Russian Navy getting new cruise missile corvettes

KUBINKA, Russia, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The Russian Navy is to receive additional missile corvettes from the Zelenodolsk Shipbuiding Plant under an agreement signed by the Russian Defense Ministry.

The ships are of the Bayan-M class, a river/sea vessel designed by the Zelenodolsk Design Bureau.

According to Tass, the Russian new agency, the vessels each displace about 1,047 tons, are 203.4 feet long and have a speed of about 25 knots. They are equipped with the Kalibr cruise missile system, a 100mm A-190 gun mount, Gibka launchers for Igla anti-aircraft missiles and the AK-630-2 Duet air defense gun system.

Tass said the agreement for the vessels was signed at the Army 2016 Forum by Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov and Renat Mistakhov, chief executive officer of the Zelenodolsk Shipbuiding Plant. The number of ships to be delivered, however, was not disclosed at the signing ceremony.

The vessels are being constructed under the country's Project 21631. Five ships are currently in service with the Russian Navy as part of the project, three with its Caspian Flotilla and two with the Black Sea Fleet.