Terrible OCD long-range "Caliber" (according to NATO classification - SS-N-27 Sizzler), which are killer in terms of their tactical and technical characteristics, have been exported to the Russian military-industrial complex for more than one year in two versions:
- Caliber-NK - for vertical launchers ZS-14 and modular missile systems on surface ships (Club-S);
- Caliber PL - for 533-mm submarine torpedo tubes (Club-S).
The developer of Caliber cruise missiles is the Novator Design Bureau (Ekaterinburg). The nomenclature includes three types of missiles:
- anti-ship 3M54;
- for firing at ground targets - 3M14;
- anti-submarine missile-torpedoes - 91Р1 and 91РТ2.
The flight speed of rockets is 0.8 M, rocket-torpedoes are 2.5M.
Warhead - penetrating high-explosive or high-explosive fragmentation.
In the Russian fleet "Caliber" equipped with several types of modern military equipment:
- multipurpose nuclear submarines of the project 885 "Ash";
- multi-purpose diesel submarine project 636 "Varshavyanka";
- frigates of project 11356;
- small rocket ships of projects 11661K and 2163.
In July 2018, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation for the development of the military-industrial complex Yury Borisov announced a set of measures approved by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to ensure supplies of warships equipped with Caliber cruise missiles to the countries of Southeast Asia. The object of installation of the complex is a small rocket ship of the project 22800 "Karakurt". The serial production of corvettes, developed at the St. Petersburg CDB Almaz, has been set up at seven shipbuilding enterprises of the Russian Federation.
ISCs are supplied to all combat operational-strategic formations of the Russian Navy — three naval fleets (Northern, Pacific and Black Sea) and the Caspian Flotilla. Project portfolio of orders for the Russian Navy - 18 units. This year transfer of two corvettes to the Navy combat units is planned. The first of these, received the name "Hurricane", since May 19, 2018 is on the sea trials. The ship was launched on July 29 last year from the stocks of the St. Petersburg shipbuilding plant "Pella".
The project of the corvette "Karakurt" is implemented at a very high professional level. It combines several very important characteristics at once:
- compactness;
- large tonnage;
- high speed
The superstructure of the corvette is made with the use of visibility reduction technology for the enemy radar. Engineers and designers of Almaz Central Design Bureau have equipped the ship with powerful rocket and artillery weapons.
One of the leading Russian military experts, the chief editor of the National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko, in an interview with Sputnik radio station, gave an assessment of the Karavet corvettes. He noted that supplies for export of OCD "Caliber" have been going on for a long time. Buyers are offered two types of missiles:
- anti-shipping;
- to destroy ground-based targets.
The expert assured that for the armed forces focused on the defense of the near coastal frontiers, "Karakurt" is an ideal option. Given the not very high price that the buyer will have to pay for the combat unit, "Karakurt" has a huge export potential.
Of course, the famous Russian cruise missiles installed on new ships will have the same flight range - up to 300 km. The restrictions are dictated by the desire of the Russian Federation to comply with the obligations assumed under international treaties in the field of armaments. Launcher on "Karakurt" will be equipped with 8 missiles. A promising market for export sales is the countries of Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
According to TASS, the Pella plant management, together with the developers, presented three options for the Karakurt-E export complex, different in displacement and anti-aircraft artillery weapons:
- 860 tons, air defense system "Pantsir-ME";
- 870 tons, Kashtan-M SAM;
- 900 tons, ZARK near abroad "Palma".
The presentation will take place at the Army-2018 military technical forum (August 21-26, Kubinka airfield). Promising customers will also be offered various options for installing main engines - the Russian M0507D-1 and M70FRU, or imported General Electric (GE LM1500) and MTU.
