While the near-naval community argues about the expediency and usefulness of the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, while their production is being prepared, ships of a different class are quietly, peacefully and calmly being built at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg.
Not everything, however, was smooth in the fate of this technique. Research on the appearance of new patrol ships began in the mid-70s of the last century. According to the research results, requirements were formulated for the new ship, which received the designation "Project 11540" or "Yastreb". In 1981, the Zelenodolsk Design Bureau began developing a new patrol ship, and five years later the first ship of the series, Fearless, was laid down. Construction lasted more than four years, and it entered service only in 93rd. Troubled times began for the defense industry, and the second patrol ship of the project - "Inaccessible", being laid down in the 89th, entered service only 20 years later under the name "Yaroslav the Wise". The third frigate of Project 11540 ("Fog") has been under construction since 1993.
Simultaneously with the Zelenodolsk designers, work on a promising patrol boat began in the Northern PKB (Leningrad). In the mid-80s, the Leningrad Design Bureau received a task to develop a ship with a modular weapon system. This ship - project 13040 - was supposed to carry anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, one 130 mm cannon and a helicopter. But the construction of the frigate "13040" never began, it was not even planned initially. Nevertheless, the developments on the project did not disappear and became the basis for a new patrol ship.
In the late 80s, the leadership of the Navy and a number of leading research institutes formed a requirement for new patrol ships designed to replace the existing ones and be in service at least until 2010-2020. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, major funding problems began and all work on new ships, to put it mildly, dragged on.
Already in new Russia, PKB "Almaz" is creating a new patrol boat on the basis of the missile boat of project 1244, which fully meets the requirements of the fleet - project 12441. Even a frigate called "Novik" was laid down, but the fleet has not received a finished ship so far.
In turn, Severnoye PKB did not sit idly by either, and in the early 2000s presented a draft version of project 22350. And in 2005 the project was approved, a tender for the construction was announced and a plant was selected that will build new frigates - OJSC Severnaya shipyard (St. Petersburg).
The lead ship was named "Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov" and was laid down on February 1, 2006. Later, in the fall of 2009, construction began on the second ship of the series called "Fleet Admiral Kasatonov". At the time of this writing, Admiral Gorshkov has already been launched (autumn 2010), while Admiral Kasatonov's hull has been completed and the internal equipment is being installed.
Initially, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation planned to build 5-6 frigates 22350, but later plans were increased to 9 units. It is planned that the entire series will be operational by 2020.
However, not everything is so rosy - a number of experts believe that the planned delivery date for "Gorshkov" (2012) may shift. The expert of the National Defense magazine I. Korotchenko, in particular, believes that the main reason for this is the difficulty in mastering the production of the frigate's radio-electronic equipment. In addition, representatives of Severnaya Verf talk about problems with financing the construction, which also cannot have a beneficial effect on the timing.
In this situation, the statements of the Minister of Defense and the President of Russia about the upcoming increase in the financing of the defense industry are encouraging. But, in general, as they say, wait and see.
Consider the project 22350 ship itself
The hull of the first serial frigate, developed after the collapse of the USSR, is made according to the semi-turret design. The superstructure is solid. To reduce the ship's radar signature, all missile weapons are hidden in the hull, the superstructure has specific contours and has a large number of composite materials in its design. The frigate's hull has a sharp stem and a transom-type aft end, which improves seaworthiness. Almost the entire length of the ship has a double bottom. In the aft part of the frigate there is a hangar and a helipad. Full displacement - 4500 tons.
The power plant of the project 22350 is combined. It contains two diesel engines 10D49, 5200 hp each. and two gas turbine engines M90FR (2x27500 hp). Four engines accelerate the frigate to 29 knots. When only diesel engines are operating, the speed is about 15-16 knots.
The ship is equipped with a new design of roll stabilizers, which allows the use of weapons without any restrictions in waves of up to 4-5 points.
The armament includes:
Single-barreled artillery mount AU-192, 130 mm caliber, equipped with a Puma fire control system. The maximum firing range from the installation is 22 km. Various types of projectiles can hit surface, coastal and air targets.
Two universal launchers ZS14U1 for 8 anti-ship missiles "Onyx", "Brahmos" or "Caliber-NKE" series.
Two launchers "Medvedka-2" with 4 anti-submarine missiles each.
SAM "Shtil" or in the future "Polyment-Redut". Depending on the type of missile, the ammunition load ranges from 32 to 128 units.
At the stern, next to the helipad, two air defense missile and artillery installations of the "Broadsword" type are installed.
Frigate radio-electronic equipment:
Radar of general view.
4 phased array "Polyment", intended primarily for use in the air defense of the ship.
To detect underwater targets, frigates 22350 have the Zarya-M sonar system; in the future, the Vignette-M system will be installed instead.
The frigate's aviation armament is the Ka-27 helicopter with all the available weapons range.
The patrol crew is up to 210 people. Autonomy up to 20 days, cruising range - 4000 miles.
