Russian Navy to Receive New Modification of Project 22350 Frigates

Russia’s Navy plans to receive more than 15 Project 22350 frigates and its Project 22350M modification, Navy’s Chief Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov told reporters on Friday.
“In the near future the Navy plans to receive more than 15 Project 22350 frigates and their Project 22350M modification. These warships will make backbones of naval groupings in the Arctic Region, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea,” Chirkov said.

The Admiral Kasatonov, the second Project 22350 frigate, was set afloat at the Northern Wharf in Russian northern capital St. Petersburg on Friday. Lead ship of the project, the Admiral Gorshkov, is already at sea trials. The Navy plans to take it into service in 2015, the chief commander said earlier on Friday.

Project 22350 frigates will be brought into service of the Northern Fleet which faces tasks in the Arctic Region, moreover, these warships should provide for Russian military presence in other areas of the world ocean, Chirkov added. “Therefore, the class of ships destined for action in far sea areas should be upgraded,” the admiral said.

Project 22350 frigates displace 4.5 thousand tons and can speed at 29 knots (53.7 kph). In particular, these vessels are armed with 16 Onyx and Kalibr missiles as well as the Poliment-Redut air defense missile system.