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Russia Deploys Icebreaker With Kalibr Cruise Missile Capability, Blurring Civilian-Military Lines
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
The Russian Navy formally commissioned the Ivan Papanin, a Project 23550 patrol icebreaker, during a ceremony in Severomorsk, according to the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation on September 5.
The Ivan Papanin is the lead ship in its class, designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau. Unlike ordinary icebreakers, the vessel combines the roles of a patrol ship, tug, and icebreaker, providing Moscow with a new dual-use platform to operate in Arctic waters.
The ship is capable of protecting maritime resources, escorting support vessels, conducting rescue missions, and towing ships to port.
It displaces around 9,000 tons, measures 114 meters in length, and can reach speeds of up to 18 knots with a 15 MW propulsion system. It has an endurance of 70 days and a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles.
The crew consists of 49 sailors with accommodation for an additional 47 personnel. The ship can also carry helicopters, drones, and two Raptor-class patrol boats.
Armament includes a 76.2 mm AK-176MA automatic naval gun, but the most notable feature is its ability to carry containerized missile systems.
The Ivan Papanin can be equipped with up to eight Kalibr-K cruise missiles or Uran anti-ship missiles, significantly enhancing its strike capability far beyond that of a conventional icebreaker.
The vessel was laid down at Admiralty Shipyards in 2017 and launched in 2019, though delivery to the Navy was repeatedly delayed due to import substitution issues.
A second