Russia quietly builds icebreaker carrying cruise missiles
Russian media has just published a list of ships that the country is building or has undergone testing, including Project 23550 ships.
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| Currently, the program to build the Klub-K missile icebreaker of Project 23550 is being actively carried out when the hull is in the final stage. This is clearly surprising information because previously, the Russian Navy itself confirmed that the construction of the Project 23550 ship would have to be delayed for many more years. |
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| Under pressure from financial factors, the program to develop new ice-class patrol ships of Project 23550 has been suspended until 2023-2024, Admiralty Shipbuilding Company General Director Alexander Buzakov announced. |
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| “The deadline for the Project 23550 icebreakers under the 2018-2027 state armament plan has unfortunately been shifted to 2023-2024,” the director general said. |
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| In 2016, the Russian Ministry of Defense ordered two Project 23550 ice-class patrol boats from the Admiralty Shipbuilding Company, a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The ships were developed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau under the auspices of the chief designer, Boris Leikis. |
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| According to initial information, in addition to the ability to break ice up to 1.5m thick in the Arctic, this class of icebreakers is also equipped with a weapon system that is not inferior to any heavy warship with the Klub-K missile system. In addition to the main weapon, the Klub-K system, this ship is also equipped with a 100mm A190-01 naval gun. |
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| With such a weapon system, the Project 23550 icebreaker is considered an all-powerful killer as it can attack all types of surface ships (including aircraft carriers) and land and coastal targets. |
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| However, just two years after the project was launched, the program was postponed to 2023-2024 and there is no guarantee that it will be restarted on time. But the Russians surprised the West by revealing images of Project 23550 ships being built as if there had been no decision to suspend them. |
