The Russian Navy has tested the capabilities of Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates, some of the newest at its disposal, during the massive Ocean-2024 drills, the Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
The military released a video of the live-fire exercise, for which the Northern Fleet deployed the Admiral Kasatonov and the Admiral Golovko, the second and third currently active ships of their class. The vessels fired A-192M 130mm naval guns at a target 10km away, which was simulating an enemy ship, and deployed air defense measures, according a description accompanying the footage.
The lead ship of the series was commissioned in 2018, with the other two following in 2020 and 2023. They are designed as multipurpose vessels suitable for anti-submarine warfare and escort missions, as well as serving as long-range strike platforms.
The ministry highlighted their role as anti-ship assets, thanks to their vertical launch systems compatible with the Zircon, a hypersonic cruise missile. The weapon “can with certainty pierce through any modern or near-future anti-missile system,” the statement said.
The Ocean-2024 drills are reportedly the largest the Russian Navy has conducted in three decades. Its program includes maneuvers in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas. The exercise will run until September 16, according to the ministry.
President Vladimir Putin, who kickstarted the drills on Tuesday, told Russian military commanders and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov that the Navy will show its ability to defend the country from threats amid rising geopolitical tensions.
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