Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Sergei Gorshkov commanded a brigade of cruisers during the Great Patriotic War, and then served as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for almost 30 years. It is in honor of this great man that the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” is named.
But this is not the first warship named after Sergei Gorshkov. Previously, a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser was named after him. But today the name of the naval commander has been assigned to a representative of the newest family - the multi-purpose frigate of Project 22350. These ships are not only new and modern, but also the first to be officially called frigates.
Fleet of the new Russia
A frigate is a unique warship that can be involved in a variety of military operations and gained particular popularity during the Second World War. After the end of World War II, the USSR paid special attention to the development of the K61 project. The country's forces were aimed at developing ships for complex use: ensuring underwater security, repelling surface attacks, covering amphibious assault, delivering weapons capacity, etc. The project froze in the 60s of the 20th century. Almost 50 years later, in the mid-90s, the shipbuilding bureau in St. Petersburg returned to the development of universal ships with a tonnage of 4,000 to 9,000 units.
The project was divided between the central design bureau and the Northern Design Bureau. The development of frigate-type vessels was hampered by limited technical capabilities, as well as economic factors. There was not enough money to equip sailors, let alone to develop new ships. After the collapse of the USSR, the Project 22350 frigate became the first ship designed and constructed in the Russian Federation. According to unconfirmed reports, the Russian squadron should be replenished with 10 ships of this type. It is not known when to expect a replenishment. And while Russia hesitates, the United States launched the largest aircraft carrier in the world, Gerald Ford.
Acquaintance
The ship was named in honor of Admiral Gorshkov. The frigate is unique in that it is the first ship built and launched after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition, according to experts, the design was carried out practically from scratch; Russian designers did not use Soviet developments. Due to the fact that during the Great Patriotic War, the command of the brigade of cruisers was carried out by Admiral of the USSR Fleet Sergei Gorshkov, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for 30 years, it is quite logical that military vessels are named after him. Before the construction of the frigate, the aircraft-carrying cruiser was named “Admiral Gorshkov”. Now, in honor of the naval commander, a representative of a new family of warships is named - the multi-purpose frigate of Project 22350. Unlike the cruiser Admiral Gorshkov, the new ship, according to experts, is no less effective.
Project 22350 “Admiral Gorshkov”
Testing of the vessel began in 2006 at the dock in St. Petersburg. The intended purpose of the ship is maritime investigative voyages of various ranges, ensuring surface and underwater security. The vessel is equipped with cruise missiles, a missile system to repel submarine attacks, as well as the latest strike capabilities. “Admiral Gorshkov” by all indicators should become the flagship of the Russian fleet.
The frigate is equipped with a helipad. Its main weapon is a secret firing system, the Caliber rocket launcher. The ship passed combat tests without any problems and hit a mock enemy not only in sea waters, but also in ocean waters.
Origin of name, type and history of construction
The historical sailing frigate is a warship, fast and maneuverable, but not powerful enough to be used in the battle line. The name was first revived by the Royal Navy during the Second World War, giving it to light anti-submarine vessels.
In the American Navy after the war, air defense missile cruisers were called “frigates” for some time, but in 1975 the classification was changed. Thus, the modern frigate was finally defined as a small (in terms of displacement) air defense and anti-submarine defense ship.
In the Soviet Union, smaller vessels of this type were called “sentry”, and larger ones were called “large anti-submarine”. This classification was inherited by the Russian fleet. But in recent years, the term “frigate” has also begun to be used in Russia. And one of the first was “Admiral Gorshkov”.
For a long time, the basis of the Russian naval forces were ships designed and built during the Soviet era.
Moreover, the ships could be good in themselves - but the tasks facing the fleet have changed. What was needed was no longer “aircraft carrier killers” armed with heavy anti-ship missiles, but ships capable of effectively fighting piracy and supporting anti-terrorist operations.
Unfortunately, the difficult economic situation in the country did not always make it possible to even maintain existing combat units, let alone develop new ones. For example, the Yaroslav the Wise patrol ship was laid down back in 1988, but it entered service only 20 years later.
Only towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century did Russia again begin to build truly new and modern combat units for the Navy. The direct ancestors of the Admiral Gorshkov are patrol ships of Project 11540. These are ships developed and laid down in Soviet times. They refused to build the third ship in the series, even according to a modernized design, finding it did not fit into the fleet development plans.
