The Lider class, also referred to it as Shkval class, Russian designation Project 23560 Lider,, is a combined stealth nuclear-poweredguided missile destroyer and cruiser, under consideration for the Russian Navy. Detailed design phase began in 2016–2017, with construction expected to commence after 2020. In April 2020, the Lider project was suspended.
History
Project approval was given in 2013, and in 2015, Severnoye Design Bureau was awarded with a contract for the creation of a smaller non-nuclear and heavier nuclear-powered variant of the future destroyer. In 2016, the Krylov State Scientific Center handed the preliminary design of the destroyer to the Russian Navy. Initially, twelve ships were planned to be built and split between Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets. Later, construction of eight vessels was mentioned. A May 2017 report indicated that the Lider-class destroyer had been dropped from the Russia's State Armament Programme for 2018–2027 due to financing reductions, however in June 2017, United Shipbuilding Corporation announced the Russian Defense Ministry had approved the preliminary design of the Lider class destroyer. In February 2019, a decision was made to build the 19,000 ton nuclear-powered variant of the destroyer, instead of the proposed 12-13,000 ton variant equipped with a gas-turbine powerplant. Two vessels should be built by end of the 2020s at a cost of RUB100 billion per vessel. It is believed the construction of lead vessel could begin as soon as in 2023. On April 18, 2020 Russian newspaper Interfax reported that the Severnoye Design Bureau had suspended development on the Lider as well as on the Project 22350M frigates.
Design
According to Advisor to the General Director of the Krylov State Research Center Valeriy Polovinki, that worked out the destroyer’s preliminary design, "The Lider will be a universal ship, triple-hatted as a destroyer, large ASW ship and guided missile cruiser while being smaller thanProject 1144 ships and carrying far more weaponry," as reported in The Defence Talk. He further reported the new destroyer "is meant to replace the s, the main anti-surface warships of the Russian Navy, as well as the s and the anti-submarine destroyers." The new destroyer will have extensive food storage and stores, giving them an independent cruising capability of 90 days. The ships will be about long with a beam of, and a maximum speed of. The vessels are estimated to displace up to 19,000. In total, they should carry a combination of at least 200 missiles of different variants. A flight deck and hangar will accommodate up to two Ka-27 or Ka-32 helicopters.
