Follow-Up 1: Towing Service Contracts for "Sovershennyy" Frigate

Since my July 12 blog post, Amur Shipyard has still been unable to secure contractors to tow the Steregushchiy-class frigate "Sovershennyy" in the shipyard's transport dock "Zeya" all the way from the shipyard to its outfitting subsidiary in Bolshoy Kamen. And it now seems impossible that the frigate will begin its transfer on August 5, as previously scheduled.

"Aldar Tsydenzhapov" keel authentication plaque -- July 22, 2015
(credit: Amur Shipyard)

On July 22, a new Steregushchiy-class frigate ("Aldar Tsydenzhapov") was laid down at Amur Shipyard. The very next day, the shipyard's contract bid review committee selected Khabarovsk-based Amur Shipping Company as the winner of the contract covering the Amur Shipyard > Buoy 18 > Amur Shipyard portion of the transfer. On the same day, however, the committee rejected the only two bids that had been submitted for the contract covering the longer Buoy 18 > Bolshoy Kamen > Buoy 18 portion of the transfer. One company, Far East Maritime Freight, may have submitted a bid that exceeded the contract's maximum costs. The bid by the second company, Shore of Good Fortune, apparently did not have tugs that met the minimum tow capacity specified in the contract.


Amur Shipyard's emergence from bankruptcy has had its hiccups. Just this week it was announced that the Khabarovsk Heating Company shut off steam and heat supplies to the shipyard, which owes the company RUB 27.5 million. And the small fire that broke out today could have been worse.

As I stated earlier, if the "Sovershennyy" transfer doesn't begin soon, the transfer of the overhauled Kilo-class submarine "Komsomolsk-na-Amure" (formerly "B-187") from the shipyard to Bolshoy Kamen will be in jeopardy of not happening this year.

Towing Service Contracts for "Sovershennyy" Frigate

Steregushchiy frigate "Sovershennyy" -- May 22, 2015

A year after emerging from bankruptcy, Amur Shipyard finds itself in a bind partly due to a miscalculation of contract costs. And if the contracts aren't signed soon, the delivery of a repaired Kilo-class diesel submarine could be delayed until 2016.

In January 2006, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract (253/05/2/K/0038-06) with Amur Shipyard for the construction of Steregushchiy-class frigate "Sovershennyy". The ship was laid down on June 30 the same year. The two parties signed a supplementary agreement (704/27/2/ONK/DN6/0105-10) in February 2010, four years after the original contract was signed. In November 2011, a second supplementary agreement (Z/1/1/0635/D10-11-DGOZ) was signed to continue the contract after the shipyard was declared bankrupt. In February 2014, following a visit by defense minister Sergey Shoygu, a new contract (Z/1/1/0047/D17-14-DGOZ) was signed to establish new costs for the construction of both "Sovershennyy" and "Gromkiy" (a second Steregushchiy frigate laid down in February 2012). The new contract was signed four months before Amur Shipyard officially emerged from bankruptcy. On May 22, 2015 - nine years after being laid down, "Sovershennyy" was finally rolled out.

On May 26, Amur Shipyard approved a purchase package (RUB 81,900,000) for towing "Sovershennyy" in the shipyard's transport dock "Zeya" from Amur Shipyard to its outfitting subsidiary in Bolshoy Kamen and then back to Amur Shipyard. The towing operation was scheduled to begin no later than August 19 and involve two 600hp (or greater) tugs and one 1,800hp (or greater) tug. A month later, however, the package was withdrawn in order to modify the technical specifications of the work package.

Last week, Amur Shipyard approved two new purchase packages for the operation. The first package (RUB 49,600,000) only covers the tow route from the shipyard to Buoy 18 on the Amur Estuary and (after returning from Bolshoy Kamen) back to the shipyard. The second package (RUB 88,560,000) covers the route from Buoy 18 to Bolshoy Kamen and then back to Buoy 18. The tug requirements and start dates were also modified for both routes. Comparisons of the 2014 and 2015 contract packages are shown below.

Amount	Route	Start	Towing Requirements
RUB 25,000,000	Buoy 18 >  Amur Shipyard	July 5, 2014	1 tug (1,800hp) +         2 tugs (600hp)
RUB 81,900,000	Amur Shipyard > Bolshoy Kamen >  Amur Shipyard	August 19, 2015	1 tug (1,800hp) +         2 tugs (600hp)
RUB 49,600,000	Amur Shipyard > Buoy 18 > Amur Shipyard	August 5, 2015	2 tugs (1,800hp)
RUB 88,560,000	Buoy 18 > Bolshoy Kamen > Buoy 18	August 10, 2015	1 tug (7,800hp) +         1 tug (3,000hp)

Comparing the cost differences between the May package and the July packages indicates the original cost calculations were off by RUB 56,260,000. Amur Shipyard signed a similar contract (RUB 25,000,000) in 2014 for towing "Zeya" one way between Buoy 18 and the shipyard. If you double the amount, it matches nicely with the RUB 49,600,000 in the July 2015 purchase package that includes two-way towing services.

