The 23000E Storm heavy aircraft carrier and a destroyer designated 23560E Shkval (Squall), whose preliminary design was developed by Krylov State Research Center (KGNTs, St. Petersburg)) for Russian navy, are fifth-generation vessels. Development of the vessels’ detailed and final design may be started in two or three years, Interfax-AVN reports with reference to Advisor to the CEO of the center, Valeri Polovinkin.

“We have completed preliminary design of the heavy aircraft carrier and the destroyer. This is not the final design. The results were approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian navy and were rated highly by the navy’s representatives. We believe that the design of the vessels is good. These ships will become leaders of out fleet. These are ocean-based vessels. I would say that these ones belong to the fifth generation,” V.Polovinkin said.

According to him, development of the detailed and final design of the vessels may be started in 2017-2018.

He added that the center would work with project organizations. “We will have to prove to them that the offered preliminary design is the best one. Of course the customer (navy) will have the last word,” Polovinkin said.

“Development of the preliminary design is a right thing to do. Today the ship-building industry works on the principle of “mistake is not an option”. Earlier a ship may have been constructed and then put into “preliminary operation” in order to decide whether to start its mass production or not. Today it is too expensive,” Polovinkin said.

The representative of the Krylov State Research Center noted that the preliminary design allows understanding the ship’s overall configuration and assessing its performance, propulsion qualities and seaworthiness. It also helps evaluate a vessel’s combat effectiveness.