Oman Receives First Khareef Class Corvette

The first Khareef class corvette build by BAE Systems in the United Kingdom, the Al Shamikh, has arrived in Oman. A total of three hulls were ordered for £400 million ($637 million) in 2007.

The Al Shamikh was launched in 2009 but experienced several problems and technical issues during construction. For example, there were several personal injuries during a test firing of the gun in 2012.

The various difficulties have significantly delayed delivery from the original date which was planned to be 2010. The two subsequent ships were to be delivered at six months intervals. The Al Shamikh is now expected to be commissioned in 2014.

Besides the Al Shamikh, the Al Rahmani and Al Rasikh have been launched and are currently conducting sea trials. Specifications of the diesel engine powered Khareef class include:

• Length of 99 m
• Beam of 14.6 m
• Draft of 4.1 m
• Displacement is 2660 tonnes
• Speed of 25 knots
• Range of 4500 miles
• Endurance of 21 days

Russia Will Receive 24 Submarines and 54 Warships by 2020

Last year, President Vladimir Putin said the naval procurement of submarines and surface ships would be a priority in the coming decade as part of a major military rearmament program.

Around 5 trillion Russian Rubles or $166 billion has been set aside for the modernization and rearmament of the Russian Navy by 2020.

According to the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Navy will receive 24 submarines and 54 surface warships by 2020. These include:

• 3 Project 955 / Borey class and 5 Project 955A / Improved Borey-A nuclear class ballistic missile submarines
• 8 Project 885 / Yasen class / Graney class nuclear attack submarines
• Project 636M / Improved Kilo class diesel submarines
• Project 677 / Lada class diesel submarines
• Project 22350 / Admiral Gorshkov class frigates 
• Project 20380 / Steregushchy class corvettes
• Project 21630 / Buyan class corvettes
• Project 11711 / Ivan Gren Class large landing ships

Many of the older ships and submarines such as the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, Kirov class cruiser and Sierra class submarines are also scheduled to be brought back.

The Russian Navy is currently just a shadow of it once was during Soviet times. Only a fraction of its surface ships and submarines remain operational, with the majority having been decommissioned since the end of the Cold War and the absence of sufficient financial resources.

The Russian program is just part of a global trend towards increased naval power that can be observed throughout the world:

• the United States continues to spent record amounts despite its budget deficits
• China has embarked on a comprehensive naval expansion and modernization 
• European countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Italy continue to allocate resources for modernization despite fiscal problems
• Japan is steadily improving its Navy
• India has ambitious plans for an increased Navy
• Even countries such as Brazil that didn't place much importance in the past now want to acquire more naval power

It can be argued that most of these countries are probably not in a position to spend so heavily on their military considering the state of their economy. Yet, nations continue to allocate huge resources, which is an indication of how much they recognize the importance of naval power.


http://en.rian.ru/military_news/20130311/179945052/Russian-Navy-to-Receive-24-Subs-54-Warships-by-2020.html

By DoD [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

First Type 056 Class Corvette / Light Frigate Commissioned

The lead ship of the Type 056 class with pennant number 582 of the Chinese Navy has been commissioned into service after completing trials. The official ceremony was shown on state television, which revealed a closer look inside the ship.

The ship is one of 10 hulls that have so far been launched or commissioned within a year at 4 different shipyards. The Type 056 has:

• a length of 95.5 m
• a beam of 11.6 m
• a draft of 4.4 m
• a speed of 28 knots 
• a crew of 60
• a displacement of about 1300 tons

The ship has a landing pad for helicopters but no hangar. The Type 056 have also been modified at the bow, stern and funnel prior to commissioning.

The Chinese Navy classifies the Type 056 as a frigate. By western standards, the Type 056 would be a corvette, a designation the Chinese Navy currently does not use.

Similar variations in ship classifications can be found in other Navies, where different definitions can be used. For instance, some of the latest Russian corvettes would be classified as frigates by western standards.

The Type 056 is also being marketed for export with the Bangladeshi Navy having ordered 2 hulls from China, build to its own specifications. In Chinese service, the current Type 056 is fitted with:

• one 76 mm H/PJ26 dual-purpose main gun
• an 8-cell HHQ-10 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS)
• two 30 mm guns alongside port and starboard
• 2x2 YJ-83 anti-ship missiles
• 2x3 324 mm torpedoes

The ship has been designed to have a low radar cross section.

