Project 58250 Corvette / Hayduk-21/Gaiduk-21
Volodymyr Velyky ["Vladimir the Great"]
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry halted financing the program envisaging the construction of four Korvet-type warships by 2021, due to budget savings and large-scale austerity measures introduced in the country, Ukraine’s acting Defense Minister Ivan Rusnak said 23 July 2014. “A decision has been made to temporarily halt this program [on Korvet construction]. It hasn’t been scrapped, and the issue will be revised in the future,” Rusnak said at the parliamentary hearing devoted to Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The meaning of Gayduk is unknown. In building the Hayduk, Ukraine would face one problem - the lack of appropriate nationally-designed weapons. The lack of precise political decision regarding the type of weapons systems that should be chosen while building new ships and modernizing the existing ones was a matter of import. Pavlo LAKIYCHUK and Yevghen LOSEV note that "It is possible to paraphrase this problem by asking “where should we look, to the West or to the East?” On the one hand, the political leadership of the state has declared Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic perspective. On the other, Ukraine’s military-industrial complex is still closely connected with the Russian one i.e. the failure of Hayduk-21 corvette type, which was projected under the Russian weaponry."
Mykolayiv State Enterprise “Research and Design center of shipbuilding” completed the draft design of a corvette-type ship in 2006 and started its technical design to meet such specifications: tonnage–2,500tons,cruisingrange – 4,000 miles, self-sufficiency–30days. For 2009 it was planned to complete the technical design of the corvette and commence the building of the first ship. The vessel was to be equipped with modern weapons, navigational means, and a foreign-produced firing control system.Such countries as Russia, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, UK, Italy and Sweden were regarded as prospective suppliers of the indicated systems.
After several years of obscurity with the Ukrainian Corvette program, it was finally decided that the first four Project 58250 Corvettes will be delivered by 2018, and it means that a number of Ukrainian military factories, institutes, and CB will work and will live. The design of the ship looks more like a Corvette than a frigate. However, the designers were able to "shove" in more arms, allowing it to fully perform the functions of a frigate. The appearance of the project verifies that its implementation will be used stealth technology. Main armament would be hidden inside the ship.
For 3 years the Project was developed by Nikolaev enterprise "research and design center of shipbuilding". Plans were to build up to 2026, 10 such ships, and up to 2018 - the first 4. The "Black Sea shipbuilding plant" at Mykolaiv was building the Corvettes, which belongs to the "SMART" group of companies (which was Russian capital).
The cost of the "main" ship of the series so far was estimated at 250 million. euro. How much will this series ship, where dignitaries serial after building first. There are predictions for their cost of 200-210 million euro. The biggest confusion was the price. The cost of the first ship was estimated at $312 million For comparison, the Turkish corvette project MILGEM, which have the same set of weapons, but to a lesser displacement, are $260 million.
At the beginning of the project was planned 50/50, which was half the cabinet, refrigerator propulsion and navigation equipment will be part of the Ukrainian production and all that was not enough - buy. But it turned out that the Ukrainian scientific school can provide domestic electronic and radar equipment. It was no better or worse - it was his own. As a result, the share of imported components reduced to the proportions of 60/40, and close to 70/30. The ratio between the cost of Ukrainian and imported products was 60 to 40 percent in favor of the domestic industry. Namely, the Corvette set a number of absolutely new Ukrainian developments: a new radar complex lines, diesel-gasturbìne installation, chillers.
The import component fell into service. Ukraine itself had made the ship's weapons. Similar design their systems for small parties economically unprofitable. The process of creating the project fell on hard in the relations between Russia and Ukraine period and arrange for the supply of Russian counterparts failed so Ukraine had to order the Germans, Italians and French.
In 2008 it was reported that Ukraine was going to build 10 multi-purpose frigates for its Naval Forces which total cost would make 1.045 milliard US dollars. That was said to the «Leos-Inform» newspaper by a military source. It was planned to build these warships with rate 1 ship in 3 years. The approximate cost of the leading ship in the first series was 140-145 million US dollars while the cost of the serial ones was 100 million US dollars for a unit. Specifications of the future warship: displacement from 2500 up to 3000 tons, length – 108 metres, width – 12.8 metres, range of navigation – 4 thousand miles with speed of 15 knots, crew – 75 persons (including 15 officers). It was planned, that the ship would be under construction in the National Enterprise of «The 61 Communards Ship-Building Yard» (city of Mykolayiv) or in the open joint-stock company of «Lenins’ka Kuznia» (city of Kiev). Companies of 7 countries, including about 90 Ukrainian enterprises were planned to be involved as participants of the project.
