11-03-2022, 08:39 AM
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/20...c01b1e2956
There are a couple of these reports out now, so probably they have some credibility. How they know which ship is which involves details that are not commonly available, so I can only assume they have "done it right". The most probable evaluation IMHO is that the frigate suffered some relatively minor damage to the outer hull and they intend to replace one or more hull plates. This can be done pretty quickly pier-side unless the damage is well below the waterline. If this were a major naval war she could easily keep operating with that level of damage, but since it isn't fixing the damage makes sense. In other words, a "fender bender".
The USV probably wouldn't inflict significant damage well below the waterline, but if it did such damage would probably require a stay in the yards. It is possible the Russians just intend to weld plates over the damage and wait until the next major overhaul to actually repair the hull. It is also vaguely possible the damage is even more serious and they are welding plates to the hull so she can transit to Novorossiysk and go into the yards there. There may be no space in Sevastopol. We will know that "soon". However, this is IMHO improbable.
There are a couple of these reports out now, so probably they have some credibility. How they know which ship is which involves details that are not commonly available, so I can only assume they have "done it right". The most probable evaluation IMHO is that the frigate suffered some relatively minor damage to the outer hull and they intend to replace one or more hull plates. This can be done pretty quickly pier-side unless the damage is well below the waterline. If this were a major naval war she could easily keep operating with that level of damage, but since it isn't fixing the damage makes sense. In other words, a "fender bender".
The USV probably wouldn't inflict significant damage well below the waterline, but if it did such damage would probably require a stay in the yards. It is possible the Russians just intend to weld plates over the damage and wait until the next major overhaul to actually repair the hull. It is also vaguely possible the damage is even more serious and they are welding plates to the hull so she can transit to Novorossiysk and go into the yards there. There may be no space in Sevastopol. We will know that "soon". However, this is IMHO improbable.