KALININGRAD, February 2. /TASS/. The large landing ship Ivan Gren is testing the onboard helicopter complex as part of a new round of state trials. The Baltic Fleet’s naval pilots are assisting in the trials, Fleet spokesman Roman Martov said on Friday.
"During the trials of the helicopter complex of the large amphibious assault ship Ivan Gren at the Baltic Fleet’s sea training ranges, shipborne helicopters of the Fleet’s naval aviation are performing flights around the warship and landings onto it in various weather conditions in daytime and at night," the spokesman said.
The trials involve shipborne Kamov Ka-27 helicopters from the Baltic Fleet’s combined helicopter squadron, Martov said.
The Yantar Shipyard based on the Baltic coast and building the warship Ivan Gren said that the trials of the amphibious assault ship were expected to be completed in late February. After that, the Shipyard will start preparing the warship for its delivery to the Russian Navy.
The Project 11711 large amphibious assault lead ship Ivan Gren was developed by the Nevskoye Design Bureau in St. Petersburg in northwest Russia. It was laid down by the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad in west Russia in December 2004 and launched in May 2012. Its sea trials began in June 2016.
On November 30, 2017, the large amphibious assault ship Ivan Gren started undergoing state trials in the Baltic Sea.
The warship can carry 13 main battle tanks, 36 armored personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles, or up to 300 marines. The amphibious assault ship can also transport a reinforced marine infantry company with organic military hardware and land it with the use of pontoons.
The amphibious assault ship Ivan Gren is armed with 30mm six-barrel artillery systems and two Kamov Ka-29 transport/attack helicopters in its deck hangars.