New submarines, helicopter carriers, corvettes for Russian Navy

The Russian Navy has been decommissioning its Soviet-era Sovremenny class (Project 956) destroyers since 1998 and the Steregushchy class (Project 20380) corvettes seems to be an adequate replacement. These are multi-mission vessels that are powerful enough to be designated as frigates by NATO, comparable in rôle to the FREMM, LCS and Type 26… although the Russians insist they are merely corvettes.

Whether or not the BrahMos-equipped Project 21956 destroyer ever goes into a production run is still to be seen. It would seem to be the logical replacement for the aging Udaloy (Project 1155) class.

Russia’s Pacific Fleet to Receive New Warships in 2014

Mistral-class helicopter carrier

MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Pacific Fleet will start receiving new warships in 2014 for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fleet’s commanders said.

“Rather large-scale deliveries of new equipment, new warships to the Pacific Fleet will start in 2014,” Rear Admiral Sergei Avakyants said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television on Thursday.

Avakyants emphasized the fact that the fleet received a new warship last time in 1991.

According to the Russian military, at least one of the two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, being built in France for the Russian navy, is intended for the Pacific Fleet, which has already prompted concerns in Japan.

Several Project 20380 Steregushchy-class corvettes are being built for the Pacific Fleet at the Amur shipyard in Russia’s Far East with estimated delivery in 2014-2015.

In addition, one of the first Borey-class ballistic missile submarines will be put in service with the fleet after the much anticipated commissioning by the end of 2013, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Pacific Fleet currently consists of the Varyag missile cruiser, four Udaloy-class destroyers, a Sovremenny-class destroyer and dozens of submarines, including five Delta III-class ballistic missile submarines.

http://en.rian.ru/military_news/20130719/182312686/Russias-Pacific-Fleet-to-Receive-New-Warships-in-2014.html

Indian Navy commissions sixth Russian-built frigate

The Indian Navy has commissioned its sixth Talwar-class frigate, the INS Trikand (F51).

The Talwar-class is a modified Krivak III (Project 11356) frigate, built for the Indian Navy in Russian shipyards. The Trikand was built the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia and will be equipped with the BrahMos cruise missile.

The Trikand is the last of a 6 ship batch of Krivak III frigates, however Indian and Russia are currently negotiating for the purchase of Krivak IV frigates. Whether these will be built in Russia or under-licence at an Indian shipyard is not known.

India inducts new power-packed stealth frigate INS Trikand

Rajat Pandit, TNN | Jun 29, 2013, 07.07 PM IST

NEW DELHI: In tune with its operational drive to turn “stealthy” because surprise and deception are crucial in modern-day warfare, the Navy inducted its latest guided-missile stealth frigate INS Trikand on Saturday.

INS Trikand is the last of the six stealth frigates ordered from Russia. The Navy had earlier inducted three 4,000-tonne Talwar-class stealth frigates ( Talwar, Trishul and Tabar) from Russia in 2003-2004.

Then, impressed by the punch the frigates packed, India ordered another three (Teg, Tarkash and Trikand) under a $1.15 billion contract inked in 2006.

On Saturday, Navy vice chief Vice admiral R K Dhowan commissioned INS Trikand at a ceremony at Kaliningrad in Russia, which was also attended by the Indian ambassador Ajai Malhotra and other top Indian and Russian officials.

“Her sister ships INS Teg and INS Tarkash were commissioned last year and are now undertaking operations as part of the Western Fleet,” said an officer. INS Trikand carries a state-of-the-art combat suite, which includes the supersonic 290-km BrahMos missile system, Shtil advanced surface-to-air missiles, an upgraded A-190 medium range gun, an electro-optical 30-mm close-in weapon system, anti-submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets and an advanced electronic warfare system.

“The weapons and sensors are integrated through a combat management system ‘Trebovanie-M’, which enables the ship to simultaneously neutralise multiple surface, sub-surface and air threats,” said the officer.

The ship also incorporates “innovative” features to reduce its radar, magnetic and acoustic “signatures” to ensure it is relatively difficult to detect by enemy radars. Powered by four gas turbines, the frigate is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. “The ship, commanded by Captain Ajay Kochhar with a crew of 300 officers and sailors, can also carry an integrated Kamov-31 helicopter suited for airborne early warning roles,” he said.

India, of course, is also building its own stealth frigates. Three Shivalik-class frigates, built at Mazagon Docks (MDL), have already been inducted by the Navy. Then, there is an over Rs 50,000 crore plan on the anvil to construct seven advanced stealth frigates, with all weapon and missile systems under the hull for a lower radar “signature”, in a programme called Project-17A.

The project will be shared between MDL at Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) at Kolkata.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-inducts-new-power-packed-stealth-frigate-INS-Trikand/articleshow/20832834.cms