Russia launches first Project 22350 frigate for Pacific Fleet
Naval News
By Tomasz Grotnik
30 September 2024
Launching ceremony of the frigate „Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Isakov”. Photo Korabel.ru
On September 27, after... 11 years of construction, the frigate Admiral Isakov was launched at the Severnaya (Northern) Shipyard in St. Petersburg. This is the fourth vessel of Project 22350, and at the same time the first one for the Russian Pacific Fleet.
The „Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Isakov” is the fourth multipurpose frigate of Project 22350, the only type of ocean-going surface combat ship developed and produced in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The frigates were designed by the Severnoye Design Bureau in St. Petersburg, known for its design of large surface ships from the Soviet era. For now, it is the only class of surface ship integrated with hypersonic missiles of the 3M22 Tsirkon system.
A program with many hurdles
However, the rate of implementation of the program by Severnaya Shipyard is very low. This is a result of technical problems and delays in the progress of parallel projects for weapons systems and electronic equipment.
These mainly involved the 9M96 Poliment-Redut air-defence system and the Poliment multifunctional radar system, which were being developed at a similar time to the frigate design.
The first vessel of the series, the Admiral Gorshkov, took 12 years to build. For the next one – Admiral Kasatonov – the time was a little shorter, at almost 11 years. But these were not the only problems faced by Russian shipbuilders.
Another was brought on by Russian aggression against Ukraine, which began with the annexation of the Crimea in 2014, and escalated into a full-scale war in 2022. As a result, Ukrainian companies ended their cooperation with Russian firms. In the case of Project 22350 frigates, this involved the supply of propulsion systems.
Each of the frigates has two M55R marine diesel gas-turbine power units. The manufacturer of most of the components, as well as the integrator of the M55R, was the Ukrainian company “Zorya-Mashprojekt”.
Each M55R consists of one M90FR gas turbine (“Zorya”), one 10D49 diesel engine (Russian „Kolomenskiy Plant”), one RO55R reduction gearbox (“Zorya”) and control system (Russian “Aurora”). Each M55R runs on a separate shaftline with fixed-pitch propeller.
The first two frigates received engines from Ukraine. But for the third ship – the Admiral Golovko – the propulsion system were not delivered. For this reason, construction of the vessel was stopped, as was that of the fourth ship, the future Isakov.
Launching ceremony of the frigate „Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Isakov”. (Photo Sudostroenie.info)
Fully Russian frigates
The Russians and Ukrainians formed a joint venture, “Turborus,” as early as 1993, to combine their efforts in the development, supply and repair of ship propulsion systems for the Russian Navy.
Along with this, technical documentation of Ukrainian turbines and gearboxes was sent to Russia.
As a result, the “Saturn” company in Rybinsk (it is part of the Rostec state owned corporation) became manujcturer of the M90FR turbines, although it took over a dozen years…. RO55R reduction gearboxes, on the other hand, are produced by “Zwiezda” of St. Petersburg. Thanks to past cooperation, the Russians are able to produce propulsion systems for frigates.
The first unit of the Gorshkov-class with an all-Russian propulsion system was the Admiral Golovko. The vessel was under construction for about 12 years. For the Isakov, launched recently, it will be similar.
Its keel was laid in November 2013, and the frigate is scheduled to be handed over to the Russian fleet in 2027 (according to Russian Navy commander Adm. Aleksandr Moiseyev, who was present at the launching ceremony). It will be the first Gorshkov-class frigate in the Pacific Fleet.
Currently under construction in the Severnaya Shipyard are two more Project 22350 frigates in the basic version (Admiral Amelko, Admiral Chichagov) and two in the modified version (Admiral Yumashev and Admiral Spiridonov).
Among other things, the latter two will receive more powerful armaments – 32 UKSK launcher chambers for anti-ship and cruise missiles instead of 16.