MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. The Russian Navy’s Project 22350 frigate Admiral Golovko armed with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles has embarked on its first deployment in distant waters, the Northern Fleet’s press office reported on Friday.
"Today a group of the Northern Fleet’s ships has left the Severomorsk roadstead and embarked on its long-distance deployment. The group’s ships have set course for the Atlantic Ocean through the designated areas in the Barents Sea. The group comprises the frigate Admiral Golovko carrying long-range precision weapons and the medium sea tanker Vyazma. For the frigate accepted for service with the Russian Navy in December last year, this is the first long-distance deployment," the press office said in a statement.
In the next few months, the Russian naval group will be accomplishing objectives in various areas of the World Ocean. The main goals of the long-distance deployment are to demonstrate the Russian flag and ensure Russia’s naval presence in operationally important areas of the World Ocean, it said.
Before their long-distance deployment, the crews of the frigate and the tanker had undergone a full set of training and an inspection by the Northern Fleet’s flagship specialists and accomplished objectives in the Barents Sea in accordance with the Russian Navy’s surface ship combat training course, it specified.
"Over the period of the ship’s operation within the Fleet’s forces, it has deployed to the sea on numerous occasions and the frigate’s equipment and armament have proven their reliability. The frigate has successfully test-launched all types of armament, including long-range precision missiles. Currently, the crew is ready to accomplish all assigned objectives in full in any areas of the World Ocean," Frigate Admiral Golovko Commander, Captain 2nd Rank Andrey Slavin said.
The Admiral Golovko is the Project 22350 third-built and second serial-produced frigate. The Admiral Golovko is an advanced multipurpose guided weapons ship designed to accomplish missions in distant maritime and oceanic zones. The frigate was accepted for service with the Russian Navy in late 2023. This year, the frigate’s crew successfully accomplished missile and artillery firings at sea, air and coastal targets, using, in particular, Kalibr cruise missiles, from high-latitude Arctic areas during the Ocean 2024 strategic command and staff naval exercise.