Algeria To Purchase Two Tiger Corvettes From Russia

Algeria and Russia have sealed a deal to purchase two new Tiger class corvettes, Roman Trotsenko, head of the shipbuilding corporation revealed on Thursday.

The deal was signed by Algerian Navy with Russia’s United Shipbuiding Corporation and state arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the ongoing International Maritime Defense Show, IMDS-2011, in St. Petersburg. The biennial naval show offers exhibits from 300 companies, including 30 foreign ones.

“We have signed two agreements together with Rosoboronexport to sell two corvettes to Algeria and three light [Molniya missile] corvettes to a former Soviet republic,” said Roman Trotsenko, head of the shipbuilding corporation.

He added the contracts signed at the show so far were worth $1.3 billion and more contracts were expected before the show closes on July 3.

The source has not revealed the contract amount, but experts say the new Tiger corvette is worth $120 to $150 million. 

Russia is exhibiting for the first time its newest Steregushchy class (Project 20380) corvette, the Soobrazitelny, at the show. The corvette can be deployed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft, and to provide artillery support for beach landings.