Miscalculations aside, it's amazing that Amur Shipyard has not yet signed towing service contracts for this transfer. The new contracts specify that the towing operation should commence no later than August 5 and that "Zeya" should be returned to the shipyard no later than September 1. 
The dates are important because Amur Shipyard also plans to roll-out Kilo-class diesel submarine "B-187" and transfer it to Bolshoy Kamen this year. The transfer has to be completed before Amur River becomes unnavigable due to the onset of ice conditions in late October. Any delay in transferring "Sovershennyy" could jeopardize the transfer of "B-187" this year.

Baltic Fleet Tries to Forget the "Steregushchiy" Fire

"Steregushchiy" undergoing routine dock repairs, early 2015
credit: RF Baltic Fleet

What was supposed to be a somewhat routine exercise in mid-April turned into a real emergency for one of the Baltic Fleet's newest combatants.

Prior to the exercise, Steregushchiy-class frigate "Steregushchiy" had completed a routine 59-day out-of-water repair period at the Yantar Baltic Shipyard in Kaliningrad before returning to Baltiysk Naval Base on March 21. According to the March 21 edition of the fleet's newspaper, Strazh Baltiki (released the same day as the frigate's return to Baltiysk), shipyard work included repairs to hull fittings, propellers, the main engine, and diesel engines, as well as a fresh coat of paint. The ship's commanding officer, Captain 3rd Rank Aleskey Suslov, told the newspaper that "Steregushchiy" was to complete all combat certifications by the end of April.

On April 17, 2015, the Western Military District press service issued a press statement regarding a recently held anti-air and antisubmarine warfare exercise involving all four of the Baltic Fleet's Steregushchiy-class frigates: "Boykiy", Soobrazitelnyy", "Stoykiy", and "Steregushchiy". Also included in the list of participants were two firefighting vessels, an AN-26 Curl fixed-wing transport, and a KA-27 Helix helicopter. The inclusion of firefighting vessels in live-fire exercises seemed odd until you reached the end of the article in which the press release stated that the ships also practiced "rendering assistance to one of the ships, which was simulating a casualty."

It should be no surprise that even before the press release was broadcast by the major Russian news outlets, hints of a true emergency on board "Steregushchiy" began to leak out. According to one source, "Steregushchiy" was supposed to be underway for four days, but the frigate was forced to return within six hours of getting underway due to a fire. Two weeks later, a different source indicated the fire may have started after fuel somehow entered the frigate's exhaust funnel. That source also indicated there were some injuries, although the exact nature of the injuries and the number of injured personnel were not provided.

It is not known whether the AN-26 and KA-27 were part of the exercise, part of the response to the fire on "Steregushchiy", or both.

Thus, the Western Military District's inclusion of firefighting vessels and the rescue drill in its press release appears to be an attempt to cover up a response to an actual at-sea emergency. With NATO's Baltic partners keeping a vigilant eye on Russian military activity in the region, the Russian military press officers have to quickly devise explanations for any unusual military activity, such as an accident. Sometimes, however, their explanations fail.

Analysis of MOD's New-Construction Numbers for RF Navy in 2014

Dolgorukiy nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
[credit: Rubin Central Design Bureau of Naval Technology]

At this week's expanded MOD collegium meeting, deputy defense minister Yuriy Borisov stated that "6 combat ships and cutters, 1 submarine... 21 auxiliary ships and vessels" were delivered to the Russian military. Those numbers appear to be somewhat correct; however, the official report published by the MOD on its website states that 2 submarines and "5 surface ships and 10 combat cutters of various classes" were delivered to the military in 2014.