In December 2009, Ukraine's Defense Ministry and Black Sea Shipyard (Mykolaiv) after a tender conducted by the ministry signed a contract on the fulfillment of a state order to build corvettes for the Ukrainian Navy. Mykolaiv-based Research and Design Center designed the project. The Concept of Targeted Military Program of Building Corvette Class Ships (adopted in March 2011) foresaw building a series of corvettes, which would be commissioned to the Naval Forces of Ukraine by 2021.
Ukraine was serious about reviving and further development of its ship-building industry in Mykolaiv region. This was the theme of the visit of the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to Chernomorsky Shipyard in Mykolaiv, where he participated on May 18, 2011 in laying the keel of the corvette class ship for the Naval Force of Ukraine. During the visit the President commended the ship-building employees for their patience and faith. "I am confident that together we will create with you all the motivation for the development of shipbuilding", said the Ukrainian leader. This will be the third ship of corvette class that Ukraine will build since its independence. It had been reported earlier that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine planned to allocate about UAH 16.22 billion (about $ 2 billion) to finance the construction of four corvette-class ships until 2021. The first ship of the corvette class was planned to leave the shipyard in 2016.
The State Target Defence Programme on construction of project 58250 "corvette" class ships was approved by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 09 November 2011 # 1150. In November 2011, the Ukrainian government approved a budget of UAH 16.2 billion for the corvette state program until 2021. The UAH 16.2 billion-budget program provides for the construction of four vessels. Putting the first ship into operation was scheduled for 2016. After examining the results of a series of ships operating, the Defence Ministry will take a decision on the future construction. In prospect, the series was to consist of ten corvettes. The vessels will be equipped with special facilities bought in France and Italy. Purchase of armament and upgrading of ship stationing sites will cost UAH 4.1 billion. It was planned to buy equipment from 18 manufacturers, including the United States. The share of Ukrainian producers and suppliers in the construction was to be no less than 72%.
The laying ceremony took place on the ship May 17, 2011. President Viktor Yanukovych took part in a ceremony of laying down of a corvette class ship under the project 58250. The corvette was to be commissioned in 2016. Addressing the employees of the shipyard, President Yanukovych said that the development and state support of shipbuilding industry in Ukraine was important. Clearly, he said, "the enterprise and the industry as a whole has been experiencing difficult times lately”. The President announced that four Corvette-class ships would be built through 2021, with the lead ship commissioned in 2014-2015. He also stated that the share of ships’ equipment coming from Ukraine should be no less than 60% and underlined that new tax code provides shipyards with exemptions from income tax and VAT preferences. Ukraine’s government has allocated 16 bln UAH ($2 bln) for the Corvette program.
In 2012 the building of Volodymyr Velyky corvette for the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces started at Chornomorsky Ship Building Yard in Mykolaiv. As of 12.02.2013 the Black Sea shipyard had built 55% of the korvetu project, and the end of 2013 over 75%. According to the head of Defense weapons development and procurement, by 2016 the company will put the ship on water and begin its evaluation. Questions of nomenclature of armament for the national corvette was once again open. Despite the fact that no decision on refusal from Western weapon systems not approved, experts were seriously considering swapping their domestic developments. The main factor in the likely changes are primarily high price, as well as the refusal of NATO membership. However, the lack of an approved nomenclature arms did not brake the process of construction, because the constructed dissection method of separate units and in the design of the ship incorporated opportunities for redevelopment placing different weapons systems.
Ukraine's state-controlled arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, showcased for the first time declassified model of the Project - 58250 (Corvette) at the X International Trade Fair Arms and Security 2013 to be held September 25-28 at the International Exhibition Center in Kyiv.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine plan to put in operation the first ship of corvette class by 2017, Defence Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Lebedev has reported in October 2013. "The building of the ships of corvette class foreseen by the state target defense program for construction of the ships of corvette class under the project 58250, was approved under a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers in November 2011," Lebedev said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. According to Lebedev, this program foresaw financing for the construction of four corvette ships from 2011 to 2021. "Now the main ship is being built. The complex state program on reforming and developing the Armed Forces of Ukraine envisages its being put into operation by 2017," the minister said.
