Keel-laying ceremony of Project 20385 lead corvette Gremyaschiy took place on Jan 31 at Severnaya Verf shipyard (St. Petersburg). The ceremony was attended by Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM V. Vysotsky, fleet commanders and top-ranking naval officers, representatives of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation and JSC United Industrial Corporation , veterans and guests.
The ceremony was held along with the keel-laying of third Project 22350 frigate Admiral Golovko . In accordance with governmental resolution, JSC Severnaya Verf is the only supplier of Project 20380/20385 corvettes which are 2-nd rank littoral ships.
Gremyaschiy is traditional name in Russian and Soviet navies. The newest corvette is the sixth ship bearing that name.
Project 20385 was developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau on the basis of already in-service Stereguschiy -class (Project 20380) ships with regard to present-day requirements and operating experience. New corvette differs from predecessors by larger displacement (2,200 tons) and dimensions. Her length is 105 meters, beam is 13 meters, and draft is about 8 meters. Combat capability was considerably improved with new multipurpose missile system Caliber-NK standard for several types of missiles (antiship and anti-coast). Armament of the new corvette also includes Redut SAM system, 100-mm gun mount A-190, two antiaircraft machineguns AK-630M, Paket ASW system, and deck-based ASW helicopter Ka-27PL .
[mappress] Naval Today Staff , February 02, 2012