The lead frigate of the basic project 22350 was laid down in 2006 in St. Petersburg. Four years later, the launch took place. In the future, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, such ships will become the main ones in the Russian ocean fleet. In the meantime, two frigates, Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Kasatonov, are being tested. Two more ships of Project 22350, Admiral Golovko and Admiral Isakov, have not yet been launched.
And more about anti-aircraft weapons
Not so long ago it became known that the development of a new small-sized system designed to protect warships with a displacement from 1000 to 4500 thousand tons is in full swing at MNIRE Altair. The new anti-aircraft gun will be built on the basis of the well-proven Rif-M air defense system. It is assumed that it will use 9M96E missiles, characterized by active homing, as well as an inertial target acquisition system. The combination of these systems will make it possible to create a truly formidable weapon, capable of intercepting highly maneuverable aircraft with a high probability of destroying them.
This is what distinguishes the frigate Admiral Gorshkov from its competitors. A photo of a ship can immediately prove to experts that it can easily cope with most combat aircraft of a potential enemy.
Brief description of the design
The frigate's hull has a long forecastle, and a double bottom extends from the bow to the engine room. In order to reduce the likelihood of the ship being detected by enemy radars, its superstructure is made of carbon fiber-based composites. Such materials absorb radio waves well.
In other words, “Admiral Gorshkov” was built using “stealth” technologies.
The frigate's power plant is of a combined type. In it, a diesel engine and a gas turbine operate on each of the propeller shafts. The power of turbines is 27,500 hp, and diesel power is 5,200 hp. The total power of the entire installation reaches 65,000 hp. The vessel uses fixed pitch propellers. The frigate is equipped with pitch stabilizers. Seaworthiness, ultimately, should allow the Admiral Gorshkov to conduct combat operations even in a force five storm.
The frigate's main artillery caliber is a universal 130mm automatic cannon in the A-192 mount. The previous gun mount of a similar caliber - the AK-130 - had a mass of over 80 tons. This limited its use only to large ships - cruisers and destroyers. The weight of the A-192 installation is only 25 tons, and it can be installed even on small ships such as frigates.
The rate of fire reaches 30 rounds per minute, the cannon can hit ground and sea targets at ranges of up to 23 kilometers. When using the gun as an anti-aircraft gun, the reach is 18 kilometers in altitude.
Small-caliber artillery is represented by two Broadsword anti-aircraft installations, one per side. Each installation carries two six-barrel automatic guns GSh 6-30KD, the rate of fire of which is up to 10 thousand rounds per minute (in total). "Broadswords" hit air targets at altitudes of up to 3 kilometers.
The Admiral Gorshkov's missile weapons are located in the nose of the hull in universal vertical launch systems.
Two UVP ZS14U1 contain eight cells each, into which missiles for various purposes can be loaded. The Onyx medium-range anti-ship missile allows you to hit ships at ranges of up to 300 kilometers, the mass of the warhead is 300 kilograms. It is invisible to radar and is used on a fire-and-forget basis.
Another option is Kalibr cruise missiles. This missile is universal and, depending on the version, can be anti-ship, anti-submarine or tactical for hitting ground targets. The flight range is up to 300 kilometers (like the Onyx), the warhead can be penetrating or high-explosive fragmentation. Guidance – inertial and radar. Anti-submarine missiles carry a torpedo as a warhead.
Finally, in the future the frigate will be able to use Zircon missiles, which have not yet entered service. These anti-ship missiles are distinguished by extremely high (hypersonic) flight speeds. Re-equipping Russian ships with these missiles could, according to some estimates, reduce the role of aircraft carriers and force the development of new missile defense systems.
The air defense of the Admiral Gorshkov is provided, in addition to artillery, by the Redut missile system. Its launchers are also in the nose, in front of the ZS14U1. The ammunition capacity includes up to 32 long-range 9M96 missiles (launch range - up to 120 km) and up to 128 close-range missiles 9M100 (range - about 15 km).
The frigate is protected from enemy submarines by two quadruple “Packet-NK” installations.
They hit submarines with small-sized 324 mm torpedoes, and attacking torpedoes with M-15 rocket-propelled anti-torpedoes. The deck hangar of the Admiral Gorshkov accommodates the Ka-27 helicopter, traditional for the Russian fleet.
About Project 22350M frigates in light of the latest news
The Great Victory Day gave us not only a festive mood, but also good news for everyone who is interested in the current state of the fleet. We are talking about a TASS report, according to which the existing plans for the rearmament of the Navy involve the construction of 12 frigates of Project 22350M, that is, an “improved Gorshkov”.
