The Steregushchiy-class corvettes have a steel hull and composite material superstructure, with a bulbous bow and nine watertight subdivisions. They have a combined bridge and command centre, and space and weight provision for eight SS-N-25 missiles. Stealth technology was widely used during construction of the ships, as well as 21 patents and 14 new computer programs. Newest physical field reduction[clarification needed] solutions were applied too. As a result, designers considerably reduced the ship's radar signature thanks to hull architecture and fire-resistant radar-absorbentfiberglass applied in the tophamper's design.[1]
The Kashtan CIWS on the first ship was replaced in subsequent vessels by 12 Redut VLS cells containing 9M96E medium-range SAMs of the S-400 system. SS-N-27 (Kalibr type missiles) will be fitted to a larger domestic version, Project 20385.[2]
The export version known as Project 20382 Tigr carries either eight supersonic SS-N-26 (P-800 Oniks) anti-ship missiles or sixteen subsonic SS-N-25 'Switchblade' (Kh-35E Uran). It also carries two twin-tube launchers for 533 mm heavy torpedoes. The A-190E 100 mm gun first used in the Talwar-class frigates is controlled by a 5P-10E system that can track four targets simultaneously. Protection from air attacks is provided by the Kashtan CIWS and eight mounts for the SA-N-10 'Grouse' (9K38 Igla) SAM.[3]
In April 2015, as part of a detachment of ships of the Baltic Fleet (Boikiy, Stoikiy, Soobrazitelny and Steregushchiy), together with naval aviation at a training ground in the Baltic Sea, she performed tasks in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defense. During the exercise, the ships conducted artillery fire at sea and air targets, found and destroyed a simulated enemy submarine, and practiced joint maneuvering.[7]
In November 2016, the crew of the Stoiky in the sea ranges of the Baltic Fleet worked out actions to search for and detect a simulated enemy submarine using the latest anti-submarine weapons and successfully conditionally hit a target from the Paket-E/NKanti-submarine system.[8] Further, in November, acting together with the Soobrazitelny, during tactical exercises in the Baltic Sea, she delivered a successful missile strike against complex targets that imitated a ship (using the Uran anti-ship missile system) and a cruise missile (using the Redut air defense system).[9]
On 15 June 2017, as part of a detachment of ships from the Baltic Fleet (Boikiy and Steregushchiy), she successfully completed elements of joint maneuvering at sea and artillery fire at sea surface targets.[10] From 28 June to 2 July, she took part in the VIII International Naval Salon-2017 (IMDS -2017) held in St. Petersburg.[11] On 30 July she took part in the main naval parade in Navy Day.[12] On 31 August, during an exercise, the corvette crew repulsed a simulated torpedo attack in the Baltic Sea, and also conducted artillery firing at various targets, anti-sabotage defense measures, and an in-ship training to combat ship damage.[13]
On 18 June 2018, a detachment of ships of the Baltic Fleet, consisting of Boikiy and Stoikiy, the tankerKola and the tugboatViktor Konetsky, sailed into the North Atlantic to carry out planned tasks for a long voyage.[14]
On 15 November 2019, the Stoikiy and the large landing ship Kaliningrad returned to the homeport Baltiysk after completing combat training missions as part of the permanent presence of the Baltic Fleet forces in their area of responsibility, they were in the Baltic Sea for more than 30 days and traveled more than 4,000 miles.[15]
2021
On 16 December 2020, corvette Stoikiy, tanker Kola and tug Yakov Grebelskiy left Naval Base Baltiysk for Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.[16][17] In early January 2021, the ship detachment entered the Mediterranean Sea and on 9 January it called at Tartus, Syria.[18] On 15 January, they met frigate Admiral Kasatonov and tug Nikolay Chiker in the western Mediterranean Sea.[19] Later on, the three ships visited the Cypriot port of Limassol.[20] On 1 February 2021, Stoikiy and Kola entered the Red Sea and were heading for the Gulf of Aden.[21] Some reports suggested that the ships are to participate in the international naval exercise AMAN2021 in Pakistan,[22] however the detachment of the three ships instead participated in an exercise with Iranian Navy between 15–16 February 2021. Iran contributed a frigate, a corvette, three missile boats, a patrol boat and two auxiliary vessels to the exercise.[23] This was only the second deployment of the ships of this class beyond Suez Canal after Soobrazitelnyy's deployment to the Red Sea in November 2017. Between 20–23 February, Stoikiy called at Salalah, Oman.[24] On 2 March, the ship escorted two merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden.[25] Between 12–15 March, Stoikiy, accompanied by Kola, paid a second visit to Salalah.[26][27] On 19 March, Stoikiy and Kola called at Port Sudan, Sudan.[28] This was the second visit of a Russian Navy vessel to the location of a future Russian naval base, following the port call of frigate Admiral Grigorovich on 28 February.
During the sandstorm with 40 kn winds in the Suez Canal on 23 March, Kola collided with the bulk carrier Ark Royal two hours prior to the container ship Ever Given running aground some 11 km further north, both ships sustaining slight damage.[29]Stoikiy, along with Kola and around 350 other ships on both sides of the canal, were forced to wait for the Ever Given to be refloated. Stoikiy and Kola are the only military vessels known to have been affected by the obstruction. At the time of the incident, maritime tracking website Vesselfinder.com temporarily misidentified Kola as Stoikiy (specifically "Russian Warship 545"); this was corrected on 25 March. As of 29 March, Stoikiy was still anchored in the Gulf of Suez.[30][31][32]
On 2 April, Stoiky called at Limassol, Cyprus.[33]
2022
Stoikiy and Soobrazitelny entered the Mediterranean in October 2022[34] Between 18–21 October, they visited Algeria.[35] In late November, both corvettes were absent from Tartus, likely shadowing French aircraft carrier, deployed to the East Mediterranean.[36] On 5 December, they were in Tartus.[37]
2023
In April 2023, the corvette, accompanied by Soobrazitelny and the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, was reported to have left the Mediterranean, transitting via the Atlantic to the Baltic.[38] She was reported back in the Atlantic in June.[39]
^"長榮海運糗大了！台灣巨輪卡在蘇伊士運河，塞住連接歐亞的海上大動脈" [Evergreen Shipping is embarrassed! Taiwan's huge ship stuck in the Suez Canal, blocking the maritime artery connecting Europe and Asia]. Storm.mg (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 24 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
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