Russia’s new Karakurt-class corvette: a ‘cruise missile-carrying beast’

What you need to know: Russia’s latest Project 22800 Karakurt-class missile corvette, Rzhev, has left the Amur Shipyard en route to Vladivostok for sea trials and state tests.

-This marks a shift in focus for the Russian Navy towards smaller but highly capable ships, as the only aircraft carrier. Admiral Kuznetsovremains sidelined due to ongoing refit issues.

-Despite its compact size (66 meters long and a displacement of 860 tons), the Rzhev is armed with Kalibr-NK or Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles and a 76.2mm automatic cannon.

These corvettes are designed for operations in ‘green waters’ and aim to strengthen Russia’s coastal defense and offshore capabilities. The Rzhev expected to join the Pacific Fleet in early 2026.

Latest Russian Karakurt-class missile corvette sent for testing

The flagship aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy Admiral Kuznetsov remains sidelined as her refit continues, and in all likelihood the warship is unlikely to return to service. Instead, the Kremlin has shifted its focus to much smaller – but arguably powerful – ships, including the Project 22800 Karakurt-class missile corvettes. A total of 16 are planned, and on Tuesday the last one yet to be completed was sent out to begin testing.

According to a report by Russian state media company Tass, there is talk of a Karakurt-class missile corvette Rzhev departed from the Amur Shipyard of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) in the Far East of Russia.

“On October 8, the Project 22800 missile corvette was launched Rzhev “left the waters of the finishing quay of the Amur Shipyard and headed for Vladivostok,” the Amur Shipyard press service said in a statement.

Tass further reported that approximately 300 persons at the facility “participated in preparing the warship for its transit” and that the ship is now en route to the “delivery base in Vladivostok.” Once there, the delivery base will oversee the missile corvette’s sea tracks and state tests, which must first be completed Rzhev will be transferred to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy.

Rzhev This is reportedly the 12th Project 22800 Karakurt-class missile corvette to be laid down. Construction of the warship began in early July 2019 at the Amur Shipyard and the ship was launched in September last year. Sea trials and state tests are likely to begin later this year, and the warship is currently on track to be handed over to the Russian Navy in early 2026.

The corvette is the latest warship built at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant, which was established in 1929. It began producing submarines for the Soviet Navy around 1957, including the Delta I-class ballistic missile boats and the Akula-class fast attack submarines. .

“The Amur shipyard is currently building a series of four Karakurt-class missile corvettes,” Tass added.

Small and responsible

Although they weigh only 860 tons and are only 60 meters long, the Project 22800 corvettes are reportedly armed with eight Kalibr-NK or Oniks anti-ship cruise missiles. Additional armament consists of a 76.2 mm 59-caliber AK-176MA and 100 mm A-190 automatic dual-purpose gun.

The small surface combatants were designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau in St. Petersburg to attack an enemy’s strategic facilities in so-called green waters, including around coastal defenses and offshore installations. The ships were intended to serve as a more seaworthy addition to the Russian Navy’s Blue-Water Blue Water corvettes Buyan-M class operating in coastal areas. The Karakurt-class corvettes can engage enemy surface combatants and counter various threats individually or in combination with other forces, even repelling enemy air attacks.

A total of eighteen Project 22800 corvettes were originally planned for the Russian Navy, but this was scaled back to sixteen. Four had been on active duty, while a fifth – Ask – was reportedly hit by a Ukrainian cruise missile in November 2023 and damaged beyond repair.

Experience and expertise of author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a writer from Michigan. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites with more than 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He writes regularly about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics and international affairs. Peter is also one Contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can send the author an email: (email protected).

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