Russia has launched the ‘Strelok’, a modernized Tarantul-class corvette (Project 12418), at the Vympel shipyard in Rybinsk, marking the completion of a long-delayed project aimed at strengthening its coastal defense capabilities. The vessel is the result of an extensive conversion of a hull originally laid down in the 1990s, providing the Russian Navy with a new asset for patrol and strike missions.
The journey of the ‘Strelok’ stems from a 2016 contract to complete and upgrade two long-idle hulls. The project faced significant delays, pushing the delivery well beyond the initial 2018-2019 schedule. The first of the pair, ‘Stupinets’, was launched for the Caspian Flotilla in 2024. Now, its sister ship, ‘Strelok’ (hull number 705), has finally been launched as of September 2025.
With a full displacement of approximately 580 tons, the ‘Strelok’ can achieve a top speed of around 29 knots and has an operational autonomy of 10 days. Its primary armament is the Uran anti-ship missile system, capable of firing Kh-35 missiles with a range of 130 to 260 kilometers. This is complemented by a 76 mm AK-176M rapid-fire naval gun and two six-barreled AK-630M close-in weapon systems for point defense.
The modernization extends beyond weaponry. The corvette is equipped with advanced sensor and electronic suites, including the Mineral-ME and Positiv-ME1 radar systems, along with modern electronic warfare and countermeasures. The original gas-turbine propulsion of earlier Tarantul-class variants has been replaced with more efficient diesel engines, enhancing the vessel’s range and habitability for extended littoral deployments. This integrated upgrade allows the ‘Strelok’ to operate effectively both independently and as a networked unit within a larger naval group.
