Egypt takes delivery of Russian missile corvette

[BLACKEAGLE]

Egypt takes delivery of Russian missile corvette
Jeremy Binnie, London and Alex Pape, London - IHS Jane's Navy International
16 August 2015

Egypt's new missile corvette flying both the Egyptian and Russian flags while docked at the Alexandria naval base. Source: Egyptian MoD

The Egyptian Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on 15 August that Russia has transferred the Molnya missile corvette R-32 to the Egyptian Navy after the vessel participated in the opening of the Suez Canal expansion project on 6 August.

The MoD said that Russia had given R-32 (832) to Egypt under the framework of the military co-operation that exists between the two countries in many areas. It added that the vessel had been delivered with anti-ship missiles that are the fastest of their kind in the world: an apparent reference to supersonic Moskit (SS-N-22 'Sunburn') missiles.

Photographs released by the MoD suggested the vessel is also fitted with a Positiv-E air/surface search radar, a Garpun B surface search radar, and an MR-123 fire control radar.

The MoD implied that the Egyptian Navy cannot currently operate the vessel because it had been transferred at short notice, saying that personnel will travel to Russia for the requisite technical training in the future.

According to Russian sources, the construction of R-32 was started at Vympel shipyard in the 1980s, but not completed until 2000. Supposedly it was originally intended for delivery to India, but the order was cancelled and R-32 became the only Project 1242.1 vessel that was ever completed. Although it was taken into service by the Russian Navy, the vessel saw little use as the Russians looked for a foreign buyer.

It was transferred to the Caspian in the mid-2000s as part of an attempt to sell it to Turkmenistan, but the deal reportedly fell through due to the complexities of the Moskit-E missiles. Turkmenistan subsequently ordered two new-build Project 1241.8 vessels with Uran (SS-N-25 'Switchblade') missiles and R-32 was transferred to the Baltic Fleet.
Egypt takes delivery of Russian missile corvette - IHS Jane's 360

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

Egypt's new missile corvette heads back to Russia
Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
18 August 2015

The Russian Molnya-class missile corvette R-32 (832) was spotted transiting the Bosporus into the Black Sea on 19 August: four days after the Egyptian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced it had taken delivery of the vessel.

Egypt's new missile corvette flying the Egyptian and Russian flags while docked at the Alexandria naval base. (Egyptian MoD)

While R-32 flew Russian and Egyptian flags during the opening of the Suez Canal expansion project on 6 August and in the photographs the MoD released of the vessel docked at the Alexandrian naval base, it was flying only the Russian ensign as it sailed through the Bosporus. All the sailors seen standing on deck appeared to be Russians.

The Egyptian MoD said in a 15 August statement that Russia had given the vessel to Egypt under the framework of the military co-operation that exists between the two countries in many areas.
Egypt's new missile corvette heads back to Russia - IHS Jane's 360