After more than two years of conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s military-industrial complex has had to adapt to meet the growing demands of the Armed Forces. This adaptation extends beyond the provision of ammunition, combat vehicles, and artillery, including ships, to the modification of these platforms in response to changing conditions. One such case was recently highlighted by the CEO of the Ak Bars shipyard in an interview with Russian media, where he mentioned ongoing studies aimed at upgrading the capabilities of the Russian Navy’s Project 22160 patrol vessels.
Initially designed for maritime surveillance and patrol missions in the Black Sea, the Project 22160 patrol vessels comprise a series of six ships intended to equip the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy. The Zelenodolsk and Zaliv shipyards have built four of these vessels, with another expected to be delivered this year and one more still under construction.
These vessels have been deployed in combat operations in the Black Sea during the war in Ukraine, where they have been targeted by Ukrainian Naval Forces. Notably, two of the vessels, Pavel Derzhavin and Sergey Kotov, sustained significant damage after being attacked by unmanned surface vehicles.
Although these incidents were not directly mentioned in the report published by the TASS news agency, Ak Bars CEO Renat Mistakhov discussed ongoing plans to propose modernization efforts for the patrol vessels, particularly focusing on enhancing their air defense and anti-ship capabilities. Mistakhov stated, “The plans involve upgrading these ships by improving their air defense systems and installing missile armaments. Their structural design allows for this.” He further added, “It’s possible that their current design won’t be retained at all. The base ship is modular. It’s more of a peacetime vessel. But it can be used as a platform for mounting new equipment and armament.”
The reference to the original purpose of the Project 22160 vessels is significant, as the CEO noted, “…these ships were primarily built to combat piracy when we were ensuring the safety of navigation under international law and escorting vessels through Africa, so as not to send larger ships there. This series was built precisely for that.”
Considering recent events, both in the naval war in Ukraine and in other scenarios like the Red Sea, vessels, including patrol ships and other classes, can be targets of asymmetric threats. These include swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles designed to overwhelm their detection and air defense systems as a prelude to anti-ship missile attacks or, as in the case of Sergey Kotov, drone-type SUVs loaded with explosives aimed at the patrol vessel’s waterline and propulsion systems.
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