Russia may supply India warships armed with lethal Kalibr cruise missiles

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov has said that Indian Navy may get Russian-made warships armed with the lethal 3M-14 Kalibr land attack cruise missile (LACM) capable of hitting the enemy 2,500 kilometres away. Borisov said on Monday that Russia's Project 22800 corvettes codenamed Karakurt are likely to be supplied to India, Vietnam, China and other countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.

"These ships are very successful: they have a big tonnage, good armament, and Kalibr is the most important thing. The corvette has an acceptable price, it is small, compact and fast. I believe that it has a good export potential for a number of countries, especially from the Asia-Pacific Region - Vietnam, China, India and others," Russian news agency ITAR TASS quoted Borisov as saying.

Borisov added that the first three vessels of Project 22800 corvettes (Karakurt) are being built at the Eastern shipyard, which are likely to be of interest to the friendly navies. 

The Kalibr is an improved version of the 3M-14E “Club” LACM and is currently the main ground-strike weapon in athe armoury of the Russian Navy. The 6.2 metre long Kalibr can be launched from a ship or a submarine using the turbojet propulsion system and can carry a 450 kilogramme high-explosive conventional warhead or even a nuclear payload.

Kalibr has three versions - the ground strike missile, the SS-N-27 (Sizzler) anti-ship cruise missile and 91R anti-submarine missile. All of then can be fired from vertical launch system tubes.

Russia has used the Kalibr cruise missiles to target the anti-Bashar Hafez al-Assad regime forces in Syria. Russian warships fired the Kalibr missiles from the Caspian Sea to hit targets inside Syria almost 1,800 kilometres away.