Project 15470 frigate

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Class overview
Name: Project 15470 frigate
Operators: Itayana Navy
Preceded by: Project 10705 frigate
Succeeded by: Project 15580 frigate
In service: 2000-present
Completed: 40
Cancelled: 24
Active: 40
General characteristics
Type: Frigate
Displacement: 4,900 tonnes
Length: 138.1m
Beam: 14.6m
Draught: 8.6m
Propulsion:
  • 2-shaft COGAG system:
  • 2 x cruise gas turbines, 10,000 kW each
  • 2 x boost gas turbines, 27,500 kW each
Speed: +32kn
Range: 4,000 nautical miles at 18 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried:
2x Type 440 cutters
Complement:
  • 193 (pr.15741)
  • 135 (pr.15742)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Project 15471:
    • Fregato-M3 3D air search radar
    • Klingo-95 SAM guidance radar
    • Leono-145 fire control radar
  • Project 15471 MLU:
    • Type 2132 3D air search radar
    • Type 3100 SAM guidance / gunnery radar
    • Type 2677 gunnery radar
  • Navigation radar
  • Optronic suite
  • Sonar suite:
    • Hull-mounted sonar
    • Towed array sonar
Armament:
  • Project 15471
    • 2 missile mounts (8 missiles)
    • 36 SAM VLS cells
    • 3x1 100mm guns
    • 4x2 25mm automatic cannons
    • 2 RBU-6000 bomb throwers
    • 2x2 533mm torpedo tubes
    • 4 decoy launchers
  • Project 15471 MLU
    • 2 missile mounts (8 missiles)
    • 36 SAM VLS cells
    • 3x1 100mm guns
    • 4 25mm rotary automatic cannons
    • 2 24-barrel multi-purpose launchers (MLU)
    • 2x4 324mm torpedo tubes (MLU)
Aircraft carried: 2 helicopters

The Project 15470 is a class of frigates in service with the Unifying Navy. Conceived as the primary unit of the Navy in 1990s, the ship was designed with extensive assistance of Redisan and Elatian shipbuilders. The first two batches were constructed on the foreign shipyards or with foreign supervision, while further batches were entirely domestic. The lead ship was commissioned in 2000 and the initial plans to build sixteen vessels eventually expanded, making the family the mainstay of the Unifying Navy and its most numerous surface combatant.

General characteristics

The layout of the Project 15470 vessels is characterized by relatively low and extensive superstructure, several antenna masts, two funnels and a wide helicopter hangar. The hull is 138.1 m long overall, with a beam of 14.6 meters and the draught of 8.6 meters, including a 4-meter bulb housing the bow sonar array. The hull shape was reportedly modeled using computer simulations to optimize hydrodynamic performance.

Ships of the class are powered by the COGAG propulsion system, with two 10kW cruise gas turbines and two 27.5kW boost gas turbines. The top speed is estimated to be in excess of 32 knots, while the operational range of 4,000 nautical miles at 18 knots is typical for contemporary frigates. Electrical power is provided by a set of steam generators using heat from cruise turbines, as well as backup diesel generators. The ships carry two 12-meter boats, standard minimum for the blue-water vessels of the Autocracy Navy; vessels post mid-life upgrade have been known to use 7-meter RIB boats on several occasions. Each ship has a crew of 193, with 11 officers and 37 warrant officers.

The primary offensive weapon of the class is comprised of the two missile mounts amidships that allow variety of missile container launchers to be fitted. Initial ships used exclusively the imported Moskit anti-ship missiles, but at some point around 2008 further launchers were developed for other types of missiles, apparently including the modified Moskit derivative and the Kalibr cruise missile family. For anti-air defence, the ships carry 36 vertical-launch cells in three groups of 12 for various medium and short-range surface-to-air missiles. The exact types of SAMs in service of the Solar Autocracy are unknown, but are likely derived from Rezese, Redisan and Elatian systems. In addition to missiles, ships of the Project 15470 carry three 100mm guns licensed from Elatia: one fore and two flanking the superstructure midships. As build, the ships were equipped with eight 25mm guns in twin manned powered mounts, two at the fore superstructure behind the fire control radar, and two on top of the hangar. Those were later replaced by 3-barrel rotary 25mm guns in remote weapon stations.

The electronic equipment of the class consists of a 3D air search radar, a missile control radar, a gunnery radar, a navigational radar, and an electronic warfare suite mounted below the air search radar. Conceived in 1990s, the ships relied primarily on foreign electronic equipment, mounting Elatian Fregato-M3 3D air search, Klingo-95 SAM guidance and Leono-145 gunnery radars, and MR-420 electronic countermeasures suite. The mid-life upgrade replaced most of the sensors on those of domestic origins. Additionally, four optronics camera stations are mounted at the fore mast. The capabilities of the combat integration suite are unknown but are assumed to have evolved over time.

For the anti-submarine warfare, ships of the class carry two sets of torpedo tubes below the main deck fore of the hangar, and two RBU bomb throwers. When first commissioned, ships of the Project 15471 carried two twin 533mm torpedo tubes with several reloads. Over the mid-life upgrade program those were replaced with quad 324mm torpedo tubes. The sonar suite consists of the bow array and the towed array; the exact specifications or the place of origin of those are unknown. Two helicopters are housed in the hangar at the stern of the ship, complementing search capabilities and offensive power of the vessel.