Perhaps one of the preliminary “sketches” of the Project 22350M frigate
Unfortunately, there are not as many specifics as we would like, but nevertheless it is said that:
1. The technical design for the new ship will be developed by the end of 2019.
2. Construction of the lead frigate will be completed in 2027.
3. The construction of the next 11 serial ships will be completed later, within the framework of the next state weapons program.
4. And finally, the “cherry on the cake” - the ship’s displacement will be 7,000 tons, the armament will be increased to 48 Onyx/Caliber/Zircon missiles, and the ammunition load of anti-aircraft missiles will be up to 100 missiles of the Poliment-Redut complex "
As we see, we are not spoiled with information: but still, what was said inspires cautious optimism.
Construction prospects
They, oddly enough, are quite transparent and understandable. Until now, the snow-white frigate of our shipbuilding programs has been smashed to pieces, colliding with three rocks, whose name is:
1. Insufficient funding from the state budget;
2. The inability of the domestic industry to produce the required type of ship (equipment) on time;
3. Inability to calculate the cost of the finished product.
I foresee dissatisfied remarks from some readers: they say, since the beginning of the 2010s, the country’s armed forces have been financed much better than before, what kind of lack of money can we talk about? But the fact is that, as you know, the military shipbuilding program for 2011-2020. we failed miserably: there were many reasons for this, but one of them was the curtailment of funding for government procurement of weapons relative to planned figures.
As you know, it was planned to allocate 20 trillion for the State Program of Promotion 2011-2020. rub. However, it was planned to allocate these funds incrementally. Thus, according to the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the planned figures for expenditures on purchases and R&D in 2011-2015. should have amounted to just over 5.5 trillion. rub. Accordingly, the rest is almost 14.5 trillion. rub. was supposed to be spent in the period 2016-2020. It’s hard to say what the government was counting on when it planned for an almost threefold increase in costs for the “second five-year plan” of the State Program, and where it was going to find such funds, but our next financial crisis led to the fact that it became clear to everyone - not only to triple the increase, but keeping military spending at the current level will be quite problematic. Thus, even if there had not been a break with German suppliers of diesel engines, with Ukraine, and our enterprises would have produced weapons and units that work like a Swiss chronometer just in time - the shipbuilding program in accordance with the State Armed Forces 2011-2020. still could not be completed.
So, the new SAP 2018-2027. much less ambitious than the previous one. Although it will be necessary to find about 19 trillion to finance it. rubles, but these are not at all the same pre-crisis rubles. Inflation between January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2022 amounted to 63.51%, that is, the new SLP can (very roughly, of course) be estimated at 11.6 trillion. those rubles in which the 2011-2020 State Program was assessed.
On the one hand, of course, such a reduction in planned defense funds is very disappointing. But in any barrel of ointment you can find a fly in the ointment: apparently, the new GPV is much more realistic than the previous one, and our budget is still able to allocate funds in the indicated volumes. This means that the chances that the purchase of military equipment and R&D will not be disrupted due to lack of funding are much greater than in previous years. The new state program is, of course, more modest than the previous one, but at the same time much more realistic. And if so, then the plans included in it for the design and construction of frigates of Project 22350M are much more realistic than the plans for the construction of their “younger brothers” 22350 in the GPV 2011-2020.
The second is about the inability of our shipbuilding industry to build anything on time. Unfortunately, this is the real scourge of a modern and efficient market economy. We train our management abroad, we implement 3D modeling, ERP-standard corporate information systems that can automatically “decompose” the procedure for creating a finished product down to specific instructions to an ordinary supply manager and issuing daily shift assignments to an individual foreman in the workshop. We are building lean manufacturing technologies, developing the latest quality control systems, personnel motivation... But with all this, alas, we are losing the ability to design and mass produce complex engineering objects, such as, for example, a warship. We are losing the skills that we possessed in the “antediluvian” USSR.
If we look at the pace of construction of the American nuclear submarine Los Angeles, laid down in the 80s, we will see that the average construction period for one boat was 43 months. The Soviet analogue of the Los Angeles, the multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarines Shchuka-B, laid down in the same 80s, took an average of 35 months to build, and this despite the fact that a number of ships of this type were being completed already in the wild 90s. e". Today, we built the 5 serial corvettes that entered service, not counting the lead Steregushchy, on average for 100 months. every.
