Admiral Grigorovich-class (Project 11356R)

The Admiral Grigorovich class, designated Project 11356R, was developed to address a requirement for modernized frigates within the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The procurement of these vessels, based on the established Talwar-class design, was initiated in 2010 following production delays of other naval programs. The lead ship was laid down in December 2010 and entered commission in March 2016. Construction of the series encountered significant disruption in 2014 when the supply of gas turbine engines was terminated due to geopolitical conflict. This necessitated the development of domestic propulsion alternatives and resulted in the eventual sale of several unfinished hulls to the Indian Navy.

This guided missile frigate is engineered for multi-role maritime warfare, featuring a vertical launch system (VLS) capable of deploying Kalibr, Oniks, or Tsircon cruise missiles. Its defensive architecture includes a dedicated VLS for surface-to-air missiles, supplemented by close-in weapon systems and MANPADS for point defense. The vessel is equipped with twin-tube torpedo launchers and a rocket launcher for sub-surface engagements. Sensor integration consists of air and surface search radars, specialized fire control systems, and a sonar suite featuring a towed array. Aviation facilities include a helipad and hangar designed to support a single Ka-27 series helicopter. Electronic warfare suites and countermeasures are integrated for platform survivability.

Operational deployment of the class began in November 2016 with the lead vessel’s arrival in the Mediterranean Sea to support military intervention in the Syrian Civil War. During this period, the ship executed cruise missile strikes against targets in Idlib and Homs, destroying ammunition warehouses and weapon production plants. The class has maintained a consistent presence in the Mediterranean squadron. In 2022, during the invasion of Ukraine, vessels of this class were utilized to engage aerial drones and conduct cruise missile strikes against land-based targets.

In recent years the class has remained central to Russian naval activity even as it has absorbed losses. The Novorossiysk-based sister ships Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov were damaged in Ukrainian drone and uncrewed surface vessel strikes on the Black Sea Fleet's anchorage, including coordinated attacks in March and April 2026 that were assessed to have degraded their cruise-missile strike capability. The lead ship, Admiral Grigorovich, has continued to operate well beyond the Black Sea. On 16 June 2026, while transiting the English Channel roughly 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, the frigate was reported to have fired warning shots near a UK-registered yacht that had come within about 500 yards (460 m). The British Ministry of Defence said it was "investigating reports of an incident in the Channel." The Royal Navy tracked the warship as it passed through the strait, in an episode that followed the boarding of a suspected Russian shadow-fleet vessel in the same waters days earlier and underscored heightened UK–Russia tensions at sea.