Steregushchy-class (Project 20380) corvetteThe Russian Navy has unveiled a new Steregushchy-class (Project 20380) corvette, Stoyky, at St Petersburg’s Severnaya Verf shipyard.

Designed by Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau, the fourth Steregushchy-class frigate is scheduled to be operational for the Russian Navy in November 2013, following a series of sea trials.

The Steregushchy-class corvette has been designed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft, in addition to providing artillery support for beach landings.

The vessel is equipped with advanced stealth technology, which reduces the ship’s radar, acoustic, infrared, magnetic and visual signatures and supports anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.

Additional features of the frigate include the Sigma combat information management system, which will provide radars and sensors information to support real-time situational awareness, as well as allow an exchange of intelligence information with other naval units.

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"The Steregushchy-class corvette has been designed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft."

The 105m-long and 13m-wide Steregushchy-class multirole vessels have a displacement capacity of 2,000t; they are capable of reaching a speed of 27k and can carry a crew of 100 including helicopter maintenance crew.

The corvettes are integrated with a 100mm gun, Kh-35 (SS-N-25 Switchblade) anti-ship cruise missiles, a Ka-27 Helix ASW helicopter and a variety of air-defence and anti-submarine systems.

The first corvette, Steregushchy had entered service with Russia’s Baltic Fleet in October 2008, while the second vessel, Soobrazitelny, was delivered to the navy in July last year and was operational from the following October.

The third Steregushchy-class corvette, Boyky, is currently undergoing sea trials and is scheduled for commissioning in November 2012, as reported by RIA Novosti.

Russia is planning to procure up to 30 Steregushchy-class corvettes to guard its oil and gas transportation routes in the Black and the Baltic seas, as well as to protect its coastal waters.

Image: Russian Navy’s Steregushchy-class lead ship in the Neva River in St. Petersburg. Photo: courtesy of Tungsten.