As part of efforts to modernize its surface fleet and to compensate for losses sustained in Ukraine, the Russian Navy has celebrated the launch of a new Ivan Gren-class amphibious landing ship. The vessel, built by the OSK “Yantar” shipyard, is the third ship of the class—also known as Project 11711—and unlike the first two, it is intended to be assigned to the Pacific Fleet.
With a displacement of between five and six thousand tons, the Ivan Gren class is the most modern of its type currently in service with the Russian Navy. The addition of these new units aims to complement and eventually replace the aging Ropucha-class ships, also known as Project 775.
Currently, out of a projected total of eleven ships, two are already in service with the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet: the Vice Admiral Ivan Gren (135) and the Major General Pyotr Morgunov (117).
The recently launched vessel has been named Admiral Vladimir Andreev and is expected to join the Pacific Fleet in the future. According to information released by the Yantar shipyard during the launch ceremony held on May 30, construction is also underway on the fourth ship of the class, named Major General Vasily Trushin.
During the launch ceremony, Navy Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev “…noted that the construction of the landing ship incorporated the operational experience of the series’ vessels, which have demonstrated excellent seaworthiness and combat capabilities across thousands of nautical miles and multiple combat deployments, proving their ability to carry out missions anywhere in the world,” as detailed in the official statement.
Nevertheless, the introduction of new Ivan Gren-class ships offers only a modest boost to the Russian Navy’s amphibious landing capabilities. After three years of conflict in Ukraine, several Ropucha-class ships have been targeted in attacks, suffering serious damage and losses from various types of Ukrainian drones and missiles.
This is a significant concern, given that this class of ship can transport and deploy substantial equipment and personnel for amphibious landings, including tanks, armored personnel carriers, and up to 300 troops, as well as operate embarked aircraft such as the Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters and Ka-29 transport helicopters.
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