Previously, a photo circulated on the Internet. The Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet participated in the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict. The 21631-type No. 8 ship "Thug"-M-class light frigate "Ingushetia" was specially removed from the hull number. It was composed of two Two tugboats towed and sailed on the Don River -Volga Canal, intending to tow it to the Gorky Shipyard in Zelenodolsk for repairs.
Netizens can see multiple obvious shell penetration damages from the port side of the hull of the Type 21631 frigate. Although the damage is spread over a large area, the ship does not seem to have serious damage, but it is full of bullet holes. The
21631 frigate is 75 meters long, 11 meters wide, and has a full load displacement of about 950 tons. Because it is too small, less than 1,000 tons, Western navies classify it as a "small missile ship."
Currently, the Russian Navy is equipped with 9 ships of this type, which are equipped in the Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet , Baltic Sea Fleet and the Caspian Sea Squadron. Because the ship is small but has fierce firepower, the Russian Federation Navy plans to continue building this type of frigate . Eventually, the number of 21631 type frigates in service will reach 21.
The hull adopts a stealth design, the superstructure is tilted inward, and the smaller tonnage makes the ship have better stealth performance, so it is especially suitable for low-intensity cruise missions such as offshore warning, patrol, search and rescue, and fishery protection. It has become the absolute main ship of the Russian Navy's offshore defense.
"Thug" - M-class light frigate, the main shipboard weapons are an A-190E 100mm automatic naval gun and an AK-630-M2 twin 12-barreled 30mm close-in defense gun.
In addition, a 3M-47 "Curved" air defense missile system is arranged behind the 100mm main gun and at the stern of the ship, which can be used to launch Needle/Needle-S short-range air defense missiles with a maximum firing height of 3,500 meters and a maximum range of 6 kilometers. The most shocking thing to military fans about the
21631 frigate is that there is an 8-unit 3S14 shipboard vertical launch system behind the main mast, which can be used to launch the "Caliber"-NK land attack cruise missile with a range of over 2,000 kilometers.
The "thug"-M-class corvette of the Russian Navy's Caspian Sea Squadron once launched the "Caliber"-NK land attack cruise missile, flying more than 1,500 kilometers long-distance, striking anti-government forces in Syria, thus shocking the world Military world.
On small guided missile ships of less than 1,000 tons, the Russian Navy has achieved a "sea-based" capability that only the U.S. Navy's "Ticonderoga" class cruisers and "Burke" class destroyers have with an average full load displacement of more than 9,000 tons. Landward” strategic strike capability.
"Thug"-M class light frigate can be called a typical "small car pulling a big horse" warship of the Russian Federation Navy. When the outside world laments that the Russian Navy's small missile ships have such powerful land attack capabilities, it also reflects on the past with the U.S. Navy. It is a pity that the Soviet Red Navy, which competed for supremacy in the ocean, transformed into an offshore defense navy in the hands of Russian Navy .
When the Russian Navy Type 21631 frigate was sailing through the Don-Volga Canal, the hull was clearly attacked by the anti-ship missile with an airburst warhead. What surprised the outside world was that Russia and Ukraine were attacking each other. The damage to the ship has not been disclosed.
Of course, this cannot rule out the fact that when the Russian Navy was conducting anti-aircraft and missile defense exercises, this "thug" M-class light frigate exploded a certain type of incoming anti-ship missile. However, due to the close distance, the missile exploded. The fragments still caused some damage to the left side of the hull, which is the numerous bullet marks that can be seen in the photo.
In addition, it is also possible that the Russian Navy Type 21631 frigate was locked by the TB-2 "Flagbearer" drone equipped by the Ukrainian army while performing a cruise mission off Odessa in the Black Sea, and launched a small air-to-ground missile, air explosion/proximity explosion The scattered fragments damaged the left side of the small missile ship's hull.
In addition, the "Thug"-M-class light frigate failed to launch the "Caliber"-NK land-attack cruise missile, causing the missile to fall into the sea at a certain height and explode near the hull. The debris damaged the left side of the hull.
