MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov inspected the JSC Amur Shipbuilding Plant on Monday to check the fulfilment of the state defense order by the defense industry enterprises in 2016. During the inspection Borisov examined the Project 20380 (Steregushchy class) corvettes’ building ways, the Defense Ministry's press service reported.

"The plant currently works on implementing four contracts related to Project 20380 corvettes. Two corvettes were to be commissioned last year. So we’ll see into this with the plant’s new leadership, how they plan to correct the situation," Yuri Borisov said on the inspection results.

The deputy defense minister said he hoped that the first corvette would be commissioned this year. "If the Amur Shipbuilding Plant manages to meet schedule, we will place more orders. We have a plan to place additional orders," Borisov said.

As of April 1, 2016, four ships of Project 20380 are operational with the Russian Navy - the Steregushchy, Soobrazitelny, Boiky and Stoiky corvettes. All the four corvettes are commissioned in the Baltic Fleet. Eight more corvettes are being built.

Project 20380 Steregushchy class corvettes are the new multirole vessels being built by the JSC Severnaya Verf shipyard and Amur Shipbuilding Plant for the Russian Navy. Steregushchy class corvettes are intended to replace the Grisha class corvettes. Steregushchy class can be deployed in coastal patrol, escort and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. The vessels can engage surface ships, submarines, aircraft and shore-based targets.

The first corvette in its class, Steregushchy, was laid in December 2001 and launched in May 2006. It began sea trials in November 2006, for commissioning into the Baltic fleet in November 2007. The second ship in class, Soobrazitelny, was laid in May 2003 and launched in March 2010. It was delivered to the Russian Navy in July 2011.