Antisubmarine Helicopter Ka-27 Landed on the Deck of New Russian Stealth Corvette for the First Time

28.02.2013 New Russian Stealth corvette Boiky of the Project 20380 commanded by Captain 2 Rank Sergey Lipsky successfully performed the ASW helicopter Ka-27 deck to the ship.

During last sailing in the frame of shipyard sea trials the crew of Boiky and antisubmarine helicopter squadron of Baltic Fleet Air Service pilots performed the ASW helicopter Ka-27 landing on the deck of the corvette for the first time.

Helicopter squadron pilots conducted ten landings on the running corvette. The crew tested the warships's readiness for the deck and command station functioning.

According to the Baltic Fleet air-base Commander lieutenant-colonel Evgeny Astahov, the aviation operations were completed effectually, all the tasks were implemented, systems function properly.

Night-time Ka-27 landings on the deck of Boiky will be performed in March. Besides, the crew will drill different shooting from ship armament and will held antisubmarine and anti-aircraft exercise.

Severny Verf is due to build six of the 20380 and 20385 classes for the Russian Navy by 2018, and six larger 22350 class frigates by 2020. The 20380 class, designed by the Almaz naval design bureau, are optimised for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and support for land operations.

The class incorporates stealth technology, which has considerably reduced its radar and infra-red signatures. The 20380 class can be equipped with Kh-35 anti-ship missiles and 3M54 Klub cruise missiles, Kashtan anti-aircraft gun/missile systems, a main 100-mm gun, two 30-mm close-range air defense guns, and torpedo tubes, according to naval-technology.com. It also has a hangar and deck for operation of a Kamov Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopter, and is fitted with a Vinyetka-EM towed-array sonar.