By TASS Russian news agency
Border Service chief Vladimir Kulishov, Leningrad regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko, and representatives of design bureaus and scientific institutes participated in the event.
“The new ship will increase the security of Russian borders, also in the strategic Arctic region,”
Vyborg Shipyard CEO Alexander Solovyov
The Yermak-class ship will be built for four years. It will operate in the Arctic and the Far East.
“The ship is created on the basis of project 23550 of Almaz Bureau. It has been upgraded according to the requirements of the Border Service,”
Border Service chief Vladimir Kulishov
The ship can deliver cargoes to unequipped coast. The navigational range is 10 thousand miles. The ice class and good seaworthiness and communication means allow operating in any conditions.
A model of the future-ice-class coastguard ship was presented at the ceremony. It is armed with AK-176MA 76.2mm gun in the bow and two small-caliber AK-306M 30mm antiaircraft guns. The ship can carry various Mi-8 and other helicopters.
Two project 23550 ships are being built for the Navy. The Ivan Papanin lead ship was laid by Admiralty Shipyard on April 19, 2017 and floated on October 25, 2019. The Nikolai Zubov was laid on November 27, 2019. The ships have to become operational in 2023 and 2024.
Project 23550 ice-class patrol ships protect Arctic resources, escort and tow detained vessels to seaports. They can destroy sea, coastal and air targets and break 1.7-meter thick ice. The displacement is 9000 tons and the full speed is 18 knots. Autonomous navigation is 70 days. The navigational area is unlimited.