As the U.S. looks for new ways to expand its small icebreaker fleet on a short timetable, Russia has begun testing its first “combat icebreaker,” a rare gray hull vessel purpose-built for Arctic service.
The newly-delivered Ivan Papanin is the first of two Project 23550 conventional icebreakers delivered by United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. It launched in 2019, began sea trials last year and has now completed ice testing in the Arctic.
As a lightly armed patrol vessel, Papanin carries one 76mm cannon and several crew-served weapons. It also has provisions to mount optional containerized launchers for eight Kalibr antiship cruise missiles (not seen during recent testing). These would be mounted on the fantail, based on illustrations from the shipbuilder; other containerized payloads could be substituted as well.
The new ship carries permanent gear for surveillance, rescue and interdiction missions, consistent with a patrol or law enforcement role. She has dedicated space for one helicopter, one hovercraft and two pursuit boats. A robust fairlead at the stern suggests preparations for emergency towing duty.
???????????? Russia’s new multi-purpose ice-class patrol ship Nikolay Zubov launched in St. Petersburg
The Nikolay Zubov, a Project 23550 combat icebreaker, is the second of its class to be built for the Russian Navy.
Construction of the ship began in November 2019 in the presence of… pic.twitter.com/Rbiwl65KLr
— Emeka Gift Official (@EmekaGift100) December 26, 2024
Launch of sister ship Nikolay Zubov, December 2024 (Russian state media)
Like most non-nuclear icebreakers, Papanin has diesel-electric propulsion, and can generate up to 20,000 horsepower through two shaftlines. Her hull is designed to push through ice of up to 5.5 feet thick, and it shares the same Arc7 ice class notation as Novatek’s icebreaking LNG carriers.
There are few comparable naval vessels in service with other nations, and none as deliberately marketed for surface warfare. If fitted with Kalibr launchers as planned, Papanin would be the only icebreaker capable of carrying out long-range missile strikes at targets hundreds of miles away.
After Ivan Papanin and sister ship Nikolai Zubov, USC is building two hulls to a similar design for the FSB’s border service, the future Purga and Dzerzhinsky.