Notable deployments

As the main surface combatant of the Autocracy Navy, Project 15470 frigates have been used to represent the Solar Autocracy whenever and wherever needed, either by themselves or escorting the few capital ships of the Navy. Their first deployments were happened in August 2001, shortly after the first four units were commissioned from Redisan yards. The ships were frequently seen on joint exercises with Zacapine, Redisan, Rezese and Elatian navies, as well as representing the Autocracy as far as Velikoslavia, M'Biruna and Elatia.

The success of the design prompted the Solar Temple of Yanbango to massively expand their Star-2 Naval Program, contributing to the rise of the Two Rivers Machine Building Corporation. Apart from shipbuilding plants No.75 and No.87, foreign yards were employed in construction as well. By the time of the Central Itayana War, 16 frigates of the Project 15471 were commissioned, another two began were finishing sea trials, 22 were on varying stages of construction and 24 more were scheduled. Their role in the land war was limited to screening territorial waters of the Autocracy, although #31, forced to stay behind behind docked due to the engine trouble, was towed to Karana River where it scored two confirmed aircraft kills.

The 2009-2011 economic downturn impacted the shipbuilding programs of the Autocracy negatively; nevertheless, it appears that all effort was made to finish the frigates already laid down, regardless of the stage of construction. However, no further frigates of the design were laid down. Naval analysts believe that was due to the budget constraints as well as the moral obsolescence of the design from the '90s.

Starting 2020, the Navy initiated a mid-life refit program including complete overhaul of electronics, sensors and support systems, as well as efforts to reduce the radar cross section. It is expected that modified frigates will remain the mainstay of the Navy until 2040s, by which point they will be supplemented by newer designs.

Ships in class

Project 15471
Name Translation Shipyard Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
<name> Rainfall some Redisan yard 07.05.1998 25.12.1999 27.12.2000 Active
<name> <Translation> Rain some Redisan yard 07.05.1998 25.12.1999 27.12.2000 Active
<name> <Translation> Rain some Redisan yard 11.11.1998 26.02.2000 14.04.2001 Active
<name> <Translation> Rain some Redisan yard 11.11.1998 10.03.2000 25.05.2001 Active
<name> <Translation> Star some Redisan yard 13.04.1998 30.06.2000 13.01.2002 Active
<name> <Translation> Star some Redisan yard 17.05.1998 27.07.2000 15.02.2002 Active
<name> <Translation> Star some Redisan yard 10.06.1998 21.08.2000 17.03.2002 Active
<name> <Translation> Star some Redisan yard 23.07.1998 12.10.2000 19.04.2002 Active
<name> <Translation> Cloud Shipbuilding Plant No.87 05.04.2000 15.09.2003 25.03.2005 Active
<name> <Translation> Cloud Shipbuilding Plant No.87 06.04.2000 17.09.2003 27.04.2005 Active
<name> <Translation> Cloud Shipbuilding Plant No.87 19.01.2001 25.12.2003 03.07.2005 Active
<name> <Translation> Cloud Shipbuilding Plant No.87 18.02.2002 11.06.2004 21.09.2006 Active
<name> <Translation> Wind Shipbuilding Plant No.75 23.02.2000 03.08.2003 13.05.2005 Active
<name> <Translation> Wind Shipbuilding Plant No.75 26.03.2001 26.11.2004 04.06.2006 Active
<name> <Translation> Wind Shipbuilding Plant No.75 22.04.2002 30.01.2005 10.08.2007 Active
<name> <Translation> Wind Shipbuilding Plant No.75 12.05.2002 30.01.2005 12.10.2007 Active
Project 15471
Name Translation Shipyard Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
<name> <translation> some Redisan yard 09.01.2008 11.02.2010 01.04.2012 Active
<name> <translation> some Redisan yard 13.01.2008 13.02.2010 15.04.2012 Active
<name> <translation> some Redisan yard 11.11.2008 05.12.2010 18.06.2012 Active
<name> <translation> some Redisan yard 11.11.2008 15.12.2010 23.07.2012 Active
<name> <Translation> some Redisan yard 28.03.2009 17.02.2011 28.02.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> some Redisan yard 18.06.2009 16.03.2011 15.04.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> some Redisan yard 17.09.2009 14.06.2011 26.06.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> some Redisan yard 15.11.2009 02.08.2011 02.08.2013 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 23.03.2007 30.03.2008 22.09.2010 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 24.04.2007 30.04.2008 16.10.2010 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 10.02.2007 14.03.2009 01.02.2011 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 12.02.2007 02.03.2009 14.05.2011 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 03.03.2007 01.04.2012 10.07.2013 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 15.03.2007 16.04.2012 29.03.2014 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 27.12.2007 23.01.2013 13.06.2014 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.87 05.01.2008 27.01.2013 17.12.2014 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 04.07.2007 23.10.2010 23.07.2012 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 26.12.2007 18.12.2010 18.10.2012 Active
<name> <translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 10.08.2008 25.01.2011 11.12.2012 Active
<name> <Translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 16.08.2008 30.04.2011 01.08.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 18.11.2008 25.07.2011 11.09.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 23.11.2009 16.12.2011 24.10.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 25.12.2009 15.01.2012 31.11.2013 Active
<name> <Translation> Shipbuilding Plant No.75 30.12.2009 17.01.2012 12.01.2014 Active