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Russia’s Pyotr Morgunov amphibious assault ship to start sea trials in June

The Pyotr Morgunov is being built at the Yantar shipyard in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad

MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. The Pyotr Morgunov, Russia’s Ivan Gren-class amphibious assault ship currently being built for the Russian Navy, will take to the sea for the first time in mid-June, project chief Sergey Panfilov told the Zvezda TV channel.

"In late April, the fitting-out process and electrical works at the ship are to be completed. By mid-June, it will be able to take to the sea for the first time," Panfilov said on Sunday.

The Pyotr Morgunov is being built at the Yantar shipyard in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. Yantar CEO Eduard Yefimov earlier said the Petr Morgunov was in a high state of readiness.

The contract for the construction of the Petr Morgunov, which is the first serial warship of project 11711, was signed in September 2014. It was laid in June 2015 and floated on May 25, 2018.

Project 11711 big landing ships are designed for landing operations on hostile territory, as well as hardware and equipment transportation. In peacetime they engage in humanitarian operations. The ro-ro ship has a bow to stern through passage for armor. It has a two-island superstructure and a hangar in the stern for one helicopter. The extendable construction makes the hangar fit for two helicopters. The hull and superstructure are made of steel. The ship can carry 13 tanks or 36 armored personnel carriers. The marine strength is 300-380 men. The ships can carry 1500 tonnes of cargo instead of the landing force. It can carry one-two Ka-29 helicopters or Ka-52K. Artillery arms include one 30mm AK-630M-2 Duet and two 30mm AK-630M. The displacement is 5000 tonnes, the length is 120 meters and the width - 16.5 meters. The speed is 18 knots, the cruising capacity is 30 days and the crew comprises a hundred men.

The first ship of this project - the Ivan Gren - was provided for the Navy in June 2018.

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