Fourth Vietnamese Gepard-class frigate launched in Russia

Russian shipyard Zelenodolsk plant named after AM Gorky has launched the fourth Gepard-3.9 frigate, the second ship of the second pair of orders built for the Vietnam Navy.

The ceremony, held at the company’s shipyard in Republic of Tatarstan, Russia on May 26, was attended by the Navy Commissioner of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Dinh For Nhat and numerous plant and state officials.

The first two 2200-tonne Gepard-class frigates, delivered to Vietnam in 2011, were armed with missiles while the second two are more anti-submarine oriented, Sergei Rudenko, deputy director for foreign economic affairs of JSC Zelenodolsk Shipyard, was quoted as saying.

Rosoboronexport and the Defense Ministry of Vietnam signed a contract for the first two ships in 2006. The ships were delivered to the Vietnamese Navy by March 2011 and were named Dinh Tien Hoang and Ly Thai To.

In December 2011, Vietnam placed an order for another two frigates. They will be delivered to Vietnam in August and September this year, Russian news agency TASS recently reported.

“Today is a very solemn day for us. We have already built the first pair and are now building a second. This is the fourth phase of construction,” Renat Mistahov, general director of OAO Zelenodolsk plant named after AM Gorky said.