Russia to showcase new stealth corvette

Russia will exhibit for the first time its newest Steregushchy class (Project 20380) corvette, the Soobrazitelny, at a biennial naval show on June 29-July 3 in St. Petersburg. More than 300 companies, including 30 foreign firms from 25 countries will take part in the 5th International Maritime Defense Show, IMDS-2011. The demonstration part of the show will involve 15 combat ships of the Russian Navy and three foreign warships: German frigate FGS Hamburg, Dutch frigate HMS Van Amstel and U.S. Navy frigate USS Carr. The Project 20380 corvette can be deployed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft, and to provide artillery support for beach landings. It uses stealth technology to reduce the ship's secondary radar field, as well as its acoustic, infrared, magnetic and visual signatures. Russia plans to have up to 30 vessels of this class to ensure the protection of its coastal waters, as well as its oil and gas transportation routes, especially in the Black and the Baltic seas. The first Project 20380 corvette, the Steregushchy, was put into service with Russia's Baltic Fleet in October 2008. The program of the show includes exhibition firing from 10 ship artillery mounts and demonstration flights of aerobatic teams, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.