Neustrashimyy (class) / (Project 11540 Yastreb)

History

An extension of the patrol-oriented Krivak-class frigates of the modern Russian Navy, the Neustrashimyy-class ships (Project 11540 Yastreb) were designed in the late Cold War (1947-1991) and were originally intended to be fully seventh. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequent Soviet Navy put an end to these plans. In the end, only the lead ship Neustrashimyy (712) and her sister Yaroslav Mudry (777) were completed, launched and commissioned. Neustrashimyy was laid in 1986 and launched in May 1988, commissioned on 24 January 1993.

Construction on Yaroslav Mudry began in May 1991, but it didn't start until 2009. Both are currently in service with the Baltic Fleet and are still operational at the time of writing (2018).

A third vessel, Tuman, was laid in 1990, but was later scrapped at 30% complete because the cost went against her Cold War design philosophy.

All ships were built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad and were on paper the successors of the Burevestnik class, but were themselves replaced by a growing number of more modern Admiral Gorshkov class ships replace.

Tour

The Neustrashimyy class ships are finished in a traditional Soviet late Cold War paint scheme and are essentially a product of the period, with many protrusions, long-running exposed armrest sections, and multiple hull superstructures. The deck towers are positioned very forward in the design, and the forward stepped hull structure connects directly to the stern.

This section contains the bridge, rocket launchers and vital communications and sensor equipment - the latter located on the main mast. There is a clear break in the design line between the front and rear fuselage structures, the latter housing the helicopter hangar and carrying the second mast and its radar unit on top.

The tail is properly squashed to aid in helicopter launch and recovery. The helipad is attached to the hangar enclosure.

After completion, the ship has a standard load of 3,800 tons and a rated load of 4,400 tons. Dimensions include a length of 423.2 feet, a beam of 51.2 feet and a draft of 18.3 feet.

Internal

The warship has a crew of approximately 210 and manages its various systems, parts, air force, onboard security, etc. The class relies on the Zvezda-1 ("Oxtail") sonar for submarine hunting and carries multiple radar types for surface and air search operations.

Above the stern is the full-service hangar and helicopter division for the operation of Kamov Ka-27 naval helicopters - these helicopters are often equipped with anti-submarine/anti-ship roles and provide critical capabilities on the horizon.

Driving

Propulsion schemes used in this class include a combined gas and gas (COGAG) arrangement to maximize fuel efficiency by using two sets of gas turbines. This includes 2 x M70/D090 GTs for cruising and 2 x M90 GTs for sprinting maneuvers.

Alternatively, all four units can come into play, giving the boat a maximum forward speed of 30 knots. This arrangement drives two axles under the stern, producing about 110,000 horsepower.

Armed

These two ships are designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates, but are typically used for different types of naval operations. As such, they are equipped with a relatively wide range of weapons, from projectile guns to missiles, torpedoes and rockets. Weapons are carried over the forecastle by a 100mm turret mounted deck gun, supported by two "Kashtan" digitally controlled close-in weapons systems (CIWS). The 4 x 8-unit Vertical Launch System (VLS) fires the "Gauntlet" Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) and 12 RBU-6000 ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) launchers (forward of the bridge section, aft deck turrets) against near-surface underwater threats.

In addition, the ship is equipped with 6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes for use against surface and underwater threats. Yaroslav Mudry also carries two 4-cell Switchblade Anti-Ship Missiles (ASM) for additional long-range firepower against enemy surface combatants.

Services

The service life of these ships was severely shortened after the fall of the Soviet Empire in 1989-1991. The events of this period resulted in a severe reduction of fortifications, and the class was limited to the two aforementioned ships (almost a third). Eventually, they were up and running, but have become mostly outdated designs with some modern features and functionality.

At their core, they were built to Cold War design standards, which compares favorably to the newer, more modern, and stealthy products that have even emerged within the Russian Navy. However, some value in the pair will keep it afloat for at least the next decade, so the entire investment isn't wasted.

The pair have been involved in some relatively new maritime events: in September 2008, Neustrashimyy was successfully deployed to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia. In June 2016, Yaroslav Mudry made headlines within 315 yards of the US Navy destroyer USS Gravely, sparking protests on both sides.

In April 2018, the same warship crossed the English Channel, causing a stir in the UK and continental Europe.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing