Pavel Derzhavin.

Is the latest of the planned project 22160 multipurpose ships which, at some point of time, I characterized as a shitstorm corvette. You can see Pavel Derzhavin getting ready to trials in Novorossiisk. 

And this class of ships would have probably remained as a class of shitstorm corvettes, but something happened, which have put many rumors to rest, together with reputations of many self-proclaimed "experts", who for years were declaring that no work was done on combat modules for these ships. They were wrong. As Izvestiya reported two days ago (in Russian) the trials for combat modules for these corvettes and other ships of this size will commence this summer. That, as you may have already guessed, changes the dynamics completely for such ships and gives them a serious ASW and strike capability, among other combat missions. That also may provide impetus for further development of the class of the two already being built corvettes of project 20386 which created a controversy of sorts due to their sensor and weapons' suites. 

But the idea was always sound when looked at its realization creatively. 

Having eight 3M54 or P-800s would make ships like project 22160 a rather deadly proposition under any circumstances, plus, 20 and 40-feet standard shipping containers fit very well on a variety of platforms, especially when distributed properly and Russians love distributed lethality, and, unlike the US Navy, who only recently started to wake up to this concept, pioneered it. Containers (combat modules) for pr. 22160 (and 20386) will most likely be "plug and play" and should integrate nicely with existing reserved ships' systems. It is my speculation but something tells me that I am not off by much in this particular case. Considering the size of this class (pr. 22160) of 6 ships this can roughly provide the salvo of additional 24 to 48 anti-shipping missiles of different classes, including 3M22 Zircon. As Alice used to say: "It is getting curiouser and curiouser."  

A Sh.tstorm Corvette.

No, really, these Project 22160 patrol boats did create a shitstorm among Russian naval professionals. I, at some point of time, simply stopped issuing my opinions on the matter and reverted to a pop-corn observer status because this whole thing started to remind me so much of an endless Littoral Combat Ships saga (or acrimony, if one will) in the US Navy. For starters--realistically nobody in public space knows for sure what the hell those combat packages (containers) for 22160 are. Well, except for 3M14 and 3M54 Kalibr family of weapons in those containers. Those who know--they keep silence. There is, however, a consensus that having engines in a single compartment is not a sign of a naval ship--I agree with this. Survivability should be above all. In the same time, it is clear that these corvettes were conceived in the times when Russian Navy after decades of rusting away suddenly started to get so much desired cash flow. People got drunk on so many ideas and decided, hell, why not make some Russian version of LCS in a more modest displacement and dimensions and call this contraption a Patrol Ship. 

Ok, these are actually very attractive boats with a good 76-mm gun and decent electronics suite, which immediately makes them excellent picket ships capable for provision of targeting to a whole lot of platforms, plus...yes, killing pirates. Good escort boat for all kinds of a commercial traffic on the seas. 

And yes, did I mention those are really handsome boats;) 

Second of the series Dmitry Rogachev in Sevastopol. Thanks to Igor84 from Airbase.

Here is video (in Russian) on completion of trials of Vasily Bykov (a first hull of 22160) in Novorossiisk yesterday. 

And while a shitstorm rages because of these controversial ships, 6 of them (full series) will be finished opinions of many professionals regardless and those, when armed with Kalibrs, anti-mine, ASW and other packages, in addition to their organic helicopter could be of a multiple use, especially in the times of crazy state and non-state actors ready to go to any length to undermine Russia's borders and commerce. BTW, did I mention that they are handsome boats? 

Vasily Bykov

So, I guess will see how, obviously US Navy's, late Admiral Cebrowski's idea, which went astray in LCS, will perform in Russian Navy and who knows, maybe Lazarus (those who need to know, they know) will finally find peace and a good empirical argument. Meanwhile, shitstorm continues.

Is Project 22160 Russian Navy's LCS?

I will not lie, I accepted the US Navy's Littoral Combat Ships program from the get go--the concept seemed sound and technological approaches seemed reasonable. Knowing late Admiral Cebrowski's views on real naval combat, hence Street Fighter Program, from which LCS evolved, and purely out of aesthetic reasons, I thought that LCS were great ships. That is until the whole program turned into the unmitigated disaster. The warning signs for "littorals" were already in place from the inception and the major of them was the fact that for a ship, however handsome, which reached 3500 tons of displacement LCS carried only 57-mm gun and some 3 (yes, three) mile-range anti-whatever missile. Of course, the real kick of LCS was its modular design which was supposed to provide different mission modules but for a ship with a price tag around $ 400 million the whole notion of going into the enemy's littoral and not being armed properly seemed rather suicidal. 

