Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

DEFEA 2021
  • News
  • Event News
    • Euronaval 2020
    • SNA 2020
    • MADEX 2019
    • PACIFIC 2019
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»Russia to begin construction of LHD in 2020 – Part 2
Scale model of the proposed "Priboy" amphibious assault ship at the «ARMY-2015» military-technical forum. Picture by: Artem Tkachenko via Wikipedia

Russia to begin construction of LHD in 2020 – Part 2

Russian media have recently reported the characteristics of prospective amphibious assault ships which are to be laid in the spring of 2020. They show that Russian Navy will obtain, although with a delay, universal landing ships for ship-to-shore connection. The Profile magazine writes about their characteristics and design.

Xavier Vavasseur 10 Dec 2019

TASS Russian news agency

The composition and strength of the airpower is a key issue. The available naval Ka-27 antisubmarine and rescue helicopters, as well as Ka-29 transport and Ka-31 radar surveillance helicopters cannot effectively fulfil the airpower missions of a universal amphibious assault ship because of insufficient flight and technical characteristics. There is also the shipborne Ka-52 known as Ka-52K. However, one attack helicopter is insufficient for the airpower of a universal landing ship.

The navalised version of the Ka-52K Alligator features a folding rotor head and folding stub-wings. Image: Kamov

At present Russia is designing a new family of multirole seaborne helicopters under Minoga codename which are sometimes identified as Ka-65. The exact characteristics of the vehicle are not disclosed, but available data provide for some conclusions.

In particular, prospective seaborne helicopters will have two TV7-117 engines with a takeoff capacity of 3000 HP and boost capacity of 3750 HP. TV7-117 powers multirole Mi-38.

The project to design a seaborne helicopter with such engines began yet in 1991 in Soviet time. The new vehicle Ka-40 had to have a takeoff weight of close to 15 tons. If there is any succession of Ka-40 in Ka-65, the takeoff weight is likely to be the same.

The capacity and takeoff weight show that Minoga corresponds to Mi-38 or multirole AW-101 helicopter.

Ka-65 Minoga next-generation deck helicopter

A helicopter with a takeoff weight of over 20 tons is likely to appear in future and reinforce the airpower. However, 20 Ka-65 are sufficient to land a marine battalion with infantry support weapons (mortars, automatic grenade launchers, large-caliber machineguns, antitank missiles) and light artillery. Armor, automobiles, heavy artillery are to be delivered by landing boats.

The amphibious assault concept in the Russian Navy was formed by the results of two world wars.

  • 1. Amphibious assault is held to support ground forces on the coast.
  • 2. The scope of amphibious assault depends, firstly, on the needs of the army in support from the coastal flank, and secondly, on the range of coastal aviation which has to protect the assault and support it, and thirdly, on fleet capabilities to escort an assault formation and form a group of fire support warships.
  • 3. The scope of marine operations is not big and limited by the tactical level (brigade). Ground forces increase the strength, if necessary. The formations arrive on usual transportation means in the seaports seized by the first echelon. Airborne units can be used as reinforcements.

The subordination to army interests automatically boiled down the role of the Navy to planning of operations in support of the ground forces. The need to have expeditionary forces capable of limited amphibious assault at a major distance from the bases has not been considered for decades. The issue came to attention in the last years of the Soviet Union when the design of universal landing ships of project 11780 was launched in the framework of the concept which shaped out in the West by the time.

Read part 1 of this article at this link

Amphibious Assault Ship LHD Russia Russian Navy 2019-12-10
Tags Amphibious Assault Ship LHD Russia Russian Navy
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

Related Articles

Nevskoe Design Bureau details aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships projects

Nevskoe Design Bureau details aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships projects

Naval News Staff 05 Mar 2021
Nevskoe Design Bureau informed TASS about its new Varan aircraft-carrying ship. It is a unified platform to create several types of big surface warships: aircraft carrier, universal amphibious assault ship, hospital ship and Arctic supply vessel.
Russia Designs a New Class of Ship: Universal Sea Complex ‘Varan’

Russia Designs a New Class of Ship: Universal Sea Complex ‘Varan’

Xavier Vavasseur 27 Feb 2021
Varan is an aircraft-carrying ship distinguished by a high level of automation. It can carry 24 multirole fighters, six helicopters, and 20 drones...
Russia’s Project 09852 Special Mission Submarine ‘Belgorod’ Prepared for Sea Trials

Russia’s Project 09852 Special Mission Submarine ‘Belgorod’ Prepared for Sea Trials

Naval News Staff 25 Feb 2021
The Belgorod nuclear-powered special mission submarine of project 09852 is preparing to sail out for the first time...

Advertisement

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

© Naval News 2019 - 2020
All Rights Reserved