Indian frigate with Ukrainian engine is commissioned in Russia

9 December, 2024 Indian frigate Tushil during its commissioning ceremony. Source: Indian Navy The Project 11356R Burevestnik Tushil frigate of the Indian Navy was commissioned in Kaliningrad.

This was announced by Indian Defense Minister Raksha Mantri. In his speech, he called the commissioning of the frigate "an important milestone in the history of the long-standing friendship between India and Russia, based on shared values, mutual trust and a special strategic partnership." The ceremony took place at the Yantar shipyard with the participation of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseev and other senior officials.

The commissioning ceremony of the ship.

Source: Indian Defense Minister

The Tushil frigate was originally built for the Russian Navy and was laid down in July 2013 under the name Admiral Butakov. In November of the same year, another frigate of the same design, the Admiral Istomin, was laid down. In March 2016, the hull of the Admiral Butakov frigate was launched, but the completion was suspended due to the lack of Ukrainian-made main gas turbine units.

Subsequently, in October, India and Russia signed an agreement to complete the Admiral Butakov and Admiral Istomin frigates for the Indian Navy under the names Tushil and Tamala. To complete the construction, India purchased two Ukrainian GGTU-M7N1 gas turbine engines manufactured by Zoria-Mashproiekt, the installation of which began in 2021.

The unfinished frigate "Admiral Butakov" of the modified Project 11356 afloat near the walls of JSC "Yantar", 2016. Photo from open sources

11356R Burevestnik

The Project 11356R frigate was developed on the basis of the export Project 11356.

Its creation was aimed at rapidly replenishing the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy due to delays in the construction of the Admiral Gorshkov Project 22350 frigates. The 11356R project is based on the patrol vessels of the 1135 and 1135M projects, as well as the border patrol vessels of the 11351 Nerey project.