Ocean going capabilities for Russian frigates
Northern Fleet frigate RFS Admiral Gorshov recently conducted a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) on the Atlantic Ocean. The RFS Gorshkov and her escorting group were transiting from Cuba towards her home base when the RAS took place. RAS is not considered to be a special maneuver and is a common practice for warships who operate for extended periods at sea. RAS allows warships to extend their duration at sea by taking on supplies from logistic vessels. During this operation, the RFS Gorshkov and her escorting ships took on fuel from the sea tanker RFS Kama. Northern Fleet light tanker RFS Kama Russian shipbuilding programs are currently focused on the construction of smaller warships such as frigates and corvettes. The smaller displacement of these warships also restricts the space available to store supplies such as food and fuel, lowering the time these ships can spend at sea. The only way these ships can extend their operational endurance at sea without returning back to port is