16 Januari 2017
Vietnamese Navy Gepard class frigate (photo : VPN)
The article in Russian news agencies Sputnik, Russian military expert Victor Litovkin emphasized, factors integrated action between forces and submarines in the water is very important. These ships must be protected even under water. Conversely, when the ocean, especially near the coast, the submarine requires the backing of the surface ships.
Vietnam Navy will have more surface ships built in Russia. First pair Gepard missile escort vessel 011 Dinh Tien Hoang and 012 Ly Thai To was assigned in Vietnam People’s Navy to perform various tasks: protecting the coast, exclusive economic zone, patrol, escort and others.
The Gepard class escort ship, Project 1166.1 by Zelenodolsk shipyard in the Republic of Tartarstan/Russia was aseigned for Vietnam Navy is equipped with modern weapons, stealth technology applications, thus reducing the radar revealed makes difficult to detect this ship.
Gepard ships capable of independent operation continuously for 20 days at sea, with more than 2,000 tons of water displacement and can reach a maximum speed of 52 km/hour. The ship is operated by a crew of about 90 people team, on the deck with helipad, ensuring ability reconnaissance, anti-submarine.
The ship is equipped with four anti-ship missile launchers Kh-35 Uran E, 2 pedestal close-range defense artillery and gunboats 76mm. In addition, the pair of second Gepard torpedo tubes equipped with facilities to allow detection of enemy submarines, and better fitting the new engine.
Engaged in the protection of sea borders of Vietnam also includes the Russian patrol boats Svetlyak, with 375 tons of displacement, 50 meters long. The ship reaches speeds up to 56 km/h, can operate continuously at sea 30 days and nights.
Kalibr anti-ship missile and land attack cruise missiles (photo : paralay)
Currently two Molniya missile boat (according to Western classification Tarantul class) that Russia has provided to Vietnam in 2007, is working very well, so Vietnam has approved the decision to close a further 10 ships of this class under license from Russia.
Initially, the ship Gepard, Svetlyak and Molniya equipped with subsonic missile Kh-35 Uran-E with weight 500-600kg, enough to destroy the ship with 5,000 tons of water displacement at a distance of 130km, with the upgraded version later was up to 300 km.
At the International Forum “Army 2015” on the outskirts of Moscow, Vietnam delegation has expressed his desire to upgrade and retrofit Molniya ship with cruise missiles, such as Russia’s P-800 Yakhont anti-ship with a range of fire up to 300 km.
In an interview with the Sputnik-Vietnam, spokesman Almaz Design Bureau (Russia) said that, this requirement can be done, the modifications in the project can be done without interrupting produce.
The main advantage of Yakhont anti-ship missile, the homing head is designed for search and detection of sea-borne targets and for preparation and presentation of target coordinates to the onboard autopilot system of the Yakhont anti-ship cruise missile. After destroying the main target of the enemy fleet, the remaining missile attacks on other vessels, eliminating the possibility of the two missiles hit a target.
Yakhont long range anti-ship missile (photo : StarTV)
Also Yakhont anti-ship missile, Kalibr missile (export version is Club missile) could deployed aboard Molniya class. This type of missile is equipped for Varshavyanka class submarine, Project 636 (NATO classification Kilo class) that Hanoi ordered from Russia.
After launching Kalibr missiles with speed subsonic flight. When approaching the target, the warhead contained 400 kg of explosive separated from the main engines and accelerate to 1 km/s, which is three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). Reach the target missile at an altitude of 5-10 meters, making it the inviolability of the system against enemy missiles.
At a meeting of the Navy commanders of Russian and Vietnam, the Vietnam expressed interest in buying the pair of Gepard frigate from Russia also equipped with Kalibr missile.
Senator Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Russian Federation Council, who attended a summit in Hanoi said, when to spend money to buy weapons, the Vietnam want to spend a good way should most want to buy quality products at Russia’s reliability.
He stressed that Vietnam is serious military technical cooperation with Russia. During the talks, Hanoi confirmed willingness to continue cooperation in the military field with a trusted partner and proven, especially the price and quality of Russian weapons is better than Western weapons.
(BaoDatViet)