Festivities associated with keel-laying of the fourth Project 21631 corvette will take place at the Zelenodolsk Shipyard (Tatarstan, Russia) on Aug 29, 2012.
Project 21631 corvettes (small-size guided missile ships) built for Russian Navy are multipurpose ‘river-sea’ class vessels equipped with up-to-date radioelectronics, missile and gun weapon systems, countersabotage and antiaircraft arms.
Ships of this class are designed to protect national economic zone. A Project 21631 corvette has almost twice larger displacement than its prototype Project 21630 and is equipped with missile arms.
General characteristics of Project 21631 corvette:
length – 75 meters
beam – 11 meters
draft – 2.5 meters
displacement – 949 tons
speed – 25 knots
Lead ship of the project, corvette Grad Sviyazhsk was laid down on Aug 27, 2010. Keel for the first batch-produced ship, corvette Uglich was laid down on July 22, 2011. The third corvette named Veliky Ustiug was keel-laid on Aug 27, 2011. The fourth ship to be laid down on the eve of Tatarstan Day and 80-th anniversary of Zelenodolsk town obtained a symbolic name of Zeliony Dol.
In total, it is planned to build 5 ships under this project.
Currently, the shipyard implements technical upgrading and modernization program. In this regard, a new plasma cutting machine OmniMat L5000 (made by MESSER Cutting Systems, Germany) will be triumphantly put into operation on the same day at the shipyard’s hull cutting workshop. That fully automated machine is capable to cut up to 50-mm thick metal to high precision. Its starting-up is one of modernization stages in shipbuilding production which will help to increase its output and effectiveness in the nearest future.
In addition, on the same day Aug 29 it is planned to open coastal base of the Dolphin Yacht Club independent noncommercial organization established on May 10, 2011 by initiative of JSC Zelenodolsk Shipyard in order to popularize healthy lifestyle and yachting sport amid youngsters. Members of the club actively participate in local and federal yachting competitions. Through its short history, the club has won numerous championships and tournaments.
Representatives of Russian Navy command, Tatarstan regional authorities, design bureau, and contracting parties are expected to attend the festive events.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, August 28, 2012; Image: Zelenodolsk Shipyard