Project 11711: “Ivan Gren” class
The Ivan Gren (Project 11711) large landing ship has arrived the port of Baltiysk for qualifications and training (landing operations, helicopters training etc) before it will join to the Russian Northern Fleet (till the end of 2016).
The ship is built in Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad. The vessel have a displacement of 5,000 tons and is able to carry up to 13 main battle tanks or 36 armoured personnel carriers or 300 marines. The Ivan Gren-class ship also carries two military helicopters Kamov Ka-27, developed for ferrying and anti-submarine warfare. The Ivan Gren is armed by six 30mm radar-guided automatic guns.
It has modern cranes for loading equipment, which also can be loaded on the ship through the bow ramp.
Some media call the Ivan Gren-class vessel: ‘Russian Misral‘ because it has been developed to replace the two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships that had been built for Russia by France but wasn’t delivered because of “Russian involvement” into the crisis in Ukraine.
In 2015, another Project 11711 large landing ship, the Pyotr Morgunov, was laid down at the Kaliningrad-based Yantar shipyard. It’s planned to be transfered to the Russian Navy in 2018. The landing ship will be allegedly armed with a 76-mm naval gun, two 30-mm AK-630 anti aircraft mounts and multiple artillery rocket systems.
“The vessel has significantly improved living conditions for accommodation and accommodation of the crew, commandos and marines. Its cruising range is up to 4,000 miles, which will allow the ship to fulfil tasks in the off-shore maritime zone. The Pyotr Morgunov large landing ship can also carry a transport-combat helicopter,” head of Navy’s shipbuilding department Vladimir Tryapichnikov comments the capabilities of the Pyotr Morgunov.
The Mistral is a Landing Helicopter Dock and that is not a Landing Helicopter Dock. In addition to that point that looks rather a Landing Platform Dock not a Landing Helicopter Dock.