The summer of 2018 was marked for Severnaya Verf, one of the largest shipbuilding enterprises in Russia, a historic event - the corvette of project 20385 came off the ship during the laying together with the factory number received a loud and resounding name - “Thunder”, legendary for the Russian fleet . Since June 16, the ship has been transferred to the open stock, where they will carry out further work on the installation and commissioning of the main systems, components and assemblies of the ship. The completion of the installation work is scheduled for the second half, the end of 2018, after which the newest combat ship will have to join the ranks of the Northern Fleet.
Information periodically appears in the media that all ships under construction in the framework of the project 20385 will be used to equip the Pacific Fleet. Time will tell how the completion of the lead ship will go and how the fate of the second ship being built as part of this project will be made.
The new corvette is one of the versions of a whole family of new Russian combat ships built as part of the state fleet development program. The main project base and technological platform for creating the “Gremyashchy” corvette is project 20380, developed within the walls of the Central ICM “Almaz”.
What caused the birth of the project 20385 corvettes
Having at its disposal vast experience in the practical use and operation of warships of project 20380, the Supreme Naval Command decided that it was necessary to make some adjustments to the composition of the weapons. The result of a number of technical innovations and improvements was the project 20385 - modification of the basic project 20380.
After 5 ships of the project 20380 were commissioned, it was decided to change the composition of weapons. In the new design, the ships of the project, like their predecessors, were also considered ships of the 2nd rank, designed for action in the near sea zone. New ships were supposed to replenish the composition of the Pacific Fleet, in which at that time there was only a corvette "Perfect" - the ship of the basic project 20380.
It was supposed to increase and expand the combat capabilities of the ships by replacing the Uran anti-ship complex with more advanced and compact Caliber-NK cruise missiles. Due to this modernization, the new ship became a universal highly mobile combat unit, capable of equally effective action against combat ships and ship formations, as well as delivering strikes at other targets for operational-tactical and strategic purposes.
Carrying such powerful weapons, the ship, accordingly, needed powerful air defense. On the corvettes of the project 20385, the Zombie "Redoubt" received a greater number of launch cells. Ammunition complex increased from 12 to 16 units. Having such powerful armament on equipment, the project corvettes could already act not only in the near sea zone, but also be quietly located anywhere in the oceans. The flight range of the Calibr-NK cruise missiles made it possible to hold all warships at a huge maritime theater and ground facilities within a radius of 1,500-2,000 km.
Despite the fact that with the installation of cruise missiles on a combat ship, its combat capabilities were greatly expanded and increased, the project 20385 corvette was a universal, multi-purpose ship. In terms of displacement, range, and composition of weapons, the new ship was the destroyer, the most universal class of ships in modern fleets. The ship was capable of solving a whole range of combat missions:
- search and destruction of potential enemy submarines;
- opposition to warships of all types and classes in the coastal and distant sea zone;
- fire support amphibious operations;
- carrying out patrol and export operations.
The ship received a Ka-27 helicopter for equipment, capable of conducting active aerial reconnaissance, patrolling and rescue operations. Unlike its predecessors, the head ship, the corvette “Thundering”, was to become a ship with significantly reduced radar visibility. In combination with powerful weapons, a warship unobtrusive to enemy radars, was a formidable opponent for any warship. In comparison with the serial corvette project 20380 new ship is more powerful and technically modern. The new vessel has different tactical and technical characteristics and, accordingly, higher combat capabilities. This concerns not only the weapons system, but also the power plant, navigation equipment.
Initially it was assumed that an order would be received for the construction of two dozen ships of this type. The domestic defense industry has established the production of ship parts from polymeric and composite materials, which are to be used in the future not only in the construction of ships of an improved project. Following the lead ship in July 2013, the first production ship, the Corvette “Agile”, was laid.
The main differences in the design of the ships of the project 20385
Hotel attention deserves the design of the ship. Composite materials developed and created by Russian specialists of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Prometey were used on the Gremyashchy, the lead ship of the project 20385, in the construction of the hull and main superstructures. The technology has confidently been tested during the construction of ships of the base project 20380. The superstructure of the corvette is made of a composite material, which is a non-combustible multilayer plastic. The basis of the material is carbon fiber with high strength characteristics. The innovation of the solution lies in the fact that a ship of this size, made using fiberglass, is 2-3 times lighter than a similar design made by their steel. Another significant argument in favor of this technical solution is the low radar visibility of the superstructure, which was achieved as a result of the use of stealth technology.
