The Russian Navy’s latest Admiral Gorshkov-class multi-role frigate has begun its second phase of sea trials.
The testing follows a demonstration of the ship’s maneuverability, navigation capabilities, and propulsion at Severnaya Verf shipyard, Saint Petersburg in early December.
The second phase will validate the frigate’s control systems, artillery, anti-aircraft missile systems, communication, and electronic warfare equipment, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.
All tests will be monitored by the service command control center. Results will be delivered to Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Evmenov.
The Admiral Golovko program is part of the Russian Navy’s Project 22350 to develop blue-water warships that can engage threats such as surface vessels and submarines.
The project was launched in the 1990s to replace aging Soviet-era ships, including the Neustrashimyy and Krivak-class frigates.
Russian ‘Backbone’ Vessels
In 2014, Project 22350 was disrupted by “military-technical cooperation” leading to issues with gas-turbine engine development and Golovko construction.
The program was later continued with the keel-laying ceremony of the fifth Gorshkov, the Admiral Ameiko, in 2019.
“Project 22350 frigates are set to become the backbone of the Russian Navy’s surface groupings soon. Work on six warships of this series is currently underway,” Russian Severnoye Design Bureau CEO Andrei Dyachkov told state-owned TASS news agency in 2021.
In May that year, Russia announced that 12 Golovko frigates would be produced, with the first to be commissioned in 2027.
Project 2235’s first and second frigates, Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Kasatonov, currently serve as missile ship assets at the Russian Navy’s northern fleet formation.