Russian defense ministry to hold tender for project of a new corvette

23.08.2010 Defense ministry will hold a tender for project of a new perspective corvette for Russian Navy in Sept; winner is supposed to replace Project 20380 which is being built at Severnaya Verf shipyard, writes Monday's Kommersant referring to participants of shipbuilding market.

According to the newspaper, the question is development of mobile, fast-speed, low-observable, and multipurpose ship equipped with helicopter hangar and modular arrangement of arms and junctions (rapidly replaceable). Such corvettes are called "sea area defense ships" and can be used in littoral defenses, antisubmarine warfare, escorts, anti-piracy activities, minesweeping etc.

Five design bureaus will compete in the tender; three of them are members of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). They are Zelenodolsk Design Bureau, Northern Design Bureau, and Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering. Apart of them, an undisclosed bureau specialized in small civil vessels will also take part in the tender; probably, "one foreign design company" will compete, too, says the source.

New ship may replace the only Russian corvette currently in service – Project 20380 developed by Almaz design bureau. The major contract executer is Severnaya Verf shipyard subordinated to Sergei Pugachev. In 2008 the yard delivered the lead ship of Project 20380; in March 2010 the second one was launched and two other were laid down. One Project 20380 corvette is being built by Amur Shipyard (USC). Some time ago the Navy needed 50 corvettes, but now "it needs dozens of new ships, since Project 20380 does not meet up-to-date requirements and cannot be regarded as perspective corvette", said the interviewees. If the tender is successfully held, the approved project will "determine appearance of surface shipbuilding for next 15 years", said the sources of Kommersant.