Project 20380 Corvette "Gromky"
For comparison: the Americans completed their monstrous 100,000-ton Gerald R. Ford in a little less than 91 months.
All warships under construction in the Russian Federation can be safely divided into 2 parts. The first of them is ships that are being built at enterprises that have not been engaged in serial construction for a long time, and here, in terms of timing, everything is very bad. Others are those who, in the sad 90s and early 2000s, still built abroad - they still managed to largely preserve what they once owned. If the Yantar Shipyard built the Project 11356 TFR for the Indian Navy, then in general it did a good job of creating frigates for the Russian Navy - except, of course, for a problem with the engines, which arose for reasons beyond the Shipyard's control. And the Admiralty Shipyards, which built the Varshavyanka first for China, then for Vietnam, Algeria and India, were able to deliver six Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines for the Black Sea Fleet in a more or less acceptable time frame.
In this matter, experience means a lot, but the perfection of counterparty deliveries is no less important. Take the lead frigate of Project 22350, Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov. We managed to build it for almost 12.5 years, but is it really the fault of the Northern Shipyard, where it was created? After all, there were many problems - both with the engines and with the 130-mm artillery mount A-192M, and today even people very far from the fleet know about the sad story (albeit with a happy ending) of Poliment-Redut. And one can only guess how many problems during the construction of this ship went unnoticed by the media and the general public. But for diesel-electric submarines 636.3 and frigates of the “admiral” series, there were almost no such problems, because their range of weapons and equipment was completely proven by production at the time of their construction.
So, from this point of view, the prospects for the construction program of Project 22350M frigates also look quite rosy. Currently, Severnaya Verf is building 6 frigates of Project 22350, and, obviously, their serial construction will be well established. At the same time, the 22350M is, in fact, an enlarged 22350 with increased ammunition, which gives us reason to hope for a relatively fast pace of construction of new frigates.
And finally, the third is the difficulty in determining the price of the finished product. Naturally, the cost of construction was greatly influenced by compliance with the contractual deadlines for the delivery of the ship to the fleet - “long-term construction”, naturally, is more expensive. But here, as we said above, the 22350M frigates are doing pretty well. The second reason was that, as a rule, the ships were equipped with models of weapons and equipment that had not yet been tested in mass production, or even those that had not yet been created, which in fact were much more expensive than the planned prices. But even here, Project 22350M is in perfect order, since the main types of weapons and equipment have already gone into mass production for Project 22350 frigates.
Due to the above, the chances of implementing the program for the construction of a dozen 22350M frigates are much greater than those of the previous “frigatization” or “corvetteization” programs of our Navy.
Armament
Of course, information about the increase in the main armament of the ship, that is, the installation of additional cells of the ZS-14 UKSK universal launcher, due to which the ammunition load of cruise and anti-ship missiles will increase from 16 to 48 units, will please anyone. Both specialists and amateurs measure the combat effectiveness of a ship by the number of Caliber missiles installed on it.
But here’s the thing - it is quite possible, and very likely, that in the relatively near future the UKSK, designed today for missiles of the Caliber/Onyx/Zircon families, will also be able to use heavy anti-aircraft missiles.
On the Almaz-Antey website, in the “Information for the Media” section, there is a small note dated February 11, 2022, entitled “What the newest shipborne air defense system Poliment-Redut is capable of.” It reports that currently the air defense system has only short- and medium-range missiles capable of hitting air targets at a distance of up to 150 km. But it is also stated that in the coming years this complex should be armed with an ultra-long-range missile defense system with a range of up to 400 km, which is now being created “on the basis of the 40N6 ammunition of the S-400 and S-500 ground systems.”
As I read this news, the author had great doubts about the reliability of this information. The fact is that the 40N6 is the latest development, and it is simply unrealistic to miniaturize it without losing its combat qualities. At the same time, naturally, 40N6 is much larger than the range of missiles used by the Redut air defense system. The largest medium-range missile has a length of 5.6 m and a diameter of 240 mm with a mass of about 600 kg. How can you fit a 40N6 - an 8.7 m long, 575 mm in diameter and weighing about 1,900 kg (according to other sources - 2.5 tons) ammunition into a cell for such a missile? Does the Redut air defense missile launcher really have such a size margin?
However, the answer was contained in the same note, which said the following verbatim:
“To fire anti-aircraft missiles, Poliment-Redut uses launchers of the 3S14 universal shipborne complex (UKSK), which the Russian fleet equips ships carrying Kalibr cruise missiles and Onyx anti-ship missiles.”
