to increase under President Vladimir Putin, and will likely reach
about $45 billion by 2010. Sources
said it is unlikely that President-elect Dmitry Medvedev will propose any drastic changes in defense
spending.
UAE Coast Guard
Signs Patrol Boat Deal
Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB)
has signed a $34.5 million construction contract for the acquisition of 12 34-meter patrol boats for
the United Arab Emirates Coast
Guard (UAECG). The first unit
will be commissioned by 2009
with the entire 12-unit class by
2012. The contract price is for the
hulls and machinery only, and does
not include any of the armaments
or sensors.
The 34-meter patrol boats replace
the UAECG’s existing force of smaller Camcraft 65 and Camcraft 77
classes of patrol craft that were built
in the 1970s. The patrol boats are a
34-meter design developed by the
UAECG with the hulls being constructed of glass-reinforced plastic at
ADSB’s composite moulding facility.
The boats will displace around
180 tons and be armed with one
20mm gun and two 12.7mm
machine guns. The vessels also will
carry a small interceptor craft.
Russian Yard Touts
New Frigate Design
Russia’s Yantar Shipyard is planning
to offer a new frigate design on the
international market. Future Project
11541 is a modernized variant of the
original Korsar frigate design.
Compared with the original
Korsar design, Project 11541 has
undergone major changes with
greater emphasis on stealth features. The 117.6-meter, 4,400-ton
ship has a fully enclosed structure
and a top speed of 30 knots. The
hull design incorporates a hangar
and flight deck for the operation of
two medium-sized helicopters.
Weapon and sensor systems include one A190 100mm gun, up to
16 KH-35 (SS-N-25 Switchblade)
surface-to-surface missiles or foreign equivalent, one Fregat-MAE0-3
air/surface search radar and one
Mineral-ME1/2 surface radar. ■
AMI International Inc., Bremerton,
Wash., is an international consulting and
naval intelligence services company located on the Web at www.amiinter.com.
Go to http://www.amiinter.com
