On May 30th, the Russian Navy launched the amphibious landing vessel RFS Vladimir Andreyev at the Yantar shipyard in the Kaliningrad Region. The ceremony was attended by the Commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, as well as representatives of United Shipbuilding Company and the Yantar Shipyard.
The vessel, given hull number 303, was rolled out from the shipyard and placed into the floating dock PD-8 during the launching ceremony. It is unknown how long the vessel will remain inside the floating dock before being floated out into the water. It is not uncommon for Russia to have vessels still inside the floating dock despite being officially launched. Usually, several smaller construction activities take place, mostly inside the vessel, before vessels are floated out. Russian sources report that additional outfitting work will take place on the RFS Vladimir Andreyev.
The RFS Vladimir Andreyev is the latest vessel of the Project 11711 Ivan Gren-class landing vessels. The laying of the keel took place on April 23, 2019 at the Yantar Shipyard together with the keel of the RFS Vasily Trushin (hull number 304). Both vessels were intended to enter service in 2023 and 2024 respectively but commissioning in the Russian Navy has currently been pushed to 2026. Once floated out, the vessels will need to undergo a series of factory tests, sea trials and state acceptance tests before being commissioned. Both the RFS Vladimir Andreyev and the RFS Vasily Trushin will be deployed with Russia’s Pacific Fleet where they most likely will replace the aging amphibious landing vessels of the Ropucha and Tapir class.
Improvement over the Ivan Gren-class
Both the RFS Vladimir Andreyev and the RFS Vasily Trushin are officially designated as part of Russia’s Project 11711 Ivan Gren class landing vessels in press releases. However, both vessels differ significantly from their predecessors, the RFS Ivan Gren and RFS Pyotr Morgunov in terms of displacements and layout. The RFS Vladimir Andreyev and the RFS Vasily Trushin are reported to be 40% larger then their two predecessors, with a displacement that increased from 6.000 tons to beyond 8.000 tons, even going as high as 9.500 tons when fully loaded. Among the modifications are an increase in length, beam and depth as well as the doubling of the vehicles storage decks, a unified superstructure and larger helideck and hangars.
The RFS Vladimir Andreyev and the RFS Vasily Trushin also have more powerful engines, four 6000hp 16D49 diesel engines compared to two 5200hp DRRA-3700 diesels found on board of the RFS Ivan Gren and RFS Pyotr Morgunov. The vessels also have one additional bow thruster to increase the maneuverability of the ship during port and amphibious operations. Given these modifications, the two new vessels under construction at Yantar are probably best described as a class of their own, designated Project 11711M. Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation allegedly labels the new vessels as Project 11711 “Cayman”.
The Ivan Gren Class was designed to transport either 13 main battle tanks or 36 BTR infantry fighting vehicles with up to 300 naval infantrymen. The hangar is able to support two Ka-29 transport helicopters. The Ivan Gren-class was thus able to transport either a tank company or three independent motorized companies. Previous Russian amphibious landing vessels of the Ropucha class and Tapir class were only able to transport a single motorized company meaning that the Ivan Gren-class is able to transport a small battalion size without additional support elements.
The RFS Vladimir Andreyev can reportedly carry twice as many vehicles compared to the RFS Ivan Gren meaning that the ship can either transport 26 main battle tanks or up to six motorized companies equipped with BTR Infantry Fighting Vehicles. In reality, the most logic loadout will be three motorized companies with a single tank company and possibly a limited number of support and logistic vehicles. This would roughly translate as a naval infantry battalion without air defense or artillery support.
In terms of rotary aircraft, the RFS Vladimir Andreyev can carry up to four helicopters such as Ka-29 transport helicopters or Ka-52K attack helicopters. The helideck itself is capable of operating two helicopters simultaneously. The Ka-52K attack helicopter was initially designed to operate on board of Russia’s Mistral class landing vessels but the sale of these vessels was cancelled by France due to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Ka-52K is designed with folding blades and a reinforced landing gear, and is able to launch Kh-35 anti-ship missiles and Kh-38 air-to-surface missiles.
It is unclear if production of Project 11711M amphibious landing vessels will continue once the RFS Vladimir Andreyev and the RFS Vasily Trushin are completed. Back in November 2023 TASS agency reported that two more Project 11711M amphibious landing vessels could be constructed at the Yantar Shipyard for use in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The construction of such vessels was reportedly intended to replace the losses the Russian Navy suffered in the Black Sea due to its war against Ukraine. During the course of the conflict, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet already lost one Tapir-class and three Ropucha-class landing vessels.