Apparently, we are talking about a new, ultra-long-range missile defense system. The fact is that, firstly, today, the Redut air defense system uses its own launcher, which has nothing in common with the UKSK. And secondly, according to some data (possibly unreliable), modern UKSK is unable to use modern anti-aircraft missiles, because such a requirement was never put before the designers. That is, today the UKSK cannot use anti-aircraft missiles, and perhaps the “40N6-based ammunition” is being adapted to the UKSK?
Again, it must be said that the reliability of all the above information can be questioned by the fact that the note quoted by the author is located in the “Information for the Media” section and the “Publications in the Media” subsection - this is not a direct interview with an Almaz-Antey official. (although the words about the creation of a 400-km rocket for Poliment-Redut belonged to the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy). But you still need to understand that such publications usually appear based on data provided to the media by the developer or manufacturer itself, and it is absolutely impossible to imagine that Almaz-Antey would publish data with which it does not agree on its official website.
Therefore, the author of this article is confident that in the foreseeable future the ships of our Navy will have the opportunity to use heavy ultra-long-range missiles from ZS-14 UKSK cells, which are still capable of using only cruise and anti-ship missiles, as well as anti-ship missiles. And, if this is so, then how can the new Project 22350M frigates benefit from this?
Let's look at the possible ammunition load of the 22350M in comparison with its predecessor. Suppose we are preparing a ship for a voyage and battle against an enemy fleet. In this case, a ship of the Gorshkov type will be able to take on board a maximum of 16 anti-ship missiles, and its air defense can be organized by placing, for example, 24 medium-range missiles in 24 cells of the Redut air defense system and in the remaining 8 cells (32 in total) - another 32 short-range 9M100 missiles, which, due to their small dimensions, can be installed four in one cell.
At the same time, the Gorshkov has completely no air defense in the far zone, and practically no anti-submarine weapons, because the Package-NK it carries is still primarily not an anti-submarine, but an anti-torpedo complex.
But the new frigate 22350M can accommodate 8 PLURs of the “Caliber” family - missile-torpedoes capable of hitting enemy submarines at a distance of 40-50 kilometers. And yet - 16 long-range missiles capable of, if not disrupting, then extremely complicating a “proper” air raid carried out by several groups of aircraft, because the ship receives a sufficiently “long arm” to “pluck from the sky” the “brain” of the air strike group - AWACS aircraft. And yet - absolutely the same number of medium- and short-range missiles as on the Gorshkov. And yet – not 16, but 24 anti-ship missiles, and this is already serious. Because in this case, the striking power of the ship does not increase by 1.5 times, as it might seem from a simple ratio of the number of missiles, but much higher.
There is such a concept - “saturation of the air defense of a ship/warrant,” which means this. A modern ship has various active and passive air defense systems, including air defense systems, rapid-fire artillery, electronic warfare stations, decoys, etc. They are capable of intercepting a certain number of anti-ship missiles that attack a ship, or an order in which this ship is included. It is clear that a lot here depends on various kinds of accidents, but nevertheless, for each ship or group of them, it is possible to launch a certain number of anti-ship missiles, more than which they will not be able to reject and destroy even in the most favorable conditions for themselves. This number of missiles will be considered sufficient to saturate the air defense of the ship/formation.
So, if, for example, 12 Caliber anti-ship missiles are needed to saturate the air defense of a certain ship group, this means that a Gorshkov-class ship, having used up its entire ammunition load of 16 missiles, will achieve 4 anti-ship missile hits on enemy ships. But a Project 22350M frigate attacking under the same conditions with 24 anti-ship missiles on board will achieve not 4, but 12 hits: of its 24 anti-ship missiles, 12 will go to saturate the air defense, and the remaining 12 will hit targets. In our example, we see that an increase in ammunition load of only 1.5 times can, under certain conditions, provide a three times greater effect!
Of course, the author of this article is not aware of the performance characteristics of the Zircon anti-ship missile, but he has great doubt that even a full-blooded US AUG will be able to survive a salvo of 48 hypersonic missiles fired by a Project 22350M frigate from a tracking position during combat service. This does not, of course, make one of our ships equal to the AUG in its capabilities, but in fact, the Project 22350M frigate will pose a greater danger to the AUG of the 2030 model than the Soviet missile cruiser Atlant did for the AUG of the 1980 model. And we have such frigates it is planned to build 12 units.
