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The Russian Navy’s prospective destroyer has grown to a water displacement of 19,000 tons and is to be nuclear powered, according two anonymous sources cited by by Mil.Pres Flotprom.
The issue of the destroyer was discussed at the United Shipbuilding Corporation on February 21st, one source said.
At the same time, the dates for the start of the construction work on the ship have not yet been determined. The design bureau, Krylov State Research Center, will start it approximately around the middle period of the current state armaments program, thus the development and construction of the destroyer has once again been delayed.
According to Valery Polovinkin, scientific director of the Krylov State Research Center, the center initially offered two versions of the ship: with a displacement of 10-12 thousand tons and gas turbine powered and a 18-19 thousand ton, nuclear powered one. The scientist noted that the choice in favor of the second option is logical based on the concept of the revival of the ocean “big fleet.”
Technical design of the newest Russian Leader-class destroyer will begin in 2019-2020. This phase is planned to be completed by 2022, Mil.Press FlotProm was told in July 2018 by Deputy Admiral Viktor Bursuk, deputy commander of the Russian Navy.
The concept of the newest oceanic ship was formulated by the Krylov Center, and the preliminary design of the Leader-class destroyer was prepared by the Northern Design Bureau.
It is expected that the ship will have a displacement of about 19,000 tons. Its length is to be 200 meters and breadth of 20 meters. Equipped with 70 anti-ship cruise missiles, 128 anti-aircraft guided missiles and 16 anti-ship guided missiles, including Kalibr and Onix, the nuclear-powered destroyer will reportedly reach a speed of 30 knots and remain at sea up to 90 days without support. It will also carry a pair of Ka-27 or Ka-32 helicopters.
According to Global Security, the Russian Navy expected to receive twelve Leader-class destroyers by 2025.
Each destroyer would have a Redut-Poliment anti-ship weapons system as well as Pantsir-M and Palash antiaircraft artillery.
The destroyer’s nuclear-powered and possible gas turbine propulsion power plant would be manufactured in Russia and would allow the ships to travel at 30 knots.
The warships would be capable of combatting submarines and would also be equipped with two special helicopters and a modern sonar system.
Discussions and news of the Leader-class destroyers have been circulating since 2010. Since then, reports have occasionally surfaced with various specifications of the possible future destroyer, but those have changed substantially over the years.
The above-mentioned displacement and dimensions are also still unconfirmed. The latest numbers appear to be based on a Russian report from June 2016.
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