Commissioning the Project 22350 frigate with the name Admiral Golovko under its belt means a huge leap for the new generation of Russia’s naval capabilities. With advanced hypersonic Tsirkon missiles on board, this warship definitely will turn into a highly welcome addition to Russia’s maritime arsenal and become a certain nightmare for NATO forces acting in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.
The recent firing show was conducted in the Barents Sea by Admiral Golovko, one of the Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates. According to reports from Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the warship managed to conduct a series of artillery and surface-to-air missile firings as part of scheduled combat training. “The Northern Fleet’s frigate Admiral Golovko has accomplished a series of artillery firings in the Barents Sea as part of scheduled combat training measures,” the ministry said.
These multi-mission frigates are equipped with Kalibr-NK and Oniks cruise missiles for long-range strikes, anti-submarine warfare, and escort missions. The lead ship, in particular, was fitted with sixteen 3S14 VLS cells that can carry Kalibr, Oniks, and the hypersonic Tsirkon missiles; on the future vessels of this class, that number will be over-doubled, virtually floating missile trucks.
With a range of over 1,000 kilometers and a speed up to Mach 9, the Tsirkon missile is Admiral Golovko’s crowning jewel. The hypersonic missile may strike targets at sea and on a multi-mission lethal weapon. The Russian Ministry of Defense has underlined that Tsirkon may avoid even the most modern American defenses quite easily. That is serious to be concerned about by NATO’s fleet.
The commissioning ceremony in St. Petersburg was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Name-stamped after the noted Soviet naval commander, Admiral Arseniy Golovko, the ship is the third in the series of frigates of the class Gorshkov with a design updated for more capabilities.
According to military experts, patrolling the North Sea Route and countering NATO forces in the North Atlantic will be the main mission of Admiral Golovko. Deploying this vessel to the Severomorsk-based 43rd Division of Missile Ships testifies to its high role in the Russian naval service.
Extensive tests of the Tsirkon missile have taken place; they included successful launches from the Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov. These tests confirmed its precision-strike capability, with targets reached as far away as 350 km. It is intended that the Ministry of Defense of Russia will carry the Tsirkon on board surface ships and submarines and is also working on a ground-based version.
The Russian Navy will receive the fully equipped Admiral Golovko, with its heavy structure and advanced missile systems. Admiral Golovko will thus probably gain a very important place in strengthening the Russian Northern Fleet. The continued strengthening of NATO’s forces in the Arctic is forcing Russia to take countermeasures by adding new hypersonic-armed frigates to its naval forces, which is extremely changing the balance of power in the region.