Russia's littoral combat ship angles for international sales.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: UPFRONT

A Russian corvette currently being built to patrol that country's coastal waters may not live up to the technological stature of the U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship. But it could offer a lower cost alternative to countries that could never afford the LCS, and a potentially attractive choice to nations unable, for security reasons, to acquire weapons from the United States.

The Russian Navy patrol vessels--known as the Steregushchiy class--could begin to enter service this year, says naval analyst Richard E. Dorn, vice president of AMI International, in Bremerton, Wash.

The Russians are building three ships, although they said they plan to produce up to 20, Dorn says.

The vagaries of Russia's defense budget most likely will keep the number low. Nevertheless, says Dorn, once the first three ships enter service domestically, Russia will court international buyers--particularly India and China, which have huge demands for coastal patrolling.

The United States would never sell the LCS to countries such as India or China "simply because we don't want to transfer the technologies," says Dorn.

The U.S. Navy is testing two LCS prototypes: a mono-hull and a catamaran. Both are state-of-the-art warships made with lightweight composite material--a technology that the United States will be most eager to keep away from potential enemies, says Dorn. "These are things we don't like China getting their hands on, so they can tear it apart, and see how they can combat it."

Most of the systems on the Steregushchiy class are older, less technologically advanced than the LCS, says Dorn. Weapons include a short-range air defense system and Gatling guns. The corvettes will be powered by diesel engines, which are not as desirable as gas turbine engines. "The Russians are not talking about...