Russia’s newest corvette holds firing drills in the Sea of Japan

Floating dock Zeya carrying Project 20380 latest corvette Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov(Source: TASS)

The latest corvette of Project 20380 Aldar Tsydenzhapov built for Russia’s Pacific Fleet carried out first gun firings in the Sea of Japan as part of shipbuilders’ sea trials, the Fleet’s press office reported on 26th October.

“Structural tests of the shipborne armament were held in the Sea of Japan with a set of artillery firings. The 100mm A-190 universal shipborne artillery gun and the AK-630 six-barrel automatic artillery systems were tested in various modes and jamming was conducted,” the press office said in a statement.

The Pacific Fleet’s auxiliary vessels and also aircraft and helicopters of its naval aviation are providing support for the corvette’s trials at sea, the statement says.

The Project 20380 third corvette Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg) is designed to accomplish green-water missions, fight enemy surface ships and submarines and provide artillery support for amphibious assault operations.

The corvette incorporates the latest solutions for reducing its physical fields. In particular, the shipbuilders significantly reduced its radar signature during the construction, using radio absorption materials and specially designing the ship’s hull and superstructure.

Project 20380 ships are armed with universal artillery guns, surface-to-air missile/artillery systems, supersonic missiles and automatic artillery launchers. The Project 20380 corvettes can carry a Ka-27 helicopter. They displace 2,200 tonnes and have a crew of 99.