Army-2024 – USC unveils a modernized Project 22800E guided missile corvette

The United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) presented for the first time a model of a modernized Project 22800E (codename Karakurt-E) guided missile corvette at the Army-2024 military exhibition

The new version of the corvette differs from the ships of the basic Project 22800 by the presence of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-torpedo defense systems.

The modernized corvette features at stern two launchers of the small-sized anti-submarine complex Paket-E/NK, which can accommodate 324 mm caliber small-sized thermal torpedoes and anti-torpedoes. To ensure the operation of that system, the ship is fitted with an under-keel hydro-acoustic sonar. In addition, a container that can accommodate various types of payload is located at stern of the upgraded corvette. The design of the stern of the ship has also been modified; it is located at a large angle, and a hatch is installed in the middle, behind which, with a certain degree of probability, a compartment with a towed hydro-acoustic station can be located.

Another difference of the new version of the ship is the use of water jet propulsion instead of the standard propeller-rudder group. The installation of additional weapons and equipment required a slight increase in the length of the corvette.

It should be noted that the rest of the weapons system of the upgraded Project 22800E guided missile corvette has not undergone any changes. The ship is still equipped with one universal vertical launcher 3S-14 with eight cells for Kalibr-NK cruise missiles aimed at destroying stationary ground targets, anti-ship or anti-submarine missiles, a universal AK-176MA ver. 01 76 mm artillery mount, and a Pantsir-M anti-aircraft missile and artillery system.

Thus, USC specialists have created a project for a multi-purpose ship designed to operate in the near sea zone, the basic version of which (Project 22800) is being serially built by enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation. In total, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation ordered 18 Project 22800 corvettes. If a decision is made to build a series of modernized corvettes with guided missiles of Project 22800, they will be able to continue the series of these corvettes and become a replacement for small missile and anti-submarine ships of Soviet construction, currently in service with the Russian Navy.

Photo by N. Morris at Army 2024