Project 11664 Corvette [diesel]
The project 11664 corvette with a displacement of 2 thousand tons is based on the frigate of the 11661 Cheetah project. Apparently, an installation without gas turbines will be proposed for the corvette of project 11664. Under the Soviet Union, marine gas turbine design and production were centered in Ukraine, and after the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine and the forcible annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian gas turbine engines were no longer availablel to Russian shipbuilders
The concept of the new corvette of project 11664 was presented by Ak Bars IC during the exhibition of advanced weapons in Sevastopol on 09 January 2020. Organized for the leadership of the country and the defense industry, the exhibition was closed to the general public. Project 11664 was developed by Zelenodolsk Design Bureau. Previously, the bureau was part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), but in 2019 came under the control of Ak Bars Corporation. Apparently, very on time for the latter.
The presented novelties can be judged by the generalphotos and frames from television spots. However, in the corvette part of project 11664, some detailswere told the publication "Real time" the head of SK "Ak Bars" Renat Mistakhov. According to him, the project has been prepared for the upcoming participation in the tender for the supply of a consignment of corvettes for the Navy, which are becoming more and more in demand. Ak Bars IC developed a ship with an eye on participating in the Navy’s tender for the supply of corvettes, confirmed to our publication the general director of the ZPKB Evgeny Zhirkov. And Mistakhov added: "We proposed such a concept in order to interest the state customer regarding the possibility of supplying such corvettes. Today they are very in demand in the Russian fleet”.
However, according to some reports, in terms of size, he turned out to be twice as large as the frigate in the Soviet version and more like a destroyer than a brisk watchman. Thus, the prototype of the future corvette incorporates the qualities of a maneuverable patrol ship and a large frigate (it was even called the "small frigate", approx. Ed. ). What name was invented for the Zelenodolsk corvette, the interlocutors of Realnoe Vremya did not specify. Although it is customary to give names when laying a ship, and not for a paper model, therefore it may not have been invented yet.
The idea is this: on the basis of the small rocket ship "Cheetah" we propose to form a base of corvettes. The uniqueness lies in the fact that on the basis of project 11661 the RTOs Tatarstan and Dagestan were built. The Uran missile systems were tested on the first ship, and the modern missile complex, which participated in the battles in Syria, was tested on Dagestan, Mistakhov said.
However, the corvette market already has its own players, who are hardly ready to take positions without a fight. Currently, construction is underway at two # plants (Severnaya Verf and Amursky SZ)six corvettes of three different projects developed by TsMKB Almaz (both shipyards and design bureaus are part of the USC). According to project 20380, four # ships are being built, according to project 20385, one (the lead ship, “Thundering”, is completing the tests), and according to project 20386, one.
Apparently, the main competitor to the new Ak Bars corvette is project 20380. Its total displacement is 2200 tons, length - 104.5 m, width - 13 m, draft - 7.95 m, cruising range - 4000 miles. Power plant - diesel. The main disadvantage of the project 20380 ship is the inability to use modern cruise missiles. This shortcoming was eliminated in project 20385, however, these ships are distinguished by a higher cost. However, it is not yet clear whether such a missile weapon is provided for in project 11664.
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