At the Vyborg Shipyard (VSZ), the keel-laying ceremony of the ice-class patrol ship Purga of Project 23550 for the border service of the FSB of Russia took place. The ship is due to enter service in 2024.
“The huge resources of Russia in the Arctic, the Northern Sea Route, the increased attention of foreign states to this zone of Russia, undoubtedly, require us to build up the ship group to guarantee the solution of border security problems. We have been waiting for this day for a long time, ”said Vladimir Kulishov, head of the border service of the FSB of Russia, at the ship-laying ceremony.
The Vyborg Shipyard specializes in the production of civilian products. According to experts, the order from the FSB is a new experience for this enterprise, which will strengthen its technological and production potential.
In previous years, the Vyborg shipyard successfully manufactured several ships for the development of the Arctic sea areas by Russia.
In 2015-2019 VSY handed over diesel-electric icebreakers of project 21900M Novorossiysk and Murmansk to the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, PJSC Gazprom Neft received two multifunctional icebreaking vessels Alexander Sannikov and Andrey Vilkitsky, FSUE Atomflot "- port icebreaker" Ob ".
Tug, icebreaker and patrol ship
In his speech at the laying ceremony for the new patrol ship, Vladimir Kulishov said that the brainchild of the VSY will be equipped with the most modern weapons, navigation and electronic equipment. According to him, "Purga" will be able to make trips with a range of up to 12 thousand miles (over 22 thousand km).
The ship's tasks will include protecting the state borders of the Russian Federation in the Arctic, protecting economic resources and delivering goods to an unequipped coast. As stated on the VSY website, the ship will be able to carry out year-round service in high latitudes.
The ship for the FSB was developed within the walls of the Almaz Central Design Bureau (St. Petersburg) according to the project 23550, which received the code "Ermak". Currently, two vessels of Project 23550, but under the code "Arctic" ("Ivan Papanin" and "Nikolay Zubov") are being built at the "Admiralty Shipyards" by order of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
- Model ship of project 23550
- © Ministry of Defense of Russia
Both ships will enter the fleet in the first half of the 2020s. The military believes that Project 23550 embodies "the best achievements of military shipbuilding."
As the experts specified, the Purga will have the same characteristics (appearance, parameters, tonnage) as the ships of the Russian Navy under the code Arctic. The differences will be mainly in the set of weapons.
“In appearance, the ship for the FSB will be practically the same as the ships for the Navy. But, most likely, the "Purga" will not have the missile armament that the "Ivan Papanin" and "Nikolay Zubov" are equipped with (containers for the launch of "Caliber" and "Uranov" are installed on the ships for the fleet. - RT ) ", - explained in a conversation with RT military expert Alexander Mozgovoy.
"Purga" will become the first large-capacity ice-class vessel as part of the coast guard of the FSB border service.
At present, the fleet of this department includes ice-class patrol ships of Project 22120 and Project 22100 with a displacement of 1.16 thousand tons and 2.7 thousand tons, respectively.
"Blizzard" will be much heavier than the platforms currently in service with the FSB. The displacement of the ship of project 23550 is almost 9 thousand tons, the length is more than 100 m, the width is about 20 m, the speed is up to 16 knots, and the autonomy of navigation is about 60 days. The massive ship's hull is capable of breaking ice up to 1.5 m thick.
The project 23550 ship provides for the placement of helicopters, UAVs and two Raptor-class patrol boats. The military calls its versatility an important advantage of this vessel - it combines the qualities of a tug, icebreaker and patrol ship.
As suggested by Alexander Mozgovoy, the 9-ton AK-176MA artillery system, which the Ivan Papanin and Nikolay Zubov are equipped with, will play the role of the main means of fire destruction on board the Purga.
This sample of strike weapons surpasses its predecessors in accuracy of fire and speed of horizontal and vertical guidance. The external appearance of the AK-176MA is made according to the stealth geometry in order to reduce the radar signature. The artillery mount earned high marks from the military.
“AK-176MA is equipped with a digital control system and a new optoelectronic station that allows detecting and hitting targets in any weather at a long distance. The high density of fire makes it possible for the gun mount to destroy even armored objects, ”the website of the Russian Defense Ministry says.
"In harsh polar conditions"
In a commentary on RT, retired Rear Admiral Hero of Russia Vsevolod Khmyrov said that the construction of Project 23550 ships would allow the Russian law enforcement agencies to perform a wide range of tasks in the Arctic. In his opinion, the ships under the codes "Ermak" and "Arctic" expand the possibilities of navigation and demonstration of force in the Arctic seas.
“Ice-class ships equipped with shock weapons have the ability to cover coastal facilities, operate as part of surface forces, and ensure the safety of submarine passage. They will also be able to navigate ships, take part in emergency rescue operations, ”says Khmyrov.
- Ice-class patrol ship "Ivan Papanin" of project 23550 (code "Arctic") at the pier of the "Admiralteyskie Verfi"
- RIA News
- © Alexey Danichev
Mozgovoy adheres to a similar point of view. According to him, the ship laid in Vyborg will become an effective platform for carrying out long missions in high latitudes.
“Such ships, of course, are needed by our country, as they are adapted to perform combat and patrol missions in the harsh polar conditions. I think it makes sense to build at least four ice-class ships for the FSB and a similar number for the Navy, ”Mozgovoy argues.
As the analyst noted, the construction of ships under the codes "Ermak" and "Arctic" is dictated by the need to respond to potential risks for the region and the economic activity of the Russian Federation in the Arctic. The source of possible threats is the Western states that are members of the NATO bloc, Mozgovoy said.
“American submarines regularly sail under the polar ice. In addition, the United States is launching a program to build military icebreakers for the Coast Guard. In addition to them, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Iceland are eyeing the Arctic region. Threats can also come from these countries. For this reason, Russia is taking measures to strengthen its military presence in the northern latitudes, ”Mozgovoy stressed.