Russian Navy plans to launch construction of a new Lider-class destroyer in 2019, Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm. Viktor Chirkov said.
The vessel will have a displacement of approximately 17,500 tons, with a length of 200 meters and a breadth of 20 meters, Sputnik News reported Sunday.
The Russian Navy unveiled Lider's designs at the Army-2015 international military technical forum last week. The destroyer is likely to be armed with up to 60 anti-ship cruise missiles, 128 anti-aircraft guided missiles, and 16 anti-ship guided missiles. The vessel may reach a speed of 30 knots and operate to up to 90 days without support.
"We plan to start construction of a Lider destroyer in 2019. We are currently carrying out design work," Chirkov added. The capabilities of the new destroyers would be comparable with the capabilities of a cruiser, Chirkov said.
Russia is presently undergoing a $325-billion rearmament program for a 70-percent increase in its military's modern weaponry by 2020.