04.10 New
ASTRAKHAN, October 4 (RIA Novosti) - A new Project 21630 (Buyan-class) corvette has arrived at a naval base hosting Russias Caspian Flotilla to boost the countrys maritime defenses in the region, a flotillas spokesman said.
The Makhachkala corvette has successfully passed state trials and will soon start performing its operational tasks in the Caspian Sea as part of the [Caspian] flotilla, Alexey Rulev said Thursday.
The Makhachkala is the third Buyan-class vessel put in service with the Caspian Flotilla.
Buyan class corvettes have been specifically designed to operate in shallow waters and carry out a broad range of missions in the Caspian Sea, as well as in adjoining river deltas.
The vessels feature a reduced radar signature and high maneuverability.
They were built at the St. Petersburg-based Almaz Shipyard and are armed with an A-190 artillery system, two AK-306 30-mm six-barrel machineguns and Grad-M 40-tube 122-mm multiple rocket launch systems.
