The General Designer spoke about the features of the improved project 11711 "Cayman"
The course of the special military operation showed the vulnerability of outdated Soviet-made large amphibious assault ships (BDK) to modern attack unmanned boats, missile weapons and FPV drones. At the International Naval Salon - 2024 in Kronstadt, the general designer of the new BDK project 11711 "Cayman" told Izvestia about the modernization of the ship, taking into account the experience of real combat operations and the features of the series.
The fighting has made adjustments
After the start of its operation, it became clear that large amphibious ships were becoming one of the priority targets for the enemy. Ships of this type of Soviet construction stationed in the Black Sea Fleet have repeatedly been subjected to massive attacks by unmanned Navy boats, drones and missile weapons.
According to Nikolai Verbov, general designer of the 11711 Cayman project, the new large amphibious assault ship has been upgraded taking into account the experience of real combat operations.
— After the start of our work, we made adjustments to the project and provided for detection and radio suppression systems for drones, air and sea. Circular protection of the ship with AK-630 cannons and heavy machine guns is provided. Fire control can be carried out integrally or from local posts, depending on the type of target attacking the ship.
The new integrated mast allows you to place a wide range of navigation, lighting and electronic warfare equipment. The deck gangway allows you to quickly lift the necessary equipment onto the ship's runway.
The layout of the landing ship "Cayman" project 11711
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov
— The ship is designed in such a way that it can be further upgraded in accordance with the realities of modern warfare. New weapons are now arriving, and we are ready to retrofit the ship with new means to combat backboats and FPV drones during construction," Nikolai Verbov stressed
According to a source of Izvestia in the Russian Navy, the possibility of arming the BDK with a marine version of the Pantsir air defense system, which has successfully proven itself in the fight against drones and missile weapons, is currently being worked out.
Like previous ships of the Ivan Gren type, the Cayman-type BDK can land amphibious forces on an unequipped coast. They retained the classic loading and unloading system with aft and bow ramps, through cargo hold. The crew consists of about 120 people, the ship's control system is fully automated.
In addition, according to Nikolai Verbov, unmanned aerial vehicles are planned to be deployed on board the new ships in addition to transport and attack helicopters. What specific types of drones will be on board the new Caymans will have to be determined by the customer, the designers guarantee that there will be no problems with their placement and use.
We stayed for two years
Back in April 2019, two BDK of the improved project 11711 were laid at once at Yantar — Vladimir Andreev and Vasily Trushin. This is a significantly redesigned project of the main BDK "Ivan Gren", according to which two ships with a displacement of about 6 thousand tons were built — the Ivan Gren and Peter Morgunov proper. According to the results of the operation, the designers were asked to redesign the project taking into account modern requirements. This is how the improved project 11711 was born. The first ship of the new series was planned to be commissioned in 2023, the second in 2024.
The large landing ship "Pyotr Morgunov"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Timkiv
However, this time it was not without the inherent problems of the domestic shipbuilding with the postponement of deadlines. In 2021, the Yantar press service announced delays in receiving design documentation for improved ships from Nevsky PCB, the creator of the project. At the same time, a meeting at the shipyard was held by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, who demanded that the construction of new ships be accelerated.
Today, representatives of the USC are talking about launching the Vladimir Andreev in February 2025, and the Vasily Trushin in the fall of 2025. The completion of the construction of both BDK is planned for 2026, that is, two years later than the original plans.
They are needed in the Pacific Ocean
According to the former commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sergei Avakyants, large-scale amphibious operations are now irrelevant, but ships of this class are still necessary.
"For a successful landing, one indispensable condition must be fulfilled — the opportunity to gain dominance in the landing area," Admiral Sergei Avakyants told Izvestia. — In the air, for example, at sea, completely suppress the enemy, carry out a landing and then be able to increase efforts in order to complete a further task after completing the next task — the conquest of a bridgehead, to reach some kind of boundary already in depth. Further, it is continuously necessary to build up reserves, people, equipment, create a landing base, and so on. To do this, we need very powerful general-purpose forces, we need aviation that will gain dominance, we need air defense systems, etc. At the moment, perhaps, no country in the world is ready to conduct a full-scale amphibious operation. This is my personal opinion.
Large landing ship of project 11711 "Ivan Gren"
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikipedia.org
According to the admiral, landing ships are especially in demand in the Pacific Fleet, given that Kamchatka and Chukotka are practically islands — they do not have land communications with the Mainland. Therefore, such ships are needed, of course, for the transfer of troops, equipment, and the formation of large convoys that must be guarded.
— These ships cannot sail alone, they should not be equipped with universal weapons and be able to hit the enemy in all environments, — said Sergey Avakyants. — They don't need strike capabilities, but they should have at least complexes for self-defense. Against unmanned boats, they can be equipped with "Shells", self-defense complexes, guided guided depth charges against enemy submarines. In addition, it should be provided that a ship's control center, places for operational personnel and a small hospital will be deployed on these ships.
According to the ex-commander of the Pacific Fleet, the displacement of a landing ship should be in the range of 24 thousand to 40 thousand tons. And there should be more than a few of them — for the Pacific Fleet alone, you need to have a full-fledged division of such ships.
Andrey Krasnobaev