The Yantar shipyard has begun construction of a fourth Project 11356 frigate for the Russian Navy. Admiral Butakov is the latest in a series of six Admiral Grigorovich class frigates being built for the Black Sea Fleet. TheKaliningrad yard is well experienced in producing the type, having recently delivered the last of three near-identical Talwar II class ships to the Indian Navy.
The lead warship in the series, Admiral Grigorovich, was laid down in December 2010, the second, Admiral Essen, in July 2011 and the third, Admiral Makarov, in February 2012. The six vessels are slated for introduction between 2014 and 2016.
Displacing 3,850 tonnes, they will be equipped with an eight-cell launcher for Kalibr and Klub (3M54E) anti-ship and surface-to-surface missiles, a 100mm main gun, Kashtan close-in air defence systems, Shtil vertical-launch air defence missile systems, two torpedo tubes, an anti-submarinerocket system and a Ka-28 or Ka-31 helicopter.
