Frigates for Black Sea Fleet to be laid down this year

14.12.2010 Keel-laying of the first Project 11356 escort ship (frigate) for Russia's Black Sea Fleet will be held at Yantar shipyard (Kaliningrad) in four days.

The ship will be laid down on Saturday, Dec 18, reported the shipyard's press service to the Central Navy Portal. Unofficially, preparation of metal hull sections started several months ago, and now everything is ready in slipways for the solemn keel-laying ceremony. However, according to an informed source in defense industry, no written directions to lay down ships in the current year have been received by Yantar so far. Recall that Russian Navy command does plan to reinforce Black Sea Fleet with at least three Project 11356 ships (in prospect – five frigates), reported Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vysotsky in Sept.

According to him, the ships are to be commissioned till 2015. One of priority tasks for the new frigates will be anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Early in Oct, Yantar shipyard won the closed tender for first three ships. The yard presently builds three export frigates of analogous project for India. All works are performed excellently and on schedule – two ships are already at outfitting quay. Since the shipyard has acquired the experience in building ships of this project, it was declared the tender winner.

Name of the frigate to be laid down soon is unknown. As was previously reported by the Central Navy Portal, first three frigates meant for Black Sea Fleet will be named in honor of tsarist admirals – Grigorovich, Essen, and Kolchak. However, this information has not been formally confirmed.

Basic characteristics of Project 11356 frigates:

Displacement, tons: standard – 3,620; full – 4,035.

Dimensions, meters: length – 124.8; beam – 15.2; draft – 4.2 (overall – 7.5).

Full speed – 30 knots; fuel range – 4,850 nautical miles (at 14 knots); endurance – 30 days.

Although armament is undisclosed, one can assume it will include advanced missile/artillery/antisubmarine systems. The ship will be equipped with all required control means, as well as aerial/sea/submarine targets detection systems. There will be a heliport on the frigate's deck.