobilize all possible resources to replenish the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet) Russian Navy. In the article "The Fleet needs a "Smart" approach" (see "HBO" from 09/21/2013), it was said about the shortage of shipbuilding capacity on the Black Sea coast, which does not allow the construction of combat units necessary for the fleet "on the spot". It was also noted that the posting of Russian Navy ships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits is impossible due to Ankara's position referring to the paragraphs of the 1936 Montreux Convention.
The article "Anadyr will protect the Sea borders" (see "NWO" from 12.10.23) is devoted to a series of PCRs of the project 22100 "Ocean" with a total displacement of 3200 tons, built by the Zelenodolsk plant named after A.M. Gorky for the border service of the FSB of Russia. It was noted that, taking into account its own and Ankara's position, the loading program of the enterprise should be revised so as to better use its capacity to replenish the Black Sea Fleet. There was a wish to lay the next ice-class PCRS at some other shipyard, and switch Zelenodolsk to the construction of combat units that better meet the conditions of the Black Sea.
Today the plant named after. Gorky is involved in production cooperation with the P.E. Butoma Gulf plant in Kerch for the supply of the Black Sea Fleet of small rocket ships (MRCS) of the project 22800 Karakurt – carriers of long-range cruise missiles of the Kalibr-NK complex ( "The Karakurt was started on the Black Sea, see "HBO" of 13.07.23). It was noted that such MRCS have better seaworthiness compared to the previous project 11631 "Buyan-M" and are needed by Black Sea sailors to strengthen the fire impact on the AFU.
At the same time, the modest size of the MRK (displacement less than 1 thousand tons) and the composition of the armament (there are no torpedoes, a helicopter pad) do not allow them to be taken as a full-fledged compensation for the loss of the cruiser "Moscow" (displacement 11.5 thousand tons).
Among the products of the plant named after Gorky has a special place in the family of warships of project 11661. Tatarstan (adopted in 2003) and Dagestan (2012) serve as part of the Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy. They attracted the attention of a foreign customer, and he was offered the export project 11661E with the marketing designation "Cheetah 3.9".
The initial project 11661 refers to the patrol ships (TFR) of the 2nd rank, designed for operations in the near sea zone. Built according to the revised project, "Tatarstan" and "Dagestan" are classified as "rocket ships". In the West, they are referred to as guided missile frigates of the Gepard class, but with an eye to the relatively small displacement (about 2 thousand tons), they are sometimes "reduced" to corvettes.
Rotorcraft Assistant
The Zelenodolsk plant was engaged in the construction of the first pair of ships under the 11661E project (Dinh Tien Hoang and Li Thai To) from 2007 to 2010, the second pair (TrầN HưNg ĐạO and Quang Trung) from 2013 to 2016. Their hulls were built on the Volga, and then brought to Kronstadt (the first pair) or Novorossiysk (the second) for completion by inland waterways. Fortunately, the size of the smooth-deck steel hull allows this: length 102 m, width 14 m, draft 4.5 m (with a sonar antenna – 5.6 m). The figures for the project 22100 RCMP are 92, 15 and 4.8 m, respectively.
What the ships of the 11661E project have in common with Tatarstan and Dagestan is the hull. Significant changes in the original appearance should include equipment in the rear of the helipad. Neither Tatarstan nor Dagestan are aircraft carriers, and Vietnamese corvettes carry one Ka-28 helicopter each. In case of bad weather, a rotorcraft with folded blades is rolled deeper into the superstructure.
Operation in the conditions of the Pacific Ocean has shown that partial cover is not enough. The solution was the construction of a full-fledged aircraft hangar, and some of the relevant work was done by the Vietnamese themselves.
During the special operation in Ukraine, it turned out that when performing the tasks of controlling merchant shipping, a helicopter helps the patrol ship a lot ( "The Black Sea asks for helicopters", see "HBO" from 07.09.23). Recall that on August 13, the Vasily Bykov Pskov was able to stop the dry cargo ship "Shyukry Okan" for inspection only after the landing of the marine group infantry on the intruder ship from the deck helicopter Ka-29.
According to the message of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated October 6, the crew of another Ka-29 helicopter found an enemy BMK off the coast of Crimea and destroyed it with fire from standard weapons. An analysis of the use of aircraft carriers and their air groups during the SVO suggests that of all the available types of domestic marine helicopters, the Ka-29 is the best suited for patrol ships. Based on this circumstance, as well as the fact that such a car fits into the hangar of the corvette of the 11661E project, it is necessary to proceed when building plans to replenish the Black Sea Fleet.
Rockets
The only one of the aforementioned six Gepard-class corvettes carrying long-range cruise missiles is Dagestan alone. It carries a vertical launcher (VPU) of the Kalibr-NK complex, into the cells of which 91P anti-submarine missiles, 3M-54 anti-ship missiles and 3M-14 strike missiles are loaded. The latter were first used in a combat situation in October 2015, when missiles fired by ships of the Caspian Flotilla hit terrorist targets in Syria. Today, such weapons are widely used within the framework of the SVO in Ukraine.
It was reported that during consultations on the third pair of corvettes, a foreign customer wished to equip them with an export version of the complex, known under its own designation Club. By and large, it differs from the original Kalibr-NK only in the characteristics of the missiles used, with a reduction in the maximum launch range to 285 km (which is required by international agreements to limit the export of missile technologies).
For several years, Russian engineers have been making corrections to the 11661E project. During this time, a certain design reserve has been created for the further development of this line, and it will be useful if Zelenodolsk receives an order for corvettes for the Black Sea Fleet. In order to reduce the cost and shorten the construction time, the customer may agree to a more modest composition of weapons. For example, to abandon the expensive "Caliber" in favor of "Uranus" with anti-ship missiles (PKR) 3M-24 (launch range up to 235 km).
