The reviving naval power of Russia pleases all true patriots. After many years during which the fleet fell into decay, its rearmament finally began, accompanied by the commissioning of new combat units that met the requirements of the new century. Among them is the frigate of project 11356 Admiral Grigorovich, launched on March 14, 2014.
What is a Russian frigate
In the Soviet classification of the Navy there was no such class of ships as a frigate. Large anti-submarine ships (BOD) and patrol boats ( SK) were built, which carried the main burden in ensuring the inviolability of the long water borders of the USSR. Since 1968, the military fleet of the project 1135, being built at the Yantar plant, began to enter the arsenal of the fleet. A series of eighteen ships, as usual, was named in honor of its first unit, "Petrel". The watch service was also carried out by the Norei (project 11351), built in large numbers (39 pieces). Some of them are still in service, but time and sea waves are merciless, technology has the ability to wear out and age morally. The experience gained by shipbuilders in the development of these types is taken into account. They will be replaced by ships of a new project - 11356. The Admiral Grigorovich class corresponds to the concept of “frigate” accepted in many fleets of the world both in terms of displacement and combat capabilities. Perhaps this class will take root in the Russian Navy.
In honor of whom the ship and series are named
The Admiral Grigorovich project will be continued in the coming years by four more already laid down frigates bearing the names of the famous Russian admirals Essen, Makarov, Butakov and Istomin. These naval commanders are known mainly to people interested in the history of Russia and its armed forces. All of them became famous during the heroic defense of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905-1907. Moreover, our fellow citizens least of all know about the name of the title ship of the series - the frigate Admiral Grigorovich. Perhaps this happened because the biography of the honored military statesman did not fully correspond to the ideas of Soviet propagandists about patriotism.
From midshipman to admiral
I.K. Grigorovich was born in 1853. He came to the fleet as a midshipman, a graduate of the naval school. He received excellent knowledge, for this reason he, a twenty-five-year-old officer, was sent to the North American States as part of a team of specialists to receive four cruiser ships ordered at Philadelphia shipyards. Five years later, in 1883, Grigorovich for the first time became the commander of a very modest “Wizard”, not leaving the port harbor. It seemed that the career was not progressing very well, but the bosses noticed a talented, diligent and not grumbling officer. Several transfers followed, the service became harder, but more interesting.
The fate of the admiral
At the end of the 19th century, he served as a naval attaché in London, and in 1904 received a new appointment to the post of commander of a naval base in Port Arthur, to which he arrived on the Tsesarevich’s bridge, an armadillo. During the Japanese siege, I.K. Grigorovich proved himself from the best side, having managed to provide the defense with everything necessary. Since 1911, the Vice Admiral has served as Minister of the Imperial Fleet of Russia. His plans found their development after 1917. All battleships of Soviet Russia, a third of destroyers and almost half of cruisers were launched in the prewar years according to modernization programs developed by Grigorovich. The admiral himself, however, did not accept Bolshevik power; he lived after the revolution on the French Riviera, where, after six years of emigration, he died in 1930.
The last rest of the ashes of the honored Russian statesman and naval figure found in 2005. According to the testament of the deceased, he is buried in the family crypt at the Nikolsky cemetery in St. Petersburg.
The appearance of the ship
The launch of Admiral Grigorovich took place on March 14, with some delay caused by bad weather. The ceremony was attended by the great-great-grandson of naval commander Artem Moskovchenko, as well as his granddaughter Olga Petrova, who broke a traditional bottle of champagne on the stem. So for the first time the Admiral Grigorovich ship met with the sea waves. The photo captures this solemn moment. There is no doubt that the recognition of the merits of the naval commander in front of his native country moved his descendants.
According to a relative, the grandfather was a strict boss, he would certainly check everything from stern to bow before accepting the frigate. Grigorovich, most likely, would have been pleased with the result of the inspection. The ship went well. Inheriting all the best qualities of previous projects, this multi-purpose ship has acquired new properties characteristic of the most modern types of naval weapons. Its underwater contours provide excellent navigational qualities, and the hull and superstructures are made using low visibility technologies. The equipment corresponds to the latest technology and electronics. The frigate Admiral Grigorovich looks impressive, modern and dynamic.
Ship purpose
Each warship is being built for some purpose, to perform very specific tasks. This type of weapons differs from many others in the very high cost of both the unit itself and its subsequent operation.
The frigate of project 11356 "Admiral Grigorovich" is intended for military service in the Mediterranean basin, and the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol, was planned from the very beginning as its location. The Black Sea Fleet needs modern ships, the increased activity of NATO countries in the region dictates the need for retaliatory measures. However, the autonomous range (about five thousand nautical miles) also allows you to go beyond the outlined patrol zone, for example, to combat pirates, as well as in other extraordinary cases. The tasks that the frigate Admiral Grigorovich can solve are very diverse. He is able to successfully resist torpedo, air and missile attacks, is able to repulse hostile actions. The weapons on board are enough to hit any underwater or surface target, including aircraft carrying large-capacity ships.
Weapons complex
The main weapon of the ship is the Caliber-NK launchers for Onyx cruise missiles (3M-54TE). There are eight of them, these are very serious systems that are able to hit any object on the sea and on land. In the world they have no analogues.