On 19 April 2017 it was reported that 1,361.70 mln UAH are scheduled for the next year while the total cost sheet till 2028 indicates 31,926.52 mln UAH. This budget supposes construction of four Project 58250 corvettes. The first vessel was supposed to be commissioned in 2022 consuming 857.65 mln UAH of the program budget for 2018. Second Project 58250 corvette was planned for 2024, third and fourth in 2026 and 2028 respectively. Corvette design includes foreign made weapons systems and equipment.
The total cost of the first ship was estimated as 3,618.62 mln UAH or 134.71 mln USD. The construction was launched in 2014. As of 2017 the ship readiness was 17%, of which 80% was hull construction works. A total of 20,664.9 mln UAH was scheduled for construction of the three following sisterships, or 192,33 mln USD per ship. The program includes acquisition of ordnance, which requires 3,578.79 mln UAH.
In the future, the naval forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be replenished with warships of the "Corver" type. This was stated in the decree No. 879 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 22 November 2017. Already in 2018, they will begin to build the first corvette, which was planned to be transferred to the Navy in 2022. More than UAH 1.4 billion will be spent on its construction. The second ship of the series will be laid down in 2018 and will be handed over to the fleet in 2024. The third and fourth corvettes will be ready in 2026 and 2028.
Commander of Navy of ZSU vice-admiral Igor Voronchenko said 24 May 2018 that funding for the Corvette warship program, which was resumed last year, had not yet begun. UAH 1 billion 361 million planned in the state budget. on the first corvette was not found. "We have the sea, we must protect our interests both in the exclusive maritime economic zone and in the world's oceans. And without the appropriate classes of ships such as the corvette, we can do nothing."
Voronchenko said 24 May 2018 that the Navy Development Strategy until 2035 was currently being worked out, taking into account the 15-year construction period of corvettes. Task #1 in the short term - to build fast ships that can strike appropriate blows near territorial waters. Also, the Commander of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the design of the Lan rocket boat, the construction of which Igor Voronchenko sees in the medium term, was almost in the final stage.
In spring of 2018, however, the commander of Ukrainian Navy said that there was no funding to continue construction of the ship. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine during the exhibition "Weapons and Security - 2019" discussed with the Turkish side the issue of their participation in the program of building a corvette. In addition to Turkey, the United States was interested in the project, which in turn was ready to provide proposals for equipping the ship with appropriate weapons systems, survivability, engines and more. The Turkish side also expressed readiness to build a main ship for Ukraine, and in the future - corvettes for its own armed forces on this project.
On June 23, 2020 at the presentation of the headquarters of the "Servants of the People" in Nikolaev , the head of the parliamentary faction "Servant of the People" David Arahamiya stated that he believes that the resumption of construction of corvettes of project 58250 in Ukraine will begin no earlier than 2022.
"In the state defense order, a lot of money has already been allocated for ship repairs. In our country, the threat from the sea is the main one in the risk system. The construction cycle of the corvette is quite long. It takes 3-4 years, and this is only the first corvette to come off the berths. Now it has been decided to use all the money and resources to purchase ready-made ships and repair the existing fleet. I believe that this is the best option, as in the next two years you need to maximize the fleet. For the fate of the corvette I can say that the next two years, I think that in addition to the design rgwew will not be things of large construction."
Deputy Prime Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky said 26 October 2020 that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine was interested in Turkish corvettes, detailed negotiations have not yet taken place, but the first corvette can be built in Turkey, and the rest at a Ukrainian enterprise.
A corvette of the "Vladimir the Great" type will be equipped with a modern hydroacoustic system and the latest communications complex. The ship's arsenal will include anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, torpedoes and three artillery mounts.
According to Defense Express, by amy 2020 the new leadership of the Ministry of Defense, including the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Armaments, was studying in detail the situation surrounding the 58250 project. The previous such "corvette" maneuver was a year earlier, when the then leadership of the Ministry of Defense took the current President of Ukraine to Mykolayiv.
