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Russia launches Project 23550 Ivan Papanin ice-class patrol ship

Russia’s Admiralty Shipyards, a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), launched the type Project 23550 ice-class patrol ship Ivan Papanin on 25 October. The naval platform can serve as an icebreaker, traditional patrol ship, and tugboat, and it is primarily intended for patrol and commercial protection missions. It was designed by USC’s Central Naval Design Bureau Almaz and its keel was laid on 22 April 2017.


        Russia’s Admiralty Shipyards launched the type Project 23550 ice-class patrol ship
        Ivan Papanin
        in St Petersburg on 25 October.
       (Alexander Demianchuk\TASS via Getty Images)

Russia’s Admiralty Shipyards launched the type Project 23550 ice-class patrol ship Ivan Papanin in St Petersburg on 25 October. (Alexander Demianchuk\TASS via Getty Images)

The ship’s chief designer, Boris Leikis, told Jane’s on 25 October that Ivan Papanin would be completed in 2020–21 and tested in 2022. The ship is scheduled to enter service with the Russian Navy (VMF) in 2023.

The keel of the second Project 23550 ice-class patrol ship, Nikolay Zubov, which is scheduled to enter service with the VMF in 2024, will be laid in 2020.

Ivan Papanin is planned to be assigned to Russian forces deployed to the Arctic. With a displacement of about 9,000 tonnes, the ship can break 1.7 m-thick ice and can conduct patrols in all waters. It has a cruising speed of 10 kt, a full speed of 18 kt, a range at cruising speed of 10,000 n miles, and an endurance of 70 days. The organic armament suite comprises a naval gun and a man-portable air defence system. The ship can also carry a naval rotorcraft and its sensor suite integrates an air and sea radar, hydrometeorological station, and a highly automated navigation and tactical control system.

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