The new frigate Admiral Golovko has completed its testing program in the Barents Sea, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) reported on Friday.
“The frigate Admiral Golovko, built by the shipbuilders of the Northern Shipyard, has completed the program of factory sea trials and state tests at the sea ranges of the Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea,” says a message on the USC telegram channel.
The day before, the Severnaya Verf enterprise reported on social networks that in the coming weeks the identified deficiencies on the ship would be eliminated, then it would be prepared for transfer to the Russian Navy.
“No critical comments were identified during the tests,” the shipyard said.
On November 21, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of the department’s board: “The frigate Admiral Golovko, planned to be equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles, is currently undergoing state tests. According to official data, Zircon is a new Russian hypersonic missile of development and production Reutov NPO Mashinostroyenia (part of the Tactical Missile Arms Corporation, KTRV).
According to official information, the frigate of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Federation “Admiral Gorshkov” became the first carrier of the Zircon hypersonic missiles. This ship is also armed with cruise missiles “Caliber” (JSC “Concern” VKO “Almaz-Antey”).
A statement from the press service of the Russian Northern Fleet, distributed on Friday, notes that in 2023, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov successfully completed tasks in the Atlantic, Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. “For the first time, patrols were carried out with hypersonic missile weapons on board,” the fleet press service reported.