Russian Shipyards Lay Down New Kalibr Missile Armed Karakurt Class Corvettes

Russia’s Amur Shipyards in Komsomolsk-on-Amur have laid down two new Karakurt Class Corvettes, the warships Rzhev and the Udomlya, which were set to join the country’s Pacific fleet in the early 2020s. The 800 ton warships are lighter counterparts to the 5,400 ton warship Admiral Gorshkov Class heavy frigates, but integrate many of the same next generation technologies. At around $31 million each the cost of these warships remains extremely low, while their advanced sensors and armaments suites make them potentially lethal. The warships are equipped with Pantsir-M air defence systems using Hermes-K missiles, and each houses eight vertical launch cells for Kalibr cruise missiles - a platform which has repeatedly proven highly capable in combat in the Syrian theatre. 18 of the Karakurt Class corvettes are currently planned with one currently active, four undergoing sea trials and nine under construction. 

While Russia has been unable to manufacture larger destroyers, cruisers or carriers for its fleet since the Soviet collapse and the loss of Black Sea Shipyards, it initially focused on developing more advanced submarines and cruise missiles and more recently has planned to deploy large numbers of lighter surface warships which will rely on superior technologies - particularly sensor, electronic warfare and missile technologies - to overcome heavier and more heavily armed enemy warships. The Gorshkov Class and Karakurt Class were both designed based on this philosophy. It is unclear whether the Russian Navy intends to equip the Karakurt Class with hypersonic weapons, with the Gorshkov Class and a number of other heavier warships set to deploy the upcoming Zircon cruise missile in place of at least some of its Kalibr complement from the mid 2020s. These missiles are capable of speeds of between Mach 8 and Mach 9, and have a considerably longer range than the Kalibr - though it is unclear whether the Karakurt Class’ sensors are sufficient for it to optimally integrate these munitions. Equipping the warships with Zircon missiles could cost over half as much as the warship itself due to their sophistication and resulting expense. Pantsir air defence systems are reportedly also set to be equipped with hypersonic missiles sometime in the 2020, which could affect the Karkurt Class.