On Friday, April 26, the Russian Shipbuilding Corporation, through the Gorodets shipyard located in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, launched the naval helicopter pilot training vessel “Nikolai Kamov,” the first and only unit of the so-called Project 14400. The unit was initiated in 2018 and laid down on October 18, 2021.
The “Nikolai Kamov” was designed by the Baltsudoproekt Center for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and commissioned by the Krylov State Research Center (KSRC) for the Russian Navy. The launching ceremony was attended by the Director-General of the Russian Shipbuilding Corporation, Dmitry Savin, the head of the Naval Construction Department of the Russian Navy’s Main Command, Rear Admiral Ilyas Shigapov, and Colonel Andrey Pakhomov, Head of Naval Aviation of the Navy, along with other military and government authorities.
This vessel will be the only unit of Project 14000, with no plans currently in place for the construction of new units of this class, making it a special vessel in the Russian Navy’s lineup due to its uniqueness in training naval helicopter pilots.
About Project 14400
With a total displacement of less than 900 tons, the vessel has a length of 66.9 meters, a beam of 12.7 meters, and a draft of 2.1 meters. Designed for the training of naval helicopter pilots for Ka-27/29/31 and Ka-52 helicopters, it has a spacious deck that allows for the simulation of various landing scenarios, as well as serving as a platform for testing new helicopters.
In particular, it can simulate landings and takeoffs in various weather conditions, both day and night, as well as operations in unfavorable sea conditions, including rolling up to 10 degrees thanks to its so-called floating deck. Additionally, the unit can conduct maritime patrol operations at a maximum speed of 12 knots and with a two-day autonomy.
*Image credits: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
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