Russian icebreakers overtake Americans by 10 years
The incredible prospects that control over the Arctic gives have been known for a long time. This includes the development of the natural resources of the Arctic continental shelf, and the escort of ships from Asia to Europe along the shortest Northern Sea Route. Do not forget about the military aspect, the importance of which has grown sharply due to the next round of confrontation between Russia and the West: it is through the North that the smallest distance lies for the flight of Russian missiles towards the United States of America. Is it any wonder that the United States has recently seriously worried about its lagging behind our country in the Arctic. Will they be able to catch up and overtake Russia?
Richard Spencer, head of the US Navy, bluntly stated that a strategic port should appear in Alaska:
It is noteworthy that Spencer intends to ensure "freedom of navigation" in a certain "Northern Passage". Freedom of navigation is, in the understanding of the Americans, the invasion of warships of the US Navy in disputed waters. And the “Northern Passage” is, apparently, our Northern Sea Route. But will the Pentagon have enough technical capabilities this time to defend “democratic values”?
Washington’s problem is that it has virtually no icebreaker fleet. Rather, there are a couple of special vessels, but their characteristics do not withstand any criticism. In particular, there is a middle-class icebreaker Healy, but it is intended to conduct scientific expeditions to a greater extent, rather than navigating the US Navy in severe polar ice. There are a couple of heavy icebreakers - Polar Star and Polar Sea - but the years of their launching are 1976 and 1979, respectively. Not only are they technically obsolete and periodically fail, but they have long developed their resources.
That, in fact, is all that the Americans have at the moment. The United States does not have an icebreaker fleet, because it simply was not needed. US Coast Guard now requires a minimum of six new icebreakers. Washington's financial capabilities allow him to lay down new ships. However, due to the special requirements for the construction of icebreakers, the process of their construction can take ten years. What does Russia have today?
Fortunately, the unique icebreaking fleet inherited by Russia from the USSR is not much that we managed to preserve as much as possible from the destructive activity of our “effective” ones. Probably, the salvation factor was the fact that the interests of the state here coincided with the interests of domestic oligarchs and raw materials. The Novatek company, Leonid Michelson, which develops gas in the Arctic, has applied for the construction of 15 new ice-class tankers for LNG transportation. Rosneft Igor Sechin invested heavily in the Zvezda super-shipyard in Primorye, where similar vessels will be built, including for its own needs, as well as real icebreakers. Icebreaking support is required for the safe escort of tankers and gas carriers along the Northern Sea Route.
Currently, the construction of a new vessel of project 22220 with a capacity of 60 megawatts under the name “Arctic” is being actively conducted at the Baltic Shipyard. It will be launched in 2020. Five such icebreakers are expected, whose variable draft will allow them to work both in deep water and in shallow water. In parallel with this, the development of an even more powerful super-icebreaker of the Leader project is underway, which will be able to conduct ice-breaking even in winter, leaving behind an incredible 50 meters wide canal. The Leader’s nuclear power plant is rated at 120 megawatts. Three such powerful icebreakers will be built in Primorye at the Zvezda shipyard.
Thus, our country has a serious head start in front of the United States for about ten years. However, close attention should be paid to our “friends” from completely non-Arctic China, who next year launch the second icebreaker of their own construction called “Snow Dragon-2”.
Richard Spencer, head of the US Navy, bluntly stated that a strategic port should appear in Alaska:
The threat has returned. The Arctic is the region on which we must focus.
It is noteworthy that Spencer intends to ensure "freedom of navigation" in a certain "Northern Passage". Freedom of navigation is, in the understanding of the Americans, the invasion of warships of the US Navy in disputed waters. And the “Northern Passage” is, apparently, our Northern Sea Route. But will the Pentagon have enough technical capabilities this time to defend “democratic values”?
Washington’s problem is that it has virtually no icebreaker fleet. Rather, there are a couple of special vessels, but their characteristics do not withstand any criticism. In particular, there is a middle-class icebreaker Healy, but it is intended to conduct scientific expeditions to a greater extent, rather than navigating the US Navy in severe polar ice. There are a couple of heavy icebreakers - Polar Star and Polar Sea - but the years of their launching are 1976 and 1979, respectively. Not only are they technically obsolete and periodically fail, but they have long developed their resources.
That, in fact, is all that the Americans have at the moment. The United States does not have an icebreaker fleet, because it simply was not needed. US Coast Guard now requires a minimum of six new icebreakers. Washington's financial capabilities allow him to lay down new ships. However, due to the special requirements for the construction of icebreakers, the process of their construction can take ten years. What does Russia have today?
Fortunately, the unique icebreaking fleet inherited by Russia from the USSR is not much that we managed to preserve as much as possible from the destructive activity of our “effective” ones. Probably, the salvation factor was the fact that the interests of the state here coincided with the interests of domestic oligarchs and raw materials. The Novatek company, Leonid Michelson, which develops gas in the Arctic, has applied for the construction of 15 new ice-class tankers for LNG transportation. Rosneft Igor Sechin invested heavily in the Zvezda super-shipyard in Primorye, where similar vessels will be built, including for its own needs, as well as real icebreakers. Icebreaking support is required for the safe escort of tankers and gas carriers along the Northern Sea Route.
Currently, the construction of a new vessel of project 22220 with a capacity of 60 megawatts under the name “Arctic” is being actively conducted at the Baltic Shipyard. It will be launched in 2020. Five such icebreakers are expected, whose variable draft will allow them to work both in deep water and in shallow water. In parallel with this, the development of an even more powerful super-icebreaker of the Leader project is underway, which will be able to conduct ice-breaking even in winter, leaving behind an incredible 50 meters wide canal. The Leader’s nuclear power plant is rated at 120 megawatts. Three such powerful icebreakers will be built in Primorye at the Zvezda shipyard.
Thus, our country has a serious head start in front of the United States for about ten years. However, close attention should be paid to our “friends” from completely non-Arctic China, who next year launch the second icebreaker of their own construction called “Snow Dragon-2”.
Information