At the same time, Project 22350M frigates should be no less versatile than the American destroyers Arleigh Burke. Unfortunately, it is unclear what displacement the sources meant when they cited the figure of 7 thousand tons - standard or full? In fact, both options are possible, but even if the indicated figure is still a standard displacement (which is somewhat doubtful - it turns out that Project 22350 frigates have “fatten” by almost 60%), then even then it will be approximately one level with the Arleigh Berks of series II-A, which has a standard displacement of 7,061 tons. Moreover, the ships have a comparable ammunition load.
American destroyers from their very “birth” to this day have 96 cells in the Mk.41 universal launchers. Our Project 22350M frigate will have launchers for 48 “heavy” and 32 “light” missiles, that is, 80 cells in total. And this is in the event that the expansion of UKSK to 48 missiles is the only innovation of the project. However, if we assume that the standard displacement of our frigate will increase from 4,400 to 7,000 tons, then we should still assume that the number of Reduta air defense missile launchers will be increased by 8 or 16 launchers. In this case, the total ammunition load will be equal to that of the Arleigh Burke. If 7,000 tons is still the full displacement of the new ship, and the number of cells for the Poliment-Redut missile defense system is not increased, then the Project 22350M frigate, of course, will be slightly inferior in ammunition to the Arly Burke, but at the same time it itself will be significantly smaller in size - it is unlikely that in this case the standard displacement of the ship will exceed 6,000 tons.
Unfortunately, the lack of understanding of the size of the ship does not allow us to imagine possible changes in the composition of the remaining weapons. The “main caliber” artillery mount will most likely remain the same single-gun 130-mm A-192M. Other artillery is just as likely to be represented by the Broadsword ZAK, in which at the design stage it was planned to work together with the Poliment-Redut, although if the ship’s standard displacement reaches 7,000 tons, perhaps the number of installations will be increased. Obviously no one will install 533-mm torpedo tubes on the frigate, but the Package-NK will just as obviously be preserved.
As for the radar, sonar and other equipment of the new frigate, here, most likely, it will receive exactly the same equipment that the Project 22350 frigates had. It is possible, of course, that there will be upgrades, and that, for example, the same “Polyment” will be able to accompany and simultaneously attack a larger number of targets than before. But, let’s hope that everything will be limited to upgrades: the most disgusting thing that can happen to Project 22350M frigates is getting “stuck” on the slipway or in completion, waiting for some “unparalleled in the world” hydroacoustic complex or something else .
Of course, new developments are necessary and important; the armed forces in general and the navy in particular should receive the best. But let’s still install new equipment on ships when it, this equipment, is ready, and while it is not there yet, let’s not wait for weather at sea, but limit ourselves to the older ones, providing for the possibility of replacement in the future, say, during a major overhaul.
In general, the following can be said about the armament - the 22350M frigate will have 80-96 missile cells, a 130-mm artillery system, 2 ZAK or more and 324-mm torpedoes, as well as one or two helicopters. That is, in terms of armament, it will be extremely similar to American destroyers, which gives us reason to call the Project 22350M frigate “the Russian Arleigh Burke.”
Mysterious chassis
But the power plant of the promising frigate 22350M, today, is still a mystery. The fact is that ships of the “Gorshkov” type each had two M55R diesel-gas turbine units. Each of them was equipped with a 10D49 diesel engine with a power of 5,200 hp. and a gas turbine engine M90FR with a power of 27,500 hp.
Two such units are enough to provide “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov” with an economic speed of 14 knots and a maximum speed of 29 knots. But installing the same units on the 22350M project is not the best solution. Let's start with the fact that even if 7,000 tons represents the full displacement of the new frigate, then in this case its speed may decrease to approximately 13.2 knots. economic and 27.4 knots. full speed, and it is unlikely that this will be considered sufficient for a ship in the far sea zone. However, perhaps it will turn out to be slightly higher than the indicated figures if the length/width ratio of the frigate 22350M significantly exceeds that of ships of the Gorshkov type. But in general, I would like to note that 14 knots for economic speed is very little; the same Arleigh Burke has a similar figure of 18 knots. And since our main means of power projection is still escorting naval groups of a potential enemy, lagging behind in this parameter is extremely undesirable for us.
In addition, the diesel-gas turbine unit is bad for us because it contains domestic diesel engines, which, to put it mildly, do not differ in quality. What ways out of this situation exist?
