Krivak IV Project 1135.6 - Propulsion Problem

The vessels are being constructed at the Kaliningrad-based Yantar Shipyard and use a Ukrainian Zorya-Mashproyekt gas-turbine propulsion plant. While Russia had received the propulsion systems for the first three vessels, Ukraine's termination of defence exports to Russia eft the final three without their turbines. Saturn was to build alternative M90FP turbines for the class under Russia's import substitution program, but these cannot be completed before 2019-2020.

Nikolai Novichkov, writing for IHS Jane's Navy International on 14 October 2015, reported that Russia was hoping to find an export customer for the final three Admiral Grigorovich-class (Project 11356M) frigates. "The Defence Ministry is reallocating the money, initially set aside for the other three frigates, to the construction of other ships it badly needs. Meetings of Defence Ministry and Federal Military Technical Co-operation Service officials suggested that a solution could be to export the ships," a source said.

A TASS source close to military-technical cooperation said previously that the Russian Defense Ministry had decided to reallocate the money earmarked for the second troika of Project 11356 frigates to pay for other ships it badly needs. The discussions between the military and the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation led to the opinion that the frigates can be offered for export.

All of the components of the first three Project 11356 frigates, including the Ukrainian-made propulsion plants, had been received. At the same time, the other three frigates lack propulsion plants, the production of which was to be launched by defense contractor Saturn in the city of Rybinsk under the import substitution program. Saturn can manufacture the power plants in 2019-2020 at the earliest, but the schedule does not suit the Russian Navy.

Small missile ships of the project 22800 Karakurt (Turkic languages: kara (black) and kurt (wolf)) with cruise missiles will replace the frigates of project 11356. The construction of frigates of project 11356 will be stopped for a while after the 3rd vessel due to non-delivery by Ukraine of gas turbine engines for them.

The signing of the transfer-acceptance act on board the "Admiral Grigorovich," scheduled for 10-11 March 2016 on the frigate, was a ceremony flag-raising.

In March 2016, President of the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation Igor Ponomaryov said that Russia was in negotiations on the sale to India of three frigates that had been designed for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Russia’s Rosoboronexport arms exporter said later that negotiations started on organizing the manufacturing of ships of this class in India.

In case of the technology transfer, the ships may be co-produced either in both countries or in India alone. India had acquired from Russia six Talwar-class frigates - three built by Baltiisky Zavod in St. Petersburg and three more by Yantar in Kaliningrad from 2003 to 2013.

United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will resume the construction of three frigates of Project 11356 Type "Petrel" - "Admiral Butakov", "Admiral Istomin" and "Admiral Kornilov" - in 2018, the head of USC Alexey Rakhmanov told thenewspaper "Izvestia" 02 June 2017. As the newspaper notes, the construction of the ships was suspended in 2015 due to the failure of Ukraine to supply gas turbines. The decision to resume the work made as a result of preliminary tests Russian gas turbines and M70FRU M90FR of the developer acted NPO "Saturn" (part of United Engine Corporation).

"The decision was made - it will require R & D, but because the design was carried out in many ways taking into account the reserve, which was made by Russian gas turbine builders, any kind the architectural changes of ships would be required", Rakhmanov said. Now the Russian Black Sea fleet consists of three ships of this class frigates "Admiral Grigorovich," "Admiral Essen" and "Admiral Makarov".

As told to "Izvestia" by the main headquarters of the Navy, as the primary design considerations, when two gas-turbine engine are installed M70FRU "tandem". According to preliminary calculations, it should maximize the ship's capacity at 14 thousand. Horsepower. Thus the ship can reach speeds of 30 knots, which was more than 60 kilometers per hour. At the same cruising range will be 4,850 nautical miles - nine thousand kilometers.