Russian media reports: Vietnam replaces Tarantul ship.

According to Sputnik, the Tarantul missile boats in the Vietnamese Navy are gradually becoming obsolete and need to be replaced with a more modern type of warship.

Tarantul is a high-speed missile boat with considerable firepower. Its main armament includes four P-15M Termit anti-ship missiles with a range of 80 km, one AK-176M naval gun with a range of 15 km, and two AK-630M rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns at the stern.

Besides its advantages, the Tarantul also has quite a few limitations, such as very low air defense capabilities due to the lack of professional interceptor missiles, only the naval version of the Igla-1M shoulder-fired missile, and the reliability of its two AK-630M rapid-fire guns is also not highly rated.

The Tarantul typically leverages its advantage through surprise, relying on its high speed and the power of its anti-ship missiles to attack targets. However, with the rapid development of long-range reconnaissance technologies, the element of surprise is difficult to achieve; if it does occur, it relies on terrain and stealth capabilities.

The Tarantul missile fast attack craft of the Vietnamese Navy.

Meanwhile, the Tarantul's hydrodynamic design, dating back to the 1970s, is outdated and lacks stealth capabilities, making it difficult to exploit the element of surprise. Another limitation of the Tarantul is its relatively limited operational range and short time at sea.

According to Russian reports, there are currently three potential replacements for Vietnam's Tarantul-class ships: the Russian Buyan-M missile boat and the French Gowind-class frigate. So, which is the most suitable candidate?

- Buyan-M vessel:This class of warships was designed for anti-surface warfare missions, and to meet that requirement, the ship's armament includes: one A-190E 100mm naval gun with an angled turret designed to increase radar scattering, a firing rate of 80 rounds/minute, and a maximum range of 20 km. The ship's main armament is the 14UKSK vertical launch system with 8 Kalibr anti-ship missiles with a range of 220 km.

Defensive weapons include one AK-630M2 Duet twin-barreled rapid-fire anti-aircraft gun with significantly higher performance than the single-barreled AK-630M, two 3M-47 Gibka short-range anti-aircraft missile systems using Igla-1M missiles, two 14.5mm heavy machine guns, and three 7.62mm machine guns.

The ship's electronic systems include: the Pozitiv-ME1.2 air target search radar, the MR-231 navigation radar, the 5P-10 Laska fire control system, and two PK-10 jamming missile launchers.

The ship is equipped with a Zvezda M520 diesel propulsion system, which powers two fuel injection pumps, resulting in smoother and more maneuverable operation. The ship has a maximum speed of 25 knots and a range of approximately 2,500 km.

- Gowind-class frigateThe Gowind is a product of the French DCNS group. It's a modular class of warships comprising offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and multi-purpose escort ships. The Gowind is an extremely modern class of warships designed with optimal stealth capabilities.

With its multi-purpose frigate configuration, it is equipped with a powerful and diverse weapons system including: 1 Bofors 57 mm rapid-fire naval gun, 16 vertical launch systems (VLS) using VL MICA anti-aircraft missiles with a range of 20 km, and 8 MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles with a range of 180 km.

Defensive armament includes two 30mm automatic cannons and two 324mm lightweight torpedo launchers. The ship's electronics are extremely advanced and operate on a highly automated platform.

The main sensors are the SMART-S Mk2 air and sea target search radar, the STING EO Mk2 fire control radar, and the TMX/EO Mk2 optical fire control system. The combat data system is SETIS, and the Thales Captas 2 sonar system is also used.

The Gowind-class multi-purpose frigate can perform most tasks, from patrol and anti-surface warfare to anti-submarine warfare and air defense. With a full-load displacement of 3,000 tons and a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles, it is capable of operating for extended periods throughout Vietnam's waters.

However, as a replacement for the Tarantul-class fast missile boat, the Gowind-class corvette does not seem like a suitable option due to its size, configuration, and cost being too high for a simple, small missile boat.

Therefore, of the two candidates above, the most promising candidate to replace the Tarantul high-speed missile boat remains the Project 21361 Buyan-M corvette, Sputnik reports.

According to Baodatviet