In late 2017 – early 2018, Rybinsk-based enterprise Saturn (NPO Saturn, a company in United Engine Corporation) will start supplying gas-turbine engines for RF Navy ships under construction at the shipyard of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). Frigates with power plants manufactured under the programme on phasing out of imports are scheduled for the delivery in early 2020, USC says.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Defence and the United Shipbuilding Corporation have jointly developed a detailed programme for phasing out of imports which includes the production of power plants for RF Navy. Full financing of the programme has been secured.
Earlier Ukraine unilaterally ceased all military and technical cooperation and terminated shipments of products to Russian enterprises. This caused temporary problems in the operation of USC shipyards building ships with gas-turbine engines (projects 11356 and 22350). USC is set to seek the performance of the paid contracts through the courts.
First three patrol ships of project 11356 and first two ships of project 22350 have already been fitted with engines manufactured in Ukraine. Other frigates of both projects will be fitted with power plants produced in Russia. They will have higher characteristics as compared with their Ukrainian counterparts, USC statement says.
NPO Saturn in cooperation with other Russian companies has already commenced refining of the Russian projects. The first gas-turbine engines will be produced in Russia by late 2017 – early 2018. There are also solutions for production of reduction units at Zvezda shipyard (Saint-Petersburg).
United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC OJSC) is the largest shipbuilding company in Russia. It was set up in 2007 with 100% federal ownership. The holding comprises 60 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and shiprepairing companies as well as leading design bureaus). Currently, USC consolidates about 80% of the domestic shipbuilding complex. The Russian market is the main focus of the state corporation though it also exports its products to 20 countries worldwide.