MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS-DEFENSE/. The Russian military shipbuilding has to achieve technological sovereignty. The task is stipulated by the Maritime doctrine and is fulfilled by design bureaus and the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). USC Deputy CEO for military shipbuilding Vladimir Korolev told TASS about the necessity to adjust the shipbuilding program according to the needs of the military operation in Ukraine, the capability of shipyards to accelerate overhaul and construction, and the warships the Russian Navy needs most of all.

Shipbuilding program

Korolev said no signing of contracts with the Defense Ministry at Army-2022 forum was planned. "However, the forum does not boil down to contracts. It provides answers that determine the future of our fleet," he said.

The military operation in Ukraine provides much room for consideration which warships the Russian Navy needs most of all and whether it is necessary to urgently adjust the shipbuilding program. Korolev believes the program may be adjusted only after a balanced analysis of numerous factors.

The new Maritime doctrine is no reaction to Ukrainian developments. "It has been drafted for several years and provides answers to questions that have matured for years. The shipbuilding program is adjusted every five years in the framework of a new arms program. The defense Ministry drafts such documents based on multi-option research that rationally distributes the appropriations to achieve maximum effectiveness of weapons for the defense of Russian interests against any outside threat," he said.

Korolev believes the Navy mostly needs frigates, corvettes, submarines, including nuclear ones.

He is against procuring a major batch of warships from China. The military cooperation with friendly countries should continue, but Russia can cope with all the tasks to satisfy the needs of the Navy on time despite objective difficulties.

The presence of the domestic production base is an issue of national security. "I do not believe that financing of the construction of warships in friendly countries will efficiently and urgently increase the force. There is an issue of training the crews, operation, overhaul and maintenance, and state secret protection," Korolev said.

He believes Russian shipyards can accelerate overhaul and construction to the level of leading shipbuilding corporations in the world. "The shipyards are working to accelerate the work. They install new technological tools and introduce modern technologies. However, the share of shipyard labor in warship construction comprises 30 percent on average. The rest depends on suppliers of the equipment. The delivery of equipment with a long production cycle determines two thirds of the construction time. Unfortunately, delays are inevitable in the construction of modern armaments. If we have orders for big series and stable supplies of components, as well as financing, we shall accelerate," he said.

Import substitution

The USC and the Industry and Trade Ministry lead design bureaus and shipyards in the substitution of foreign components with domestic ones in conditions of sanctions. Foreign components are still used only if substitution with domestic ones demands much time. The Maritime doctrine stipulates the technological independence of Russia in shipbuilding, Korolev said.

Current projects

The Admiral Nakhimov heavy nuclear cruiser of project 1144.2M will for the first time sail out after mooring trials are completed. "The USC proceeds as scheduled," Korolev said. Outdated systems of the warship are replaced with modern ones. The cruiser has been overhauled since 1999, however real work began in 2013. The Russian Navy will receive a new modern warship capable of any mission in the World Ocean.

The Generalissimus Suvorov SSBN of Borey-A-class project 955A is undergoing trials.

Severnaya Verf Shipyard has produced at least 60 percent of design documentation and will lay the lead upgraded frigate of project 22350M. It is designed by Severnoe Bureau. The technical project has to be approved by the Defense Ministry.

The ministry has not yet made any decision regarding the final construction of the sixth frigate of project 11356. The Yantar Shipyard suspended the construction as there is no power plant for it. "We are ready to build if the Defense Ministry decides. We can launch a new series of such warships," Korolev said.

Severnaya Verf can finalize the Provorny corvette of project 20385, which was damaged by fire in February 2021. "We shall complete it and hand over the ship to the Navy," Korolev said. The shipyard is expanding production capacities and building new facilities with modern tools. The enterprise does not plan to share its orders with other shipyards of the USC.

Prospective projects

The USC and the Prospective Research Fund (FPI) has two joint underwater projects. The first one is the Uragan project of a mobile robotic system. The second one is a deep-water robotic complex that develops Vityaz-D project with new research equipment.

The USC is building ice-class patrol ships of project 23550 for the Navy. However, so far there have been no orders for supply vessels for Arctic bases.

Korolev also commented on the Varan universal warship of Nevskoe Design Bureau, the Strazh submergible patrol ship of Rubin Design Bureau, and a nuclear submarine for the transportation of liquefied natural gas of Malakhit Design Bureau.

"There are numerous interesting engineering and shipbuilding projects. They are unique and may be used in the national economy, tourism and defense of the country," he said.

Everything depends on the customer and the customer is conservative and interested in commercial profit, which is difficult to calculate for new vessels.

"Nevertheless, such initiatives and designs have a sense and the USC encourages them, as, besides economic feasibility, it wants to be a world leader in the issues. The Lenin first nuclear icebreaker made our country the leader and we still keep the leadership in nuclear shipbuilding," Korolev said.

Future warships

The USC is developing completely new projects to increase combat effectiveness of warships, improve the quality of weapons and technical means, and increase the round of munitions. However, the main changes are expected in a different sphere.

"In the near future, unmanned robotic ships will sail out together with manned ones. The latter will integrate combat control systems and unite the systems with various functions," Korolev said.

It is necessary to focus on modular design of warships, simplify the adjustment of production for new projects, and make production processes automatic.

"No matter how far we look, we shall hardly see an unmanned shipyard. Warships will be built by humans rather than robots," Korolev said.