Almaz Shipyard Delivered Two Patrol Ships To Vietnam

25 Oktober 2011

Svetlyak hull number 044 (photo : RusNavy)

Acceptance certificates of two Project 10412 patrol ships (serial numbers 044 and 045) built for Vietnamese Navy were signed on Oct 20 at Almaz Shipbuilding Firm. These are third and fourth hulls of Project 10410 Svetlyak export version. First two ships were delivered to Vietnam in 2002.

Both ships were laid down on one day – June 26, 2009. The first hull was launched on Nov 12, 2010, and the second one on Apr 22, 2011. Trials were delayed a bit because of protractions with arms and equipment supplies. In particular, Arsenal Machinery Plant delivered gun mounts AK-176M for both ships several months behind schedule.

Having completed trial program by mid-Oct, both patrol ships were docked in the shipyard's floating dock PD-423 and prepared for marine freight. In the nearest days, the ships will be moved to St. Petersburg's sea port and embarked on a transport ship for further shipping to Vietnam.

Svetlyak hull number 045 (photo : fleetphoto)

Other two similar ships are being completed at JSC Vostochnaya Verf (Vladivostok). Both hulls (serial numbers 420 and 421) were also keel-laid on one day – July 22, 2009. According to plan, they were to be delivered till the end of 2011. Delivery dates were repeatedly postponed due to same reasons, i.e. supplies protraction of equipment including gun mounts made by Arsenal plant. Finally, the delivery deadline is set in 2012.

Project 10412 was designed on the basis of Project 10410 Svetlyak patrol ship developed by Almaz Design Bureau in late 80's for Soviet KGB Coast Guard. Since the beginning of the Svetlyak program, Almaz Shipbuilding Firm has built 16 ships for domestic and foreign customers including hulls No. 044 and 045. In total, 36 such ships have been built. Comparing to basic project, Vietnamese ships are not armed with antisubmarine weapons so can be classified as patrol crafts or gun boats.

The ships built in Russia under Vietnamese government's order will substantially enhance its national navy in potential conflicts with China and other neighbors regarding disputable areas in the South China Sea, particularly, near Spratly Archipelago and Paracel Islands. For Vietnam, those regions are of great importance from the viewpoint of oil and gas reserves and bioresources.

(RusNavy)