   

Yes, LCS-1 are handsome and fast boats.

It also seemed very outdated and very... American. Only in 2014, after several public scandals, US Navy decided to review a possibility of installing anti-shipping cruise missiles on these ships. Is it the case of "better late than never" or is it the case of trying to revive a lifeless body, I don't know. There was, however, one thing about LCS which greatly attracted Russian Navy--it was modularity of what Russians define as general purpose patrol ships. This is how Patrol Ship of Project 22160 evolved in what it is today. With the fourth hull of 22160 being laid down in 2016, the actual mission "packages", or armament, of these ships remain somewhat of a mystery. 

For starters, while not as intense as LCS discussions in the US, 22160s are not without controversy in Russia. The main point of contention being their mission (or lack thereof, depending on POV), the secondary point being Russian Navy going, as in Soviet times, for multi-type menagerie of combat ship, especially at the (perceived) expense of large combatants. I will express my personal point of view--I think both points are not valid at all. 

1. If to believe what goes around in open media, these 1,500 ton displacing ships will be able to carry either containers or have UKSK VLS. There is also the talk that these ships could be fitted with Shtil Air-Defense system. Of course, recent naval trials of Tor-M1 system and upcoming navalized Pantsir do create a range of options for 22160s. If that is the case, then 22160s, apart from general patrol duties, including anti-piracy operations, will pack a serious SuWA punch and that is how Russians like their ships--with long-range anti-shipping and land attack cruise missiles. Here is a Distributed Lethality 101. 

2. The issue of finding a mission is not an issue at all. From Somali anti-piracy operations, to providing escorts, to aiding Russia's Coast Guard in guarding littoral, and, finally, providing for additional weight of anti-shipping missile salvo--there are many roles which 6 (planned) of those ships can play. They are littoral combat ships which can defend themselves both in domestic and adversarial littorals.

First 22160 at Zelenodolsk Shipyard

22160 Model

So, will these ships become Russia's "LCS" or will they turn out to be useful general purpose combatants capable of bringing a gun to a knife fight? I don't know yet, but, yet again, I like the concept and Russians certainly have a history of creating real "street fighters" in their navy.    

                   

Serpukhov

Perils Of Mosquito (re-opened).

So, the news are that two hulls of Project 1241 Molnya missile boats which remained in the state of limbo for a while will be completed by the shipyard Vympel to specifications of Project 12418 missile corvettes. 

Molnya (Lightning) To Become A Thunderbolt (In Russian) 

For those who do not remember, those ungainly ships went into existence as Tarantul-class missile boats in 1970s and even US Navy had one  (former DDR Navy's Hiddensee) serving at Naval Air Warfare Center in Maryland in 1990s. Latest iterations of venerable Tarantuls, however, are a different game. Project 12418 corvettes are armed with....drum roll..16 Uran-E (Switchblade) missiles. 

Here is the model: 

 Here is a movie:

 Here are Vietnamese Navy's (export) versions:

There will be obvious upgrades, including latest electronic suite for corvettes for the Russian Navy. 

What does it all mean? Considering the fact that in Sea Denial and A2/AD business a salvo means a lot, it means that theoretical salvo of Russian Navy in the theater, where these corvettes will be serving, grows by additional 32 anti-shipping missiles. That is a lot, to put it mildly without resorting (which I will eventually) to the specifics of Salvo Equations and coefficients which constitute them. Obviously, such corvettes have very limited Air Defense (for now) and no ASW suites to talk about, but they fit perfectly into the littoral A2/AD settings where other heterogeneous forces will be taking care of air defense and ASW. Now consider the fact that Russian Navy is actively building Project 22160 Patrol Ships (these ones carry UKSK and have a very respectable air defense) and this clearly indicates that Russia is building her Navy "from the shore" thus indicating a very defensive posture. Will Russia eventually build full blown Blue Water Fleet? Here is the puzzle: will it be Power Projection or Sea Denial Navy? I guess the latter is the most likely scenario.