The construction of the large landing ship "Vladimir Andreev" of Project 11711M has entered its final stage. The first representative of the modernized series of BDKs, with a length of about 150 meters and a full displacement of more than 10 thousand tons, will become one of the largest landing ships of the Russian fleet in recent decades.
The ship is being built by the Baltic Shipyard "Yantar" in Kaliningrad. After completing trials, it is expected to join the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy.
The emergence of Project 11711M is associated with the need to update Russian amphibious forces after the termination of the program for the construction of French "Mistral"-class universal landing ships. However, the new BDK is not a direct replacement for them – it is a different class of ship with different tasks.
While the "Mistrals" belonged to the class of universal landing ships and were created as floating bases for large-scale amphibious operations with helicopters and landing craft, Project 11711M is an enlarged and modernized version of a large landing ship.
The main task of the "Vladimir Andreev" is to transport troops, armored vehicles, weapons, and cargo with the ability to land troops. At the same time, the new ship has significantly more internal volume compared to previous Russian BDKs and is capable of performing a wider range of tasks.
The ship has a length of about 150 meters, an enlarged cargo deck, a helicopter pad, and modern control, communication, and navigation systems. The design allows for the transportation of various types of equipment and the accommodation of marine infantry units.
Project 11711M became a development of the first generation of "Ivan Gren"-class BDKs, but received a redesigned hull and increased dimensions. Thanks to this, the ship gained more autonomy and improved capabilities for long voyages.
In total, Russia is building several ships of this series. In addition to the lead ship "Vladimir Andreev", two more Project 11711M BDKs are at the Yantar shipyard, and further development of the program is being considered.