It was with great difficulty that we mastered the independent production of M90FR gas-tube engines, and getting involved in the adventure of creating and serial production of a new engine looks like excessive waste for us, not to mention the fact that possible delays in its creation and development will simply paralyze the construction program of the newest frigates. There are only 2 options left - either to use not two, but three M55R units on new ships, or to modernize this unit, turning it into a gas-gas unit. That is, keeping the M90FR engine as the main engine, but using a newly created gas turbine engine with greater power than today’s 10D49 diesel engine as the economic propulsion engine. However, these are just guesses, and what will actually happen remains to be seen in the future.
Current state of affairs
In the meantime, the process of creating the 22350M frigate can be described as follows: “everything is going according to plan.” As you know, the contract for the preliminary design of the new ship was concluded with the Northern Design Bureau on December 28, 2022. And already on March 17, 2022, TASS was “authorized to declare” that the preliminary design of the frigate 22350M was completed, and the Design Bureau began developing working design documentation. We can only wish them every success in this, which we take this opportunity to do!
Specifications
The frigate Admiral Gorshkov has the following technical characteristics:
- standard displacement - 4500 tons, full displacement - 5400 tons;
- length - 135 m;
- width - 16 m;
- draft - 4.5 m;
- speed - up to 30 knots;
- cruising range - 4500 miles;
- navigation autonomy - 30 days;
- crew - 180-210 people.
The performance characteristics are designed to modernize the fleet to a competitive level with other states. Despite the problems that arose during assembly and testing, the frigate of Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov, according to the latest news, meets all the necessary parameters of a modern technically equipped vessel. Its weapons also play an important role in this matter.
Protection from combat aircraft
The real highlight of the ship is the 3S14U1 (UKSK) installation. Rocket, of course. This complex is unique in its “omnivorous” nature: the ammunition can be replaced at any time, as a result of which the specification of the ship will also change. In addition, it is worth dwelling on the characteristics of the anti-aircraft gun, "Rif-M". Let us tell you that in the press it is often called “Poliment-Redut”.
So here it is. The Reef does not differ in any impressive combat characteristics, but it is completely unified with the land-based Vityaz. Of course, this benefits both the sailors and their land-based “colleagues,” since ammunition can be replenished almost everywhere where there are air defense units. In order not to leave any chance to flying enemies, the ship is also equipped with a new type of radar, characterized by improved performance in the field of early detection of aircraft.
Four phased arrays (AFAR) “Polyment” are responsible for this. Experts believe that in the future, unified fire control systems, as well as A-192 and Broadsword ZAK systems, will be installed on ships of this type. By the way, the latter have already been installed on the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” (a photo of which is in the article). Their task is to cover the standard Ka-28 airborne helicopter during its takeoff and landing. All available combat elements operate in a single circuit, providing the frigate with reliable protection from enemy combat aircraft and helicopters.
The ship’s protective contour can capture and guide 16 flying objects at once in one “approach.” Moreover, firing when intercepting them is up to one missile per second. Even if someone manages to break through, frigate 22350 Admiral Gorshkov will almost certainly shoot him down with artillery systems. The combination of an automatic cannon with a caliber of 130 mm and an automatic guidance system is a terrible thing. Do not forget about the powerful onboard electronic warfare, which is capable of almost completely suppressing the computer guidance system of enemy missiles. All this not only significantly increases the degree of security of the Admiral, but also allows us to sharply reduce the load on the crew in a combat situation.
Armament
The range of combat missions of frigates is varied, which is why special requirements are placed on its weapons. The ship is designed for long-distance sea zones and must be able to counter any threats both on a solo voyage and as part of a group. Taking this aspect into account, the armament of Project 22350 ships is divided into missile, artillery, radio and anti-submarine weapons.
16 anti-ship missiles "Moskit"
At the front of the vessel there are two vertical launch units (VLS) for anti-ship missiles. The system is designed to simultaneously launch 16 projectiles. The use of almost any missiles of the Caliber-NK series is allowed. The main focus is on Mosquito anti-ship missiles. The use of 3M22 Zircon hypersonic ammunition, recently put into service, is also permitted.
SAM
The initial version provided for the installation of the 3S90M anti-aircraft missile system (SAM), a modified version of the Hurricane. Later information appeared about the Redut installations. SAM systems are placed in front of the missile launchers in the bow. It is possible to charge the complexes with missiles of different ranges to create echeloned counteraction.
