" Астрахань : Astrakhan" – Small Gunnery Ship. (Astrakhan)

 military, corvette (warship)

Project # 21631
NATO Reporting name : Buyan
(Hull# 012)

CO 3rd-Class Captain Sergei Barsky
249th missile boats division
Subordinate to the
73rd Coastal Patrol Ships Brigade

Laid down 30.01.2004,
launched 7.10.2005,
commissioned 1.09.2006,

The Buyan class corvette was designed by Zelenodolsk Design and designated Project 21630 by the Russian Government. This is the newest corvette of the Russian Navy. The first ship of her class, the Astrakhan was commissioned on January 2006, and assigned to the Caspian Flotilla.

In Aug 2010 some information about new modified Project 21631 ships was published. The lead ship of this project, Grad Sviyazhsk, was laid down in 27 Aug 2010. This ship is a missile version of Project 21630 "Buyan" small-size gunnery ship and is dubbed as "Buyan-M". This ship of Project 21631 is aimed at dedicated to the defense of national economic zones and its main purpose is engagement of surface warships. This is going to be an up-to-date ship armed with missile and artillery weapons, and equipped with electronic countermeasure equipment. The yard will build five ships including the lead one, since a contract was approved by the Russian defense ministry on May 26.
The export variant similar with Project 21630 called "Tornado" is planned, but no contracts are signed now.