In the improved version of the corvette, the designers paid more attention to improving the seaworthy qualities of the combat ship. The new corvette has a better roll resistance and is able to successfully perform combat missions in waves of up to 5 points. The hull of the ship and the island of the superstructure have a 3-fold lowering of the circular dispersion of the radar background, which in turn significantly increases the survivability of the ship in combat conditions.
The power plant of the ship today is represented by two diesel units, which in turn are driven by two 16D49 engines, with a capacity of 6000 hp. each. Diesel engines for the lead ship are manufactured at JSC Kolomensky Machine-Building Plant, and the main components and assemblies are made at AO Zvezda. With the propulsion system for ships of project 20385, a whole story arose, which for a long time was one of the main topics in the news media. Initially, the project was created under the import engines, but the deterioration of military-political relations with Western countries led to the disruption of the supply of necessary equipment of the German company MTU. It was urgently necessary to find a suitable replacement.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation made decisions, as a result of which all ships under construction on two projects were to be equipped only with domestic power units in the order of import substitution. The Kolomna machine builders successfully coped with the difficult task and managed to supply the necessary equipment in a fairly short time.
Weapon systems of ships project 20385 corvettes "Gremyaschy" and "Agile"
The lead ship of the project, like its younger brother, the Agile Corvette, must be equipped with two Caliber-NK combat universal missile systems with 8 cruise missiles on board. The basis of the air defense is the well-known Redut. Corvettes will have artillery weapons. The main caliber is represented by a 100 mm automatic gun mount A-190-01. In addition to this, the ship’s near-fire power is provided by two 30 mm AK-630M assault rifles. The crew of the ship had at its disposal MANPADS "Igla".
On ships, powerful torpedo armaments must be installed, capable of effectively fighting both enemy surface ships and submarines. All weapons on the ship controlled automated system "Puma". For close combat, there were machine gun turrets on the corvette, there were two grenade launchers.
Corvettes are equipped not only with offensive and defensive weapons. Radar and navigation equipment occupies a special place in ensuring the survivability of the vessel. On corvettes is well-known BIUS "Sigma". To quickly identify the enemy at sea and in the air, the corvettes are equipped with Fourke station 2. The fire control system works in tandem with the proposed Monument A complex. For the state of the underwater horizon responsible tracking stations and detection of "Dawn" and "Minotaur".
Due to this saturation of the radar, sonar and navigation equipment of the corvettes of the project 20385 have a high survivability. Corvettes can, at long distances, detect vessels of a probable enemy, remaining in the meantime outside the detection zone.
Construction of project 20385 corvettes and commissioning
The lead ship, the corvette "Gremyaschy", was laid in the winter of 2012. After him a year and a half later, in the summer of 2013, the first serial ship, the Cornette “Agile”, was laid. The basis for the start of construction was the state defense order and contract. In accordance with the terms of the contract for the Northern Shipyard, by 2020 it was planned to lay and launch the 8th corvette of the project 20385 into the water. To date, the building is limited to two vessels of this class. Talk about laying two more ships of the same type, in addition to those already under construction, ends in the corridors of the Main Naval Headquarters and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Most likely, further construction of vessels of this class will be conducted on the basis of the basic project, which is completely tied to domestic equipment, parts and mechanisms.
Both vessels will be completed today by the forces of domestic enterprises, which will have to supply all the necessary components, units and equipment instead of foreign analogues. A high-quality and equivalent replacement cannot be achieved; however, according to military experts, such technological innovations during construction cannot significantly reduce the design tactical and technical characteristics of ships.
To date, the active phase of construction is carried out only on the lead ship. The Corvette "Agile" will be returned to the cradle of the project 20380, to be completed with domestic components and assemblies. This, in turn, leads to a significant reduction in the cost of construction of ships and will allow us to withstand the time of entry into service of the domestic fleet.
