Neptune Missile Hits Russian Admiral Essen Frigate

The Ukrainian Navy struck the Admiral Essen frigate in Novorossiysk with a Neptune missile on the night of September 9.

The Ukrainian Navy announced this on social media.

The Admiral Essen is a Project 11356R frigate (Burevestnik-class) in service with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The ship is designed to conduct combat operations in ocean and maritime zones, engage surface ships and submarines, and repel air attacks.

The frigate’s main armament is a universal shipborne launcher system with eight launchers for Kalibr-NK cruise missiles.

The ship is also equipped with the Shtil-1 surface-to-air missile system, an A-190 100 mm naval gun, torpedo tubes and an RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher.

The frigate is 124.8 meters long and 15.2 meters wide, with a full displacement of about 4,030 tons. The ship is designed to permanently accommodate one Ka-27 or Ka-31 anti-submarine or search-and-rescue helicopter.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen were previously reported to have sustained serious damage during a strike on the Novorossiysk naval base on August 12.