Recently, the fourth warship of Russia's Project 22350 destroyer, the Admiral Golovko, successfully made its first cruise, which is also the first glorious work of this type of warship to independently develop a power system. Such a move not only means that Russia has successfully made a breakthrough in key areas and successfully got rid of its technological dependence on Ukrainian gas turbines, but also a crucial step on the road to becoming an independent power.
Since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in early 2014, there have been some problems for the Type 22350 frigates that import Ukrainian gas turbines, and the engines of this type, which are now equipped with two warships, still need time to be commissioned. After long-term research and development, the Admiral Golovko was successfully launched in 2020, but it will not be officially included in our army until the end of 2023.
Regrettably, our self-developed engine system has created some obstacles to the development of the Project 22350 frigate. Although the first trial vessel, the Admiral Gorshkov, was commissioned back in 2006, its actual operation was not realized until 2018. This is mainly due to the many problems caused by the application of new technologies, especially the reliability of phased array radars and anti-aircraft missiles still needs to be improved. In addition, the slump in the Russian shipbuilding industry in recent years has led to a significant increase in the cost of construction of the Admiral Gorshkov.
It is a pity that the Project 22350 frigate is slightly smaller in size. It is less than 100 meters long and 16 meters wide and 4.5 meters deep, respectively. Although it is not comparable to South Korea's Chungmu Gong Yi Sunsin-class destroyers (with a full load displacement of up to 5,500 tons), it is said that its rated displacement may only be about 4,500 tons, which is still quite interesting.
A senior expert shared with us their insights on the Project 22350 frigate of the Russian Navy. It is said that the construction of this type of warship has exceeded estimates, and only three (originally planned to deliver 14 ships in 10 years) have been completed so far. Quite a few Project 22350 frigates are now entering middle age, accompanied by aging phenomena and possible obsolescence. Therefore, considering the market demand and ship performance, the Project 22350 frigate still needs more room for improvement and growth.
Russia is actively promoting the in-depth improvement project of the Type 1155 destroyer, with a view to horizontally expanding its cruise missile combat capability. At the same time, it is said that if the Project 22350 frigate can still maintain good production efficiency, it may surpass the old destroyers in performance.
Some experts believe that the full load displacement of the 22350 new frigate is about 4500 tons, which is comparable to the Chinese Type 054A. However, it should be noted that the 22350 may have some challenges in performing ocean-going missions compared to the older Soviet warships that will be replaced by it, such as the Project 956 destroyer and the Project 1164 cruiser (displacement of 7,900 tons and 11,000 tons, respectively). Based on the current situation of the Russian Navy and the consideration of strategic adjustment, it is expected that the Russian Navy will gradually shift to a direction dominated by coastal defense.
The appearance of the frigate Admiral Lorevko is a significant proof of the growth of the Russian Navy. Despite the slight delay in its construction and doubts about its displacement, it does not stop us from eagerly following the future development and enormous potential of the Russian Navy.
The commissioning of the Admiral Golovko Project 22350 frigate marks a new page in Russia's self-development of marine engines, demonstrating our self-confidence and capabilities. However, in practice, it is still quite challenging to control the key factors such as cost and load caps. This may have an impact on the modernization of the Navy, but we continue to believe that the future is worth looking forward to.
Dear readers, we look forward to sharing your unique insights and comments after reading the report reflecting the Russian Project 22350 frigates. We would be grateful if there were enthusiastic people who would be willing to help spread the article and attract more people who love marine scientific research.