December 26, 2007: Vietnam is buying
two Goblin 3.9 frigates from Russia. These are 2,100 ton, 316 foot long ships. They are armed with one
76mm gun and six 30mm automatic cannon.
There are also eight Kh35 anti-ship missiles (135 kilometer range and a
300 pound warhead) and one anti-aircraft launcher and twenty Gecko missiles (10
kilometer range and 42 pound warhead).
There are two torpedo tubes, and depth charge launcher and a Ka-28
helicopter. Top speed is 50 kilometers an hour and crew size varies from
110-130 depending on equipment carried.
Construction of this class began in
1988, but was frozen by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The first
ship of the class did not enter service until 2002. This class is intended for
coastal patrol and defense.
