The ship, named in honor of the outstanding Arctic explorer, was laid down in April 2017 at the Admiralty Shipyards shipbuilding enterprise (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, USC) in St. Petersburg. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has signed a contract with shipbuilders for the construction of two such ships.
On the protection of the Arctic
During the Soviet period, air defense systems were deployed in the Arctic bordering the United States (the main potential enemy of the USSR), airfields were equipped, and the 14th Amphibious Army of the Far Eastern Military District was stationed in Chukotka. In the 1990s, military facilities fell into disrepair, most were abandoned. Today, Russia is working to resume a permanent military presence in an important region for the country. The Arctic Shamrock base was built on the island of Alexandra Land in the Franz Josef Land archipelago, and the Northern Clover base was built on Kotelny Island. They are home to radar stations, air defense systems, and coastal missile systems. In 2014, to protect Russia's national interests in the Arctic zone, the North Joint Strategic Command was established on the basis of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy.
The importance of the Arctic for Russia
"The Arctic zone has a special strategic importance for us, it is a region with enormous economic opportunities," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the development of strongholds in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation in December 2023. The Head of State noted that the development of the Arctic is an indisputable priority, and the region is of crucial importance for the defense, energy and logistics of the state.
The Arctic regions provide 11% of Russia's national income, and almost a quarter of the volume of Russian exports is created in these territories. The explored mineral reserves of the Arctic and their forecast resources are the main part of the country's mineral resource base. For example, according to Vladimir Putin, the explored gas reserves there account for 80% of all reserves of the Russian Federation. A strategically important shipping route, the Northern Sea Route, passes through the Arctic region. The volume of traffic on it is growing every year. At the same time, the international legal status of the Arctic has not been definitively settled, and Russia's participation in the Arctic Council, the most authoritative body for international cooperation in the region, is actually blocked.
NATO is also expanding its presence in the Arctic. The North Atlantic Bloc includes Sweden and Finland, which, according to experts, will increase tensions in the region and negatively affect trust and security in the Arctic. Western countries are creating a so-called military Schengen, excluding legal and bureaucratic obstacles to the deployment of troops on the territory of the Scandinavian countries. At the beginning of this year, the alliance countries held the Nordic Response 2024 exercises in Norway. They involved about 50 surface and underwater warships, more than 110 pieces of aircraft, including low-profile F-35 fighters, and more than 20,000 military personnel from 13 NATO countries. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called them the largest and most important NATO exercises in the last 40 years.
Nevertheless, experts also pay attention to the weaknesses of the North Atlantic Bloc in the Arctic. "Russia currently has about 40 icebreakers, while the United States has only three at its disposal, and only one of them is functioning," recalled Alexander Stepanov, program director of the Academy of Political Sciences. — And in this matter, in terms of developments, the United States has lagged behind Russia for decades. This is a significant disadvantage from the point of view of supporting any operations and missions in the Arctic region and, in principle, any activity, including economic and economic, to develop a resource base." Therefore, in his opinion, the United States and its allies rely on the military air component to be able to strike military targets and open air defense positions.
Guardians of High Latitudes
It is planned that the Ivan Papanin, which has begun sea trials, will become part of the Northern Fleet and will protect Russia's interests in the Arctic. The history of the Admiralty Shipyards, where it was built, dates back over three centuries. During this time, more than 3 thousand ships have descended from the shipyard's stocks, including the legendary cruiser Aurora, the world's first nuclear icebreaker Lenin, deep-sea vehicles, and over 300 submarines.
Project 23550 (code "Arctic"), according to which the "combat icebreaker" was built, was developed by the Central Marine Design Bureau Almaz (CMKB Almaz, as part of the USC). According to the description of the project, the ship will combine the properties of an icebreaker, a tugboat and a patrol ship. Ivan Papanin will be able to protect and monitor water resources in the Arctic latitudes, escort and tow detained vessels to the port, and escort support vessels. In addition, the promising novelty will be able to transport special cargo and participate in rescue operations.
According to the TASS Dossier, the ship is not afraid of ice with a maximum thickness of 1.7 m (1 m — continuous stroke). The Ivan Papanin has a total displacement of about 9 thousand tons, a length of 114 m, a width of 20 m, and can reach a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h). Its main crew is 49 people, an additional 47. The ship is capable of autonomously (in terms of water and provisions) performing tasks for about 70 days, the cruising range is 10 thousand nautical miles (more than 18 thousand km).
The weapons that are supposed to be placed on the "combat icebreaker" will allow it to strike at sea and coastal targets and repel an attack from the air. The barrel artillery is represented by the AK-176MA 76 mm artillery system. The variant offered by Rosoboronexport has a firing range of 15.7 km. In addition to high-explosive shells with a shock fuse, the gun can quickly switch to firing anti-aircraft shells with a radio fuse at air targets, sending them to an altitude of 11.6 km. The rate of fire of the artillery is about 125 rounds per minute.
The main striking force of the Ivan Papanin can be Kalibr-K cruise missiles placed in container installations, as well as anti-ship missiles Uranus. The ship has a helipad and a hangar for helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. It is assumed that the new ice-class patrol ship will be able to carry two Raptor-type high-speed combat boats on board.
Recreational icebreaker
The icebreaker of Project 23550 became the basis for the conceptual development of the Almaz Central Design Bureau - the Kunashir Arctic cruise liner. The vessel will be able to carry passengers on sea cruises, engage in passenger transportation in the Arctic seas, landing travelers on an unequipped shore, ice, uninhabited islands. The liner will be able to carry a helicopter, as well as two hovercraft and two boats in a special design, arranging rally raids for the guests of the vessel, introducing flora and fauna, demonstrating icebergs. There are several options for cabins for 74 passengers, including a double "suite" with a loggia. "The project has implemented comfortable conditions for travelers that meet the highest requirements," the USC website reveals details. "The existing comfortable and entertainment infrastructure will allow you to fully enjoy all the beauties of the protected nature of the Arctic, Antarctica and circumpolar regions."
A second ship of this type, the Nikolai Zubov, is under construction. It was laid down at Admiralty Shipyards in November 2019. The ship was named in honor of Rear Admiral Nikolai Zubov, an outstanding Soviet oceanographer and polar explorer. Vladimir Putin took part in the laying ceremony.
In the autumn of 2022, the ship "Purga" of project 23550 (code "Ermak"), built at the Vyborg Shipyard (part of the USC), was launched. It is designed for the coast Guard, the needs of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia, will be able to patrol the country's water borders, inspect sea transport, cargo, and conduct search and rescue operations.
In 2017, the diesel-electric icebreaker project 21180 Ilya Muromets built by Admiralty Shipyards joined the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy. In the first half of this year, it is expected that the icebreaker of the "lightweight" project 21180M, which is undergoing state tests, will be accepted into the Navy. A decision has been made to build a third icebreaker. Ships of this class are designed for icebreaking support for the basing and deployment of fleet forces, the wiring of ships and vessels, and the supply of coastal and island bases.
"There is only one task in the Arctic — ensuring the security of our state," Admiral Alexander Moiseev, Commander—in-Chief of the Russian Navy, told reporters at the Fleet 2024 International Naval Salon. — This is 20 thousand km of our borders. There will be no drastic changes. The practice of solving the tasks of the Russian Navy in these areas has been, is and will be. Of course, the task is to further expand our capabilities." The Commander—in-chief of the Russian Navy added that among the tasks is the creation of air defense systems, as well as coastal complexes.
Victor Bodrov
