Two new harbour patrol boats for Russian Navy
Russia’s Northern Fleet reported taking on strength in November with the addition of two newly-built Project 21980 Grachanok harbour protection boats.
Built by Rybinsk-based Vympel shipyard both of these are based in Gadzhievo, the main nuclear submarine base of the Northern Fleet, housing Delta II and Akula submarines. The hull numbers of the newly-delivered boats are 699 and 669, but no names have been announced yet.
Officially referred to as counter-sabotage boat, the Project 21980 is mainly intended for patrolling inside the Russian naval bases to counter attacks of combat divers or terrorists against shore-based naval installations and ships.
The
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Ukraine war drives ‘minimum deployable capability’ doctrine in uncrewed systems development
Ukraine’s battlefield has rewritten the rules of uncrewed systems development. For Syos Aerospace, real-time operator feedback, lean serial production and a system-of-systems philosophy are central to its operating model.
-
AUKUS advance on UUVs contrasts with Virginia-class compromise
The AUKUS partnership is accelerating uncrewed undersea capability while its submarine arm inches forward, and Australia’s decision to settle for three in-service Virginia-class boats raises questions about industrial risk, dependency and whether Pillar II may deliver meaningful capability long before Pillar I can.
-
Peru partnership may serve as a template for South Korean naval exports into South America
With a growing pipeline of naval modernisation programmes in South America, South Korean companies could be set to expand their presence in the region as recent contract wins highlight growing collaboration.
-
AUKUS plan B? Japan’s submarines stopgap gains traction
Australia’s Collins-class life of type extension has revived debate over whether Canberra needs a contingency plan as risks to every stage of the AUKUS pathway mount. With Japan newly open to exports, the case for a diesel-electric stopgap is gaining traction.