Burma Navy’s Stealth Corvettes

(This post is direct translation of articles from the Myanmar Military site.)

Just recently Burma Navy had a grand launching ceremony of many new war ships. What sort of war ships were there in the ceremony is still not clear but most probable ones were reconditioned-frigates purchased from People Republic of China.

Most exciting news is that some new warships in the launching ceremony were the new stealth corvettes manufactured in the Burma Navy’s own dockyard in Rangoon.

Even though all the new ships are equipped with modern weapon systems the exact type of weapon systems, whether Chinese or Indian or Russian made, installed in the new stealth corvettes is still unknown.

When the Burma Navy first produced Missile-class FACs (Fast Attack Crafts) the early FACs were mainly equipped with Chinese weapon systems, but later FACs were equipped with India weapon systems.

The facts that the 5-series FACs after the 558 were equipped with Russian-made BMP-2 heavy guns from India, the Russian-made modern Kh-35E anti-ship-guided-missiles installed on the new F-11 Aung-ze-ya Frigate, and also the new radar systems from India are the examples of how extensive and modern the warship-building by Burma Navy has become in recent years.

                              (Grand launching ceremony for new frigates Maha Bandoola & Others.)

F-11 Aung-ze-ya Frigate of Burma Navy.

The Stealth Corvettes

At present there are two types of stealth corvette in Burma Navy. 49 meter long ones and 79 meter ones. The corvettes are said to be built with substantial technical assistance from a friendly regional nation.

The 49 m corvettes are equipped with one AK-630 mini-guns, two ZPU-2 anti-aircraft cannons, C-802 or 803 anti-ship-guided-missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles.

A 49 m Stealth Corvette.

Newly-built Stealth Corvett 491 without weapon and radar systems.

Burma Navy so far is known to have two 79 meters stealth corvettes. The weapons are one 76 mm ship-gun, one IGLA-6 or 8 anti-aircraft rocket launcher, two ZPU-2 anti-aircraft cannons, and two AK-230 or 630 mini-guns. A helicopter hanger is assumed to be on each 79 m corvettes.

A 79 m Stealth Corvette of Burma Navy.

                                                            (A Burma Navy Video - 2011.)