SEVASTOPOL, May 18. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet’s frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov have deployed to the sea from Sevastopol for drills, the Fleet’s press office reported on Monday.
"At the initial stage, the crews practiced the ships’ emergency response preparedness for a battle and their deployment with the subsequent departure from the base for the designated areas. After leaving Sevastopol, the ships’ crews held a series of shipborne drills, practicing the elements of joint deployment and maneuvering in various formations and deployment orders," the press office said in a statement.
After arriving at the combat training naval ranges, the crews started accomplishing sole and joint missions at various sections of the sea, the statement says.
The frigates have deployed to the Black Sea in compliance with the Fleet’s combat training plan, the press office informed.
The warships like the Admiral Essen represent a new series of Project 11356R/M frigates (the Project 11357 designation is also used). These frigates are designed to destroy enemy surface ships and vessels, submarines and ground installations, carry out patrols and defend sea lanes.
The frigates of this Project are armed with eight launchers of Kalibr-NK cruise missiles that are capable of striking surface, coastal and underwater targets at a distance of up to 2,600 km.
The warships of this Project are also armed with Shtil-1, Palash and AK-630M air defense missile and artillery systems, A-190 100mm universal artillery guns, torpedo tubes and RBU-6000 rocket launchers. The frigates also have a take-off and landing strip and a hangar for an anti-submarine warfare helicopter (Ka-27 or Ka-31).