Additionally, there are anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems (ZRAK) "Broadsword". They are placed on the sides in the stern, providing cover for the vessel and the deck hangar.
A-192
The frigate's artillery gun is the A-192M with a caliber of 130 mm. Destruction range is up to 23 km, speed is 30 rounds per minute. The advantage of this weapon is a wide range of firing angles - 170/80°. The ammunition used makes it possible to conduct effective fire at ground, surface and air targets. The control and guidance system is multi-channel.
Anti-submarine complexes "Medvedka-2"
The frigate's anti-submarine defense is represented by modern Medvedka-2 complexes. Their distinctive feature is that they are launched from vertical shafts located in the ship’s hull. Detection of submarines is provided by the Vignette-M system. Its hydroacoustics detect enemy submarines within a radius of 60 km.
Prospects, combat and service
The main thing you can expect from Admiral Gorshkov is trouble-free operation. Still, this is the first in a series that has no continuity with its predecessors. So, first of all, one must hope that he will not develop any serious “childhood diseases.” And that the main diesel engine, which managed to break down, will remain the biggest problem.
The frigate will most likely carry out patrol duty. Perhaps it will support the actions of ground troops with missile strikes (if they are not withdrawn from hot spots in the coming years).
And if Project 22350 ships are built in a large series, then they have every chance of becoming the main “workhorse” of the fleet (as the American destroyer Arleigh Burke is today). And frigates armed with Zircon missiles will have the opportunity to attack any, even the largest, enemy ships. And heavy cruisers will no longer be needed to destroy aircraft carriers.
Even the best Soviet-built ships have long been in need of replacement - and now it has come. The Navy began to accept new ships, created taking into account modern requirements.
The activities of Admiral Sergei Gorshkov as Commander-in-Chief are currently assessed differently. There is an opinion that instead of building nuclear cruisers, the Soviet Union should have paid more attention to aircraft carriers. But there is a certain symbolism in the fact that the name of the admiral was assigned to a small ship, but powerfully armed and quite capable (in the future) of coping with the role of a counterweight to aircraft carriers.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantage of Project 22350 ships is their modern technical equipment and design. Radar, weapons, countermeasures - all this makes the ship in demand, despite the design sixteen years ago. At the same time, all systems are constantly modernized in accordance with the latest developments.
The frigate's disadvantage is the long assembly and commissioning period. Many technologies are experimental, which complicates the design. With the start of serial assembly, processes are expected to speed up, but complications arise here too. Weapons are being modernized, as are assembly processes. This is also reflected in the timing of the commissioning of new ships.
Despite the difficulties, Project 22350 frigates remain a promising development capable of significantly strengthening the Russian fleet. Good performance and technical characteristics, as well as modern equipment and weapons allow the ship "Admiral Gorshkov" to successfully compete with analogues and the latest projects of other countries.
Conclusion
Be that as it may, the construction of the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” clearly proves the sharp intensification of our shipbuilding industry. Never since the early 1990s has the fleet received so many new ships. But due to frequent supply disruptions, the Navy is increasingly receiving frigates of the same type, which can often only be used in one tactical niche. As one can imagine, this state of affairs is not very good for the overall defense capability of the country.
In some ways, the military themselves are to blame for this, as they are not always ready to provide manufacturers with a clear and detailed technical specification. In addition, even when the construction of the frigate Admiral Gorshkov was underway, adjustments were often made to its appearance, which cannot happen in other countries. There are also problems with newly developed projects of new classes of ships, for which adequate weapons simply have not yet been created. Fine-tuning them “on the fly” leads not only to a catastrophic increase in the cost of construction, but also to stretching the delivery time to exorbitant amounts.
Projects are also transferred from plant to plant, bypassing a huge number of bureaucratic barriers. Setting up equipment, programs and tailoring projects to the characteristics of each shipbuilding enterprise is carried out almost manually. The situation is especially deplorable in the Pacific Fleet, where there are either no ship repair enterprises left at all, or they exist, but are equipped with morally and technically obsolete equipment that is simply not suitable for modern frigates. The combination of all these problems can lead to very unpleasant consequences over time.
In principle, there is more good news. Thus, Western sanctions will not have any impact on the re-equipment of the fleet, since the construction of ships is carried out using exclusively domestic technologies. Of course, the import of some technological solutions could solve many problems, but this option is practically unrealistic in light of current foreign policy realities. Be that as it may, the cruiser “Admiral Gorshkov” is the real pride of our shipbuilding.
