GarryB wrote: The 22350 "frigates" are classified as a 1st rank ship, this is a destroyer or "ship of the line" not a frigate, using the common and NATO classification.
So the Gorshkov frigates are the same 1st rank as the upgraded Peter the Great Orlan class ships?
The fact that the designation for the Udaloy has changed from Destroyer to Frigate suggests that ships can change rank easily enough and that when new destroyers and new cruisers are built these frigates will drop down the ranks accordingly.
no, "Frigate" Udaloy is also first rank ship
the rank does not change, the tons does not change, the weapons does not change and also increase...., change only the name (its more politically correct "frigate" than destroyer....)
1st rank: Gorshov, Udaloy, Sovremennyy, nuclear submarines and cruisers. Of course, cruisers can be flag ships with an admiral onboard. Basically more than 5000 t full load means 1st rank
2nd rank: Stereguschy , Daghestan,. Krivak , Neustrashiniy , Grigorovich (Krivak V), Rapucha, diesel submarines. Basically more 2000 t
3rd rank: Buyan-M, Karakurt, Tarantul, Grisha, Nanuchka, Parchim, Zubr, ocean minesweepers. Basically more 400--500 tons, Also salvage tugs and the most auxiliares
4th rank (comanded by liutenants): Landing crafts, gunboats, harbor minesweepers, harbor tugs. etc...
https://vk.com/rusflot?w=wall-72814627_150695
The 1st rank frigate "Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov" Project 22350 of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. In 2018 he entered the Navy. Board number - 454. Designed for the destruction of ground targets, NK of the enemy, support for anti-aircraft defense and air defense of fleet formations. It is part of the 43rd division of missile ships of the Northern Fleet. Based in Severomorsk.
https://vk.com/rusflot?w=wall-72814627_150793
Corvette 2 rank "Boyky" Project 20380 of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy. In 2013 he entered the Navy. Board number - 532. Designed to search and destroy enemy submarines, to fight surface ships. It is part of the 128th BF surface ship brigade. Based in Baltiysk.
It appears that ships 22350 and 22350M will cover the Sovremenny and Udaloy sites in the long term with better weapons and greater versatility, although with a smaller size.
In fact, the 22,350 are entering the places where the Sovremenny (more than a dozen) should be, who caused premature loss due to the disastrous Ukrainian turbines.
in the same way, it seems that the 22380 and 22385 occupy the place left by the premature loss of the Krivak, also with better armament and polyvalence and smaller size.
And the Lider, classified as "destroyers" with 20,000 tons, will replace the cruisers in the very long term, especially since they will surely have a construction period of many years and the last will come when the nuclear cruisers "Kirov" are withdrawn, probaly the construction period between 2030 and 2045 or more. (I hope I live long enough to see it)