Russia launches new frigate class
The first vessel in Russia’s newest series of frigates was floated out at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg on Friday. It is the first vessel of this kind to be built in Russia in 20 years.
The first vessel in the new class of frigate, the “Admiral Gorshkov”, is more than 40 percent ready and will probably be completed by the end of 2011, Regnum.ru reports.
“Admiral Gorshkov” will be able to execute long-range strike, anti-submarine and escort missions in remote areas. She has a displacement of 4,500 tons, a speed of 29 knots, a range of 4000 nm at 14 knots, and endurance of 15 days.
The vessel will be put in service in Russia’s Northern Fleet, based in Severomorsk outside Murmansk.
The next frigate in the Gorshkov-class, the “Admiral Kasatonov”, is already under construction at Severnaya Verf. The Russian Navy needs between 20 and 30 such frigates, which will be the 21st century’s main ocean-going surface ship.
