Russian corvette Merkury
Steregushchiy-class corvette of the Russian Navy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Merkury is a Steregushchiy-class corvette of the Russian Navy. The original name for the corvette was Retiviy prior to 2021.[2]
Merkury during sea trials, 2022 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Russia | |
| Name | Mercury (Меркурий) |
| Namesake | Russian brig Mercury |
| Builder | Severnaya Verf, Saint Petersburg |
| Way number | 535[1] |
| Laid down | 20 February 2015 as Retiviy[2] |
| Launched | 12 March 2020 |
| Acquired | 11 May 2023 |
| Commissioned | 13 May 2023[3] |
| Renamed | 15 October 2021 |
| Status | Assigned to the Black Sea Fleet but operates as part of the Baltic Fleet de facto including operations in the Mediterranean from time to time[4] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Steregushchiy-class corvette |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 104.5 m (343 ft) |
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Installed power | 380/220 V AC, 50 Hz, 4x630 kW diesel genset |
| Propulsion | 2 shaft CODAD, 4 Kolomna 16D49 diesels 23,664 hp (17.6 MW) |
| Speed | 27 kn (50 km/h; 31 mph) |
| Range | 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Endurance | 15 days |
| Complement | 90 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | |
Development and design
The Steregushchiy-class corvettes have a steel hull and composite material superstructure, with a bulbous bow and nine watertight subdivisions. They have a combined bridge and command centre, and space and weight provision for eight Kh-35 missiles. Newest physical field reduction[clarification needed] solutions were applied too. As a result, designers considerably reduced the ship's radar signature thanks to hull architecture and fire-resistant radar-absorbent fiberglass applied in tophamper's design.[5] Stealth technology was widely used during construction of the ships, as well as 21 patents and 14 new computer programs.[6]
The Kashtan CIWS on the first ship was replaced in subsequent vessels by 12 Redut VLS cells containing 9M96E medium-range SAMs of the S-350 system. 3M54 Kalibr missiles will be fitted to a larger domestic version, Project 20385.[7]
The export version known as Project 20382 Tigr carries either eight supersonic P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles or sixteen subsonic Kh-35E Uran. It also carries two twin-tube launchers for 533mm heavy torpedoes. The A-190E 100mm gun first used in the Talwar-class frigates is controlled by a 5P-10E system that can track four targets simultaneously. Protection from air attacks is provided by the Kashtan CIWS and eight mounts for the 9K38 Igla SAM.[8]
Construction and career
The ship was laid down on 20 February 2015 as Retiviy, and launched on 12 March 2020 by Severnaya Verf in Saint Petersburg.[9] In April 2020, the ship's crew was formed. The crew arrived in St. Petersburg at the beginning of May 2020 for training. The ship was originally planned to go for sea trials at the end of 2020. However, mooring trials were first initiated in October 2021.[10] While the transfer to the Black Sea Fleet was scheduled for the end of 2021,[11][12][13] as of January 2022 the vessel remained on trials.
The name of the ship was changed to Merkury in 2021.[2] The ship was reported to have started sea trials in May 2022[14] and was reported as planned for commissioning in October.[15] In October it was reported that commissioning may have been postponed into 2023.[16] The ship was commissioned on 13 May 2023.[17]
In late 2024, amid hightend tensions with NATO during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Merkury was deployed as an escort for a Russian tanker on its way through the Baltic sea. The ships were shadowed by the German frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen. Near Bornholm the Germans deployed a NH 90 helicopter for closer investigation. Four flares were fired from Merkury towards the helicopter.[18]