Russia To Sea Test Next ‘Guepard 3.9’ Frigate Meant For Vietnam In September

Russia has launched the next ‘Guepard 3.9’ frigate intended for Vietnamese Navy and will send the vessel for sea testing in September this year.

According to Andrei Spiridonov, the official representative of the Gorky Zelenodolsk Plant, the frigate will be at the water terrain of the plant until the end of summer, where the last equipment components will be installed on the vessel. The vessel is to be sent for sea trials in September 2016.

The "Guepard 3.9" frigates are designed to fight against air-based, underwater and surface-based enemies, monitor underwater and surface situations, plant mines, escort and guard convoys, guard and patrol state borders, prevent smuggling, poaching and piracy, as well as salvage vessels in distress and perform search and rescue operations, Rostec said in a statement last week.

According to information from the Zelenodolsk Design Bureau, the ships of about 2,200 tons of displacement are equipped with modern missile, artillery, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, and radio-technical armaments, as well as mine and anti-sabotage weapons, means of external and internal cable communication, broadcasting, visual surveillance, and audio communication.

The first pair of "Guepard 3.9" frigates was delivered to the Vietnamese Navy in 2011. The intergovernmental contract on delivery of the second pair of frigates was signed in October 2012. In February 2013, Rosoboronexport and the A.M. Gorky Zelenodolsk Plant signed the state contract, and the groundbreaking ceremony for work on the second pair of the "Guepard 3.9" frigates was held in September.

The first ship of the second pair of frigates was launched in April 2016. Currently, the parties are discussing building a third pair of ships of this type for the Vietnamese Navy in Zelenodolsk.