Group : Frigates
Status : Active
Also Known As : Cheetah, Dinh Tien Hoang (Vietnamese Navy), Gepard-3.9, Project 11661K, Tatarstan
Origin : Russia
Contractors : Zelenodolsk Design Bureau, Zelenodolsk Shipyard
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2004
Total Production : 9

The Project 11661 Gepard-3.9 is a small displacement frigate designed to engage surface and underwater ships as well as airborne threats safeguarding maritime borders and exclusive economic zones (EEZs). They are the replacement for Soviet Koni, Parchim and Grisha corvette designs. The first ship was nearly complete in 1995 but the lack of funds in Russia delayed her commissioning. Vietnam ordered two of these small frigates in 2001.

The Project 11661 is equipped with sophisticated sensors, weapon systems and a flight deck and hangar for one Ka-28 or Ka-31 helicopter. The main propulsion system consists of two-shaft Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) each developing 11,000-hp. The weapon system includes 16 4x4 Uran/3M24 anti-ship cruise missiles; one 76mm AK-176M naval gun that can be replaced by the A190E 100mm naval gun; three Palma close-in weapon systems; two 14.5mm machine guns; two 533mm two-tube torpedo launchers; and one RBU-6000 12-tube anti-submarine rocket launcher. The Uran missile system was replaced by the Kalibr-NK beginning with the Russian Navy's Dagestan frigate.