The Type 056 will succeed the Type 037 and Type 053, while only requiring a fraction of the crew needed by its predecessors. The ships will primarily serve in escort, anti-submarine and anti-ship missions.

Credit original poster, via Chinese Internet

Third Project 20380 Steregushchy Class Corvette to Begin Russian State Trials

The Boyky, the third Project 20380 Steregushchy class corvette, is to begin state trials in March. The ship was build at the Severnaya Verf shipyard and designed by the Almaz naval design bureau to have a reduced radar and infrared signature.

The Boyky with pennant number 532 will join its two predecessors, the Steregushchy and Soobrazitelnyy, in the Baltic Fleet. All diesel powered ships have:

• a length of 104.5 m
• a beam of 11.6 m
• a displacement of 2100 tons
• a maximum speed of 27 kn 
• a hangar for Ka-27 helicopter
• one 100 mm Arsenal A-190 gun
• eight 3M24 / Kh-35 Uran (SS-N-25) anti-ship missiles 
• two AK-630M 6-barrel 30 mm gun

The first ship was equipped with a Kashtan/Kortik Close-In Weapon System, which was replaced by a 12 cell Redut Vertical Launch System (VLS) with 40 km range 9M96 surface-to-air missiles in subsequent vessels.

Two modified vessels of the class have been exported to Algeria with the designation Project 20382 Tigr. The Project 20380 served as a basis for an even more advanced and larger Project 20385 Gremyashchy class corvette.

The Project 20385 ships, of which the first has already been laid down, will come with an 8 cell UKSK VLS, which can fire the 3M54 Klub/Kalibr (SS-N-27) or 3M55 Oniks (SS-N-26) missiles and a 16 cell Redut VLS.


http://en.rian.ru/military_news/20130204/179225148/Russias-New-Stealth-Corvette-to-Start-Trials-in-March.html

By Tungsten [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Radziun [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Russia Starts Work on Fifth Project 21631 Buyan Class Corvette

The Serpukhov, the fifth of the Project 21631 Buyan class missile corvette has been laid down at the Zelenodolsk shipyard. It was preceded by:

• the Grad Sviyazhsk in August 2010,
• the Uglich in July 2011,
• the Veliky Ustyug in August 2011,
• the Zelyony Dol in August 2012.

The Project 21631 is a modified version of the original Project 21630 class, of which 3 were commissioned into the Russian Navy. They are:

• the Astrakhan in September 2006,
• the Volgodonsk in December 2011,
• the Mahachkala in December 2012.

Unlike its predecessor, the Project 21631 is armed with 8 Kalibr (SS-N-27) missiles in 14UKSK Vertical Launch Cells and which replaces the A-215 Grad-M.
The 100 mm A-190 gun has been retained as is the Pozitiv-ME air/surface radar.

There are also an additional 4 3M-47 Gibka (Igla-1M) short-range anti-aircraft missiles and the original 2 AK-630 Close-In-Weapon System (CIWS) have been replaced by the improved AK-630-M2.

Specifications
Class	Project 21630	Project 21631
Displacement	550 tons	949 tons
Length	62 m	74.1 m
Beam	9.6 m	11 m
Height	6.57 m
Draft	2 m	2.6 m
Spped	29 knots	25 knots
Range	1500 miles
Endurance	10 days
Complement	29 to 26

http://en.rian.ru/business/20130125/179024032/Russian-Shipyard-Starts-Work-on-Fifth-Buyan-Corvette.html

By Vissarion [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

China's First Type 056 Class Corvette Sets Out to Sea

The first of China's Type 056 class corvette has set out to sea for trials. So far, at least 8 hulls have been observed under construction at 4 different shipyards. They are Liaonan, Wuhan, Hudong and Huangpu.

The Type 056 class has a length of 90 m, beam of 10 m, draft of 4.4m, full displacement of about 1300t and a maximum speed of 28 kt. The first is expected to be commissioned early next year.

Armament includes a 76 mm H/PJ26 dual purpose main gun, two 30 mm cannons, an 8 cell missile-based HHQ-10 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), 2 x 3 324 mm torpedo and 2 x 2 anti-ship missiles such as the C-802A.

The Type 056 class is being marketed for export. Bangladesh has expressed interest in ordering 2 hulls. They are to be modified to Bangladeshi specifications.

Credit original poster, via Chinese Internet