To protect against possible attacks from the air, the Admiral Grigorovich ship is equipped with two air defense systems, called the “Shtil-1” (in the arsenal of 36 guided missiles) and the Broadsword. The first of them is multi-channel missile, which means the ability to lead and hit multiple targets at the same time. The second is a highly effective missile and artillery complex, like the two Dagger systems, also responsible for the safety of airspace. Two A-190s constructively contain the most rapid-firing guns in the world with a caliber of 100 mm. Two TAs each contain three 533-mm torpedoes. Complete the powerful protection of the time-tested jet bomb RBU-6000. And, of course, frigate 11356 Admiral Grigorovich, like any modern patrol ship, could not do without its own air wing in the form of a Ka-31 helicopter (Ka-27 submarines can be used).
Low visibility
Nowadays, camouflage is understood not only as camouflage coloring, which ensures maximum secrecy against the background of sea water and sky. This is also necessary, visual detection remains one of the most important reconnaissance methods, but it is more important to remain invisible to the probable enemy’s radars. The principle of radar remains the same as at the dawn of its invention. The reflected high-frequency electron beam displays on the screen the location of all objects towering above sea level. To reduce visibility, you can act in two ways: redirect the particle flow to the other side or absorb radiation. Together, these measures are called "Stells Technologies." The frigate of project 11356 Admiral Grigorovich, and, of course, all subsequent ships of this series, have little noticeability for probable enemy locators. This is achieved by a special hull shape, with outlines consisting of inclined planes, special absorbing coatings and electronic equipment that make it difficult to detect a ship using radar. Most weapons and equipment are hidden behind shielding surfaces. Of course, it is impossible to make a ship completely invisible to radars, but it will be rather difficult to find the frigate "Grigorovich" in the sea.
Modules
According to traditional technology, the hull is laid on the slipway, then it is built entirely from the bottom up. So ships were built from ancient times. But in recent decades, technology has become somewhat different. it takes into account the need for rapid modernization and installation of new equipment, sometimes bulky. The case is built in parts, so that if there is a need for undocking, this would not cause technological problems. The construction of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich was carried out in a modular manner, the most progressive today. The ship has a reserve of modernization potential, which allows to replace any components, from power units to electrical equipment.
Indian frigate
The state enterprise Yantar Plant has existed since the victorious 1945. In the German Koenigsberg there was a shipyard "Schihau", which became the basis of ship production after the war, when this Baltic city became Soviet. During the existence of the plant, more than one and a half hundred ships, mainly military ones, were launched here.
Since 2007, by order of the Indian government, a special order has been carried out at the Baltic factory: ships are being built for the Navy of a friendly country. The project is the same, 11356, according to which the frigate Admiral Grigorovich was created. The difference, however, is significant. A common element of the two "brothers" is the hull, and equipment and weapons are different. Indian frigates are armed with Bramos missile systems, with vertical launchers.
The seaworthiness of the Russian ships was so much liked by the customers that they expressed a desire to build them on their own, according to the purchased technical documentation. They are provided with comprehensive assistance in the framework of the military cooperation program. The names of the first four frigates of the Indian series are Talwar, Tarkash, Trikand and Tag.
EW complex
Electronic warfare with communications and control of the enemy has now become the most important task, the successful solution of which practically guarantees victory over any enemy. Frigate 11356 Admiral Grigorovich is armed with four KREB PK-10 Smely. These ten-barrel installations resemble jet bombs, but they have a different task. Instead of directly defeating enemy ships, they release shells that can disable the electronics of the enemy’s military equipment. The created interference will deprive the enemy fleet of the possibility of information exchange, blind the radars, and disable the air defense systems.
Fire control systems
Long gone are the days when they shot “by eye”. Even perfect optical sights no longer meet the requirements of military sailors due to the transience of the situation on the sea arena of military operations. It is the commander’s prerogative to make decisions on firing, and the crew trusts the automation to calculate the parameters of the shot. The ship "Admiral Grigorovich" has on board the most powerful computing systems, which are used to quickly aim weapons at a target. The information comes from the Puma radar, the Vympel 123-02 control system is engaged in missile launches, and the Purga-11356 missile launcher is responsible for the torpedoes.
Sizes and quantities
The size of the ships is judged by displacement. "Admiral Grigorovich" is a patrol ship, and therefore it should not be as huge as an aircraft carrier. Its draft is small, up to 7.5 meters, which is consistent with the characteristics of the Black Sea, which in many places is shallow. The displacement is approximately four thousand tons, which also does not mean enormous size. For example, the cruiser "Peter the Great" it reaches 25 thousand tons.
Frigate "Admiral Grigorovich": photos and proportions
Frigates - ships are large, but not the largest. This is the guarantee of their maneuverability, speed and secrecy. However, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich cannot be called small either. Photos presented by the press service of the Navy eloquently indicate a rather large length (125 meters). The hull is elongated, the ship is “squeezed” along the sides, which indicates its speed. The power plant, consisting of two gas turbines, accelerates the ship to 30 knots, and in the afterburner mode - even faster.
The crew consists of 18 officers, 142 sailors and twenty marines, a total of 180 people. Managing such a complex ship as the frigate Admiral Grigorovich requires a high level of training, coherence and cohesion. Only true professionals who love the sea and, of course, their homeland can serve in his team.