Here is what I see (as of December 19) for new-construction ships, vessels, and submarines:

"6 combatant ships and cutters" (Borisov) | "5 surface ships and 10 combat cutters of various classes" (MOD report)

• [x2] Dyugon amphibious landing craft ["Denis Davydov", "Ivan Kartsov"]
• [x1] Serna amphibious landing craft ["D-199"]
• [x1] Steregushchiy I frigate ["Stoykiy"]
• [x2] Sviyazhsk patrol combatants ["Uglich", "Velikiy Ustyug"]

"one submarine" (Borisov) | "two submarines" (MOD report)

• [x1] Dolgorukiy nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine ["Vladimir Monomakh"]
• [x1] Kilo diesel submarine ["Novorossiysk"]
• There is still hope that Kilo diesel submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" could be delivered by the end of December

"21 auxiliary ships and vessels" (Borisov)

• [x1] Baklan hydrographic survey vessel ["BGK-2152"]
• [x3] Grachonok harbor protection craft ["P-355", "P-377", "P-417"]
• [x2] PE-65 sea-going tug ["MB-134", "MB-135"]
• [x1] Mod-Shelon VIP personnel launch ["KSV-2155"]
• [x2] Stridsbat 90 combat personnel launches
• [x3] SKPO-1000 harbor tanker ["Pecha", "Umba", "VTN-73"]
• [x3] Project 16609 harbor tug ["Belukha", "RB-406", "RB-407"]
• [x1] Project 22870 salvage and rescue tug ["SB-45"]
• [x3] Project 23370 multi-function harbor craft ["SMK-2093", "SMK-2094", "SMK-2100"]
• [x2] Project 90600 harbor tugs ["RB-412", "RB-413"]

Not included in either report were the following less-sexy items:

• [x2] Project 02690 floating cranes ["SPK-19150", "SPK-42150"]
• [x6] Project 23040 harbor diver support vessel ["RVK-933", "RVK-946", "RVK-1045", "RVK-1064", "RVK-1102", one other]
• [x6] Project 436BIS target vessels
• [x11] Project 455 target vessels

Borisov then stated that "Aleksandr Nevskiy" and "Yuriy Dolgorukiy" each launched a single "Bulava" (SS-N-32) missile this year as part of their combat certifications. True, but there was a third launch by "Vladmir Monomakh" that was conducted as part of state trials - would it have hurt to mention that launch?

XLT+: Project 20386 Corvette and UAVs

Gorizont Air S-100 unmanned aerial vehicle on display at Interpolitekh-2013 - October 2013
(Image courtesy of dokwar.ru)

                                                     [Translation of TASS news article]

NEW GENERATION CORVETTE WITH MODULAR WEAPONRY AND SHIPBORNE UAVS TO BE LAID DOWN IN 2015
Source: TASS
Date: October 15, 2014
http://itar-tass.com/armiya-i-opk/1508847

The keel-laying of a Project 20386 new generation corvette, which will bring together a modular principle for weaponry and the capability of basing unmanned aerial vehicles, is planned for next year year. Igor Zakharov, deputy general designer of Almaz Central Naval Design Bureau, told our TASS reporter this during an interview.

A number of media outlets, citing the Almaz design bureau and United Shipbuilding Corporation, earlier reported about the impending construction of corvettes under the improved Project 20386, which has evolved from the Project 20380 and Project 20385.

"The technical design phase is currently underway; therefore, I cannot describe the new corvette's characteristics. It will be a multipurpose ship of a principally new project. The keel-laying is planned for 2015," Zakharov said.

According to him, most likely the ship will be laid down at Severnaya Verf in St. Petersburg, but the decision rests with the customer.

Zakharov noted that the future corvette will have permanent, basic weaponry and removable combat modules, which will expand the number of missions the ship can perform. Designers are also interested in the introduction of an unmanned aerial vehicle on the corvette, "but everything related to this issue is not moving forward as fast as we would like," the Almaz deputy general designer admitted. He explained that the problem is linked to operating unmanned aerial vehicles in the common airspace of Russia and relevant regulatory issues with air safety.

The Gorizont helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicle is being looked at as a possible option for equipping the corvette. "This is the only Russian unmanned vehicle that we know of that can land on a ship," Zakharov explained.

-------------------

Beyond the translation...

Indeed, Almaz Central Naval Design Bureau is still performing research and development into the Project 20386. On September 30 of this year, the design bureau announced that it had signed a contract with the Krylov State Scientific Center for "Component of Scientific Research Work: Determination of the Seagoing and Maneuvering Qualities of the Project 20386 Ship (Project 82)." The contract, which is based on Technical Specification 20386.360030.010TZ, is effective through November 2015. The work is broken down into two stages for which Almaz will pay RUB 6,097,000 (Stage 1) and RUB 3,450,000 (Stage 2).

If realized, Project 20386 would represent the third variant in the Steregushchiy line of frigates. Four units have been built, and two more are still being built (Amur Shipyard) as Project 20380 (Steregushchiy I). Two units of the Project 20385 (Steregushchiy II) have been laid down, with at least two more reported to have been contracted for construction at Amur Shipyard.