The initial project 11661 came with an anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) "Osa-MA2" with an ammunition package of 20 9M-33 missiles, but this is now only on the "Tatarstan". During the modernization, the Monolith radar was replaced with a more advanced Tack with a significant increase in the capabilities to detect air and surface targets. All anti-submarine weapons (RBU-6000 rocket launcher, 533 mm torpedo tubes, coupled with a sonar station) were removed from the Tatarstan. Reason: not a single submarine is in operation in the Caspian Sea.
But Dagestan received both torpedo tubes and the MGK-335 "Zarnitsa" hydroacoustic complex with podkil and towed antennas. The radar armament includes the Mineral-M and Positive-M1 radars. Similar equipment in export execution is also on Vietnamese ships. But instead of the "Caliber" they carry anti-ship missiles "Uranus" (as on the "Tatarstan", a pair of launchers with four 3M–24 products each), and the anti-aircraft complex "Palash" is an export version of the "Palm" (with laser-guided missiles "Sosna-R"), as well as the RBU-6000 and a pair of 30-mm AK-630 submachine guns.
All six of the aforementioned corvettes are equipped with an AK-176M artillery mount with a three-inch cannon. The use of weapons is possible when the sea waves are up to 5 points; there is a pitching stabilization system with retractable rudders.
Power plant
The power plant is a diesel-gas turbine, with separate operation of gas turbines and diesel. On the first four hulls there is a domestic diesel engine with a capacity of 8000 hp, on the second pair of Vietnamese corvettes there are German units; they provide cruising speed up to 14 knots. On all six corvettes there is a pair of afterburner turbines M90 (UGT 15000) with a capacity of 14,500 hp, they accelerate the ship to 28-29 knots. This speed is needed in the case of chasing an intruder vessel or for "throwing" into the area where an enemy submarine is detected.
The M90 gas turbines are produced by the state enterprise "Zorya-Mashproekt" located in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine. Since 2014, there has been a cooling of relations between Moscow and Kiev, restrictions have been imposed on the supply of defense products. In the current situation, Hanoi directly appealed to Kiev and, following the negotiation process, achieved a direct supply of everything necessary to it through the ship power line. Thus, the completion of the second pair of corvettes for the Vietnamese fleet became possible. After the tests in the Black Sea were completed, they were accepted by the customer at the end of 2016, and since the beginning of 2018 they have been operating regularly in the Pacific expanses.
The Vietnamese expressed a desire to purchase a third pair of corvettes, but the deal was again complicated by the situation with ship power. During the SVO, the Russian aviation and navy repeatedly struck at the objects of the Armed Forces and the defense industry in the Mykolaiv region. The ability of the State Enterprise "Zorya-Mashproekt" to continue the production of profile products is called into question. Russian shipbuilders reported on the search for other suppliers. According to them, there is a solution, but it is "too early" to report any details.
Use what you have
"Use what is at hand, and do not look for something else" – the hero of the animated series Passepartout addressed the viewers with such an appeal. When it comes to a real way to replenish the Black Sea Fleet in the conditions of Turkey's closure of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, we have to consider options previously rejected by the command of the Russian Navy.
Recall that project 11661 was developed in the late 1980s to perform the following tasks: search and destruction of enemy submarines, patrol duty, convoy operations, as well as protection of the maritime economic zone. The developer is Zelenodolsk Design Bureau. As far as we know, the domestic naval commanders did not like the project and for some time it was considered only as an export one. They tried to attract India as a customer, but at some stage it refused to pay for construction and testing. It took several years to convince Russian sailors of the need to return to the topic.
The original project was considered poorly armed. Towards the end of the century, it became possible to "re-equip" him with a 3M-24 type PKR and a Broadsword anti-aircraft system. Perhaps such a prospect prompted the fleet command to allocate funding for the completion of one ship at first according to the corrected project 11661K with the installation of the RCC and the removal of all anti-submarine weapons.
Operational experience has shown that the Tatarstan combines satisfactory seaworthiness, range (3,500 miles) and duration of navigation (15-20 days), having air defense, anti-ship and radar weapons acceptable for its class. "Dagestan" was completed according to a modified project, with anti-submarine systems, long-range missiles of the Kalibr-NK complex and a new anti-aircraft system "Palash".
The disadvantages of the revised 11661K project included the lack of a permanent-based deck helicopter and the weakness of air defense. They tried to eliminate them in the export version of 11661E by equipping the runway and hangar, as well as installing the latest Palm air defense system (with Sosna-R missiles). In the updated form, the ship could effectively fight surface and air targets.
Shortly after the commissioning of the Dagestan, the command of the Russian Navy once again revised its attitude to corvettes, abandoning the concept of using them to solve tasks for the protection of water areas (IAD). The participants of the round table on the problem of maritime piracy at the Army-2017 forum said that the new idea was to create a patrol ship in "minimum displacement for unlimited seaworthiness (1,700 tons)." However, the PCRs of projects 21600 and 21460 did not justify all the hopes placed on them. Today, the question of the IAD corvette is again being raised to ensure the protection and defense of the main fleet forces in the areas of naval bases and in the waters adjacent to them. It seems that the 11661 project is suitable for solving this problem, as well as ensuring the control of navigation on the Black Sea. Experience has been gained in the construction and operation of such ships, new weapons systems have been tested, and the optimal configuration for a hull of this dimension has been found. It remains only to place orders as soon as possible.
Vyacheslav Ivanov
Vyacheslav Viktorovich Ivanov is a military expert and historian.
