On June 26, 2009, Russian border guards celebrated a significant event - the launch of a new project 22460 border patrol ship (code “Hunter”), called “Rubin”. Often this ship is simply called the “Project 22460”. The descent took place at the facilities of the shipbuilding company Almaz in the city of St. Petersburg. This vessel was ordered by the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation. November 13, 2009 it passed state tests and was accepted into the ranks of the Black Sea-Azov PU. Today we will get acquainted with this ship in more detail and find out how it differs from its predecessors.
Destination
The tasks of the Project 22460 ship include:
- Protection of the border and territorial waters.
- Protection of the continental shelf.
- Rescue work.
- Environmental control.
- Disaster management.
In addition, a ship of this class can combat maritime piracy and terrorism. Officially, it belongs to the border guard ships of the second rank.
Construction
Due to the high quality of preparation and technical documentation developed by the Northern Design Bureau, high rates of ship construction were ensured. Its construction took a little more than two years. This design office actively uses the FORAN system in its development, which allows for three-dimensional design. The system has been actively used for surface combat ships since 1998. Earlier in Russia there were no analogues of the Project 22460 ship.
Features
The main distinguishing feature of the Rubin vessel is the presence of a landing pad for a light helicopter. For him, on the ship, a hangar can be equipped. Surprisingly, all this is placed on a ship with a displacement of up to 700 tons. For example, the Swedish ship Visby, similar in terms of displacement, which has long been considered the smallest combat vessel, can only boast of having a helicopter on board, without a hangar.
The most important feature of the ship is that in its aft part there is an inclined slipway, on which you can install a high-speed inflated boat. Such boats are used, for example, for the delivery of inspectors to a ship that has violated certain rules. 2 boats and a helicopter on board greatly expand the capabilities of the vessel.
The patrol ship of project 22460 is also distinguished by a high level of modernization resource. Thanks to the use of three-dimensional modeling technologies at all stages of design, the developers managed to maximally rationally place the mechanisms and systems in the case. This provides high maintainability and the ability to quickly upgrade. The vessel Project 22460 looks very modern. In its appearance stealth technologies are embodied. Visibility in all radiation ranges is minimal, as is the level of physical fields.
The designers took into account that the ship will be operated in different climatic conditions. The maximum that it can do is work in broken ice with a thickness of not more than 200 mm.
Armament
The ship is armed with one AK-630 six-barrel artillery mount with a caliber of 30 mm and two Kord machine guns with a caliber of 12.7 mm. If necessary (for example, in the case of military mobilization), it provides for the installation of launchers of anti-ship missiles "Uranus", the firing range of which reaches 130 km.
Seaworthiness
Already at the first tests it became clear that the ship has very good seaworthiness. The German motor company MTU, which is equipped with the project 22460 border ship, is considered the best in its class. Together with the successful design of the hull contours, it allows the ship to maintain decent speed over an extended period of time. With an excitement of 4-5 points, it is about 25 knots. In the absence of waves, the ship can reach a speed of 30 knots. In this case, the ship’s coasting from full speed to the “stop” is about two and a half hundred meters. And for the ship to switch from full forward to full reverse, it takes only 90 seconds.
Control
The controllability of the vessel is at a very high level. The diameter of the circulation at full speed is 4.5 ship lengths. A 360-degree turn takes him only a minute. When turning, a thruster is used. At speeds up to 5 knots (at low speeds), the ship is controlled using a special joystick. An important parameter is the ability to hold the ship at one point. It is very convenient during rescue and search operations.
Another significant advantage of the Rubin ships was their automation class. Thanks to the modern TRIMS bridge system, the developers managed to bring the level of automation to class A1. This made it possible to reduce the number of crews on duty in the wheelhouse to three people. At the same time, they will be able to control all systems and mechanisms of the vessel. Of course, each member of the crew must be a professional.
Living conditions
Project 22460 patrol ship has very comfortable living conditions. It even has a sauna and pool. The crew is housed in comfortable block cabins with ergonomic furniture. Each cabin has its own bathroom with shower and air conditioning. To provide the ship with fresh water, a desalination plant operates. Hot water is supplied around the clock.
The video surveillance system allows you to record all actions inside the ship and carry out external monitoring, for example, the approach and landing of helicopters.
Older brothers
The ships created by the Northern Design Bureau have long established themselves on the positive side among Russian border guards. Back in 1983, the first PSKR of project 11351 (the code "Nereus") was included in the PV KGB of the USSR. This series of ships was intended to protect the economic zone with a length of 200 miles, on the basis of the lead ship of project 1135. Thanks to the abandonment of anti-submarine missiles, the designers were able to place a hangar on the deck, in which the Ka-27PS search and rescue helicopter was constantly based. In general, the ships of Project 11351 came out very successful: high seaworthiness, strong armament, and working capacity in almost any conditions. Ships of project 22460 "Hunter" will protect primarily the territorial waters of the Russian Federation.
origin of name
The tradition of giving border ships the names of precious stones originated at the beginning of the twentieth century and continued after the Second World War. In the mid-70s, a series of ships of project 1124P was built specifically for the border troops. It included ships such as the Emerald, Pearl, Amethyst, and others. When the question arose of the name of the new ship of the reviving border fleet, it was decided to continue the old tradition.
Service and Prospects
The project 22460 border patrol ship (code “Hunter”) has been serving in the open spaces of the Black Sea since 2010. In 2014, he participated in the protection of coastal waters during the Olympic Games in Sochi. According to the latest data from the border service of the FSB of Russia, project 22460 will be implemented by at least 25 patrol vessels. Following the leading Rubin, several more ships of the project were built. The first of these was the Diamond. He was launched on November 25, 2011. After a series of tests and completion, the ship set off to serve in the Caspian border administration.
In May 2012, two vessels were laid for this project - Sapphire and Coral. This time, the construction was organized at the Vostochnaya Verf enterprise. In the meantime, the Almaz plant had built two more ships, the Pearl and the Emerald, by July 2014. At the moment, several more ships are under construction as part of the state order "Project 22460" Hunter "." The developers and builders of the Rubin ship and the subsequent ships of the project are confident that the ships will carry their names with honor.
Conclusion
Today we have learned what the patrol ship of project 22460 is. Summarizing the above, it is worth noting that the Rubin and the subsequent ships of the project are border patrol vessels of the second rank, which can be attributed to small corvettes. They are designed to protect state borders, conduct rescue and emergency operations, environmental control and eliminate the consequences of natural disasters.
The ship of the project 22460 differs from its predecessors not only with updated weapons, but also with increased functionality. He maneuvers freely with agitation of 6 points and can reach speeds of 30 knots. Thanks to the slip in the stern of the ship, you can lower the speedboat. Well, thanks to the hangar located directly on the deck, you can store and maintain a small but very useful helicopter. With all this, on a relatively small vessel, very comfortable conditions for the life and work of sailors. Here they are, new generation patrol ships.