As of mid-2020 the military leadership claimed that the hull was 80% ready, and the corvette as a whole - 32%. Up to a billion hryvnias are needed to resume the construction program to start work. A total of 5.8 billion hryvnias was needed to fully equip navigation, equipment and weapons. Thus the Ministry of Defense offers to finish works on welding of the case on ChSZ, and after to transport a design on DP "The Nikolaev shipbuilding plant". And already there to complete all work on bringing the ship to a state of war.
All 7 blocks of the hull of the main ship have been formed, the formation of the 8th block (superstructure) has begun, and work was underway to prepare the formed blocks for the installation of equipment; for saturation of the formed blocks of a platform the completing equipment, namely: domestic production (26 names) was partially bought; foreign production; There are 7 contracts for the supply of basic foreign equipment and armaments (medium-caliber artillery, small-caliber artillery, main diesel engines, diesel generators, guided propellers and shafts, spiers), for which UAH 101.26 million has already been paid. The estimated cost of building the ship (in 2014 prices) was UAH 5.326 billion.
On 01 August 2024, the Ukrainian corvette “Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky” was launched in Istanbul, which, like “Hetman Ivan Mazepa”, was built in Turkey due to Russian aggression. The construction of the ships was being carried out within the framework of an agreement that Kyiv and Ankara concluded back in 2020.
The Ukrainian corvette Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky, launched in Turkey, will be accepted into service approximately in 2026, but it will not be able to participate in repelling Russian aggression for other reasons. This was stated on air 06 Augus 2024 by the head of military security programs at the Center for Globalistics “Strategy XXI” Pavlo Lakiychuk on the FREEDOM TV channel. He noted that warships in the navy are divided into specialized and universal. Specialized ships include, for example, a minesweeper (mine countermeasure ship), a tugboat – an auxiliary vessel designed for driving (towage) non-self-propelled vessels, floating structures, and so on. Universal ships include a cruiser, frigate, destroyer, corvette.
“A corvette is the smallest universal ship that has all types of weapons necessary for fighting at sea. But for some, these are the smallest, for us [today] they are the largest,” Lakiychuk said. The corvette “Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky” will be finally accepted approximately in 2026. “Launched – this means that the construction of the hull and assembly of equipment have been completed. Next,
the ship is being completed – this is necessary to complete up to 40% of the work, after which sea trials, factory trials, and ultimately the acceptance of the ship begin,” the expert explained. “Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky” was the second Ukrainian ship built in Turkey. The first, “Hetman Ivan Mazepa”, was launched in November 2022. “And “Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky” will follow at about the same pace. Perhaps a little faster, since this is already the second ship in this series, and the completion and testing will be carried out a little faster. But we will still have to wait plus or minus two years until the ship is completed entering the combat composition of the fleet,” Lakiychuk added.
But the corvettes “Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky” and “Hetman Ivan Mazepa” are ships for the future, they are unlikely to take part in repelling a Russian invasion, because they are outside the Black Sea. “And Turkey has decided not to allow warships of the warring parties into the Black Sea. By the way, this decision is more beneficial to us, because the Russians have assembled a squadron of three fleets there to break through to the Black Sea. But our ships will also wait until the signing of the peace treaty, from Turkey’s point of view. The same fate awaits our three minesweepers, which are in Great Britain. They are all waiting in the wings,” the speaker said.
The agreement on the construction of the corvettes was concluded with Turkey, because this was the most profitable option. “The fact is that the Turkish ships — frigates and corvettes — are based on the German MEKO 200 project. It was a very successful project, with which the Germans armed their fleet. And then they gave the Turks a license to manufacture these ships. The Turks are constantly improving the developments they received from their NATO partners and diversifying them depending on the customer’s needs. It is profitable for the Turks to receive orders from Ukraine, since the Turks do not do anything for free. And it is profitable for us, because Turkey is nearby, and [according to the 2020 agreement] it was planned to manufacture a series of ships – only the first stage (construction of the hull) was to take place at a Turkish shipyard, and the rest of the construction – here, in Nikolaev. But due to the large-scale war, the plans had to be revised,” the expert explained.
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