Russian Navy Floats Out Fourth Admiral Gorshkov-Class Frigate

The Russian Navy's future frigate Admiral Isakov was floated out at Severnaya Verf Shipyard in St. Petersburg after 11 years of construction.

The vessel is the fourth ship of the Project 22350 series, known as the Admiral Gorshkov-class, and the first of its kind intended for the Russian Pacific Fleet.

The Admiral Isakov is a multipurpose frigate designed for various naval missions, including anti-surface, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare, as well as maritime border patrols and amphibious task force escort. The 135-meter-long vessel is equipped with a range of armaments, including a 30mm naval gun, Kalibr, Oniks, and Zircon cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes, and two 14.5mm machine guns.

The frigate's electronic systems include advanced radars, a combat management system, and countermeasures to protect against enemy electro-optical weapons. Once in service, the Admiral Isakov will be operated as part of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, with delivery scheduled for later this year.

Project 22350 frigates have faced delays due to technical issues and disruptions caused by geopolitical events. Construction progress was hindered by the loss of cooperation with Ukrainian manufacturers following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine in 2022. Specifically, the propulsion systems for the frigates, initially supplied by Ukraine's Zorya-Mashproekt, were affected. This impacted the timeline for vessels like the Admiral Golovko and Admiral Isakov, resulting in prolonged construction periods.

Despite these challenges, the Project 22350 frigates remain the only class of ocean-going surface combat ships developed by Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union and are notable for integrating hypersonic missiles, including the Tsirkon system.