Project 22160 patrol ship

Project 22160 patrol ship
Project 22160 is a series of large patrol ships being constructed for the Russian Navy. The vessels are primarily intended for duties such as patrol, monitoring and protection in open and closed seas. The first ship was laid down in February 2014 and joined the Russian Navy in December 2018. By January 2018, six ships were under construction.
Design
The class's armaments include the Kalibr-NK cruise missile, the AK-176 76.2 mm dual-purpose naval gun, aerosol camouflage, two grenade launchers, and two machine guns. The class has a helicopter deck and hangar for one Ka-27 or Ka-226 helicopter, a landing speedboat, and provisions for drones, underwater unmanned craft, and unmanned boats. There are accommodations for an additional 60 men.
In 2020 it was announced that the Russian Navy would begin trials to test the installation of module containers on patrol vessels permitting such ships to carry significantly upgraded armaments tailored to different missions. The containers were envisaged to carry various weapons including sonars and torpedoes or anti-ship and cruise missiles. The trials took place in the Arctic Sea from June 2020 and lasted two months.
The Russian Navy planned to order 6 additional ships since 2014, however these plans were abandoned in June 2022 after dissatisfaction with the ships' performance during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Flaws include insufficient seaworthiness, light armour, and a lack of adequate air defences. After the sinking of the Moskva, the Russian Navy began attaching Tor-M2 km missile systems onto the helicopter decks of the patrol ships.
On 17 August 2022, Ak Bars CEO Renat Mistakhov stated that further vessels can be constructed, which will be armed with new anti-aircraft missiles.
Operational history
On 15 January 2021, Dmitry Rogachev moved from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, to strengthen the Russian Navy squadron.
The ship Vasily Bykov participated in the attack on Snake Island on 24 February 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, together with the Russian cruiser Moskva. This confrontation ended in the Russian takeover of Snake Island.
On 7 March 2022, Ukrainian sources claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had hit the Vasily Bykov with rocket artillery off the coast of Odesa, reportedly heavily damaging or sinking it, but it was seen entering Sevastopol on 16 March 2022 with no damage visible.
On 5 August 2022, one of the ships of the class was seen entering Sevastopol with fire damage to the stern, thought by an open-source intelligence analyst to be the result of an attack the day before.
In July 2023, following Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative that had allowed ships to export grain from Odesa and other Ukrainian Black Sea ports, the Sergey Kotov was deployed within striking range of these shipping routes, in an apparent blockade attempt. However, it did not intervene when three civilian cargo ships, disregarding Russia's threats to halt maritime traffic, sailed to the port of Izmail (near the Romanian border), watched by several NATO warplanes.
On 14 September, 2023, Ukraine claimed to have damaged two ships with naval drones. Ukraine showed a video of a naval drone attacking the Sergey Kotov. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, said that it received damage to its propeller and a 50 by 100 centimetre hole in its hull, which would require it to spend some time undergoing repair.
Ukraine reportedly attacked and damaged Pavel Derzhavin with drones on 11 October 2023.
Export
In April 2018, it was reported that negotiations are underway after Algeria showed interest in acquiring four project 22160 patrol ships, equipped with the Club-N missile system and the Palma anti-aircraft system which includes the Sosna guided missiles. The demand for ships armed with the Kalibr cruise missiles grew after Russia's use of these missiles in combat in Syria.
Ships
Italics indicate estimates.
See also
List of ships of the Soviet Navy
List of ships of Russia by project number
Okean-class patrol ship
Rubin-class patrol boat
References
Patrol vessels of the Russian Navy
2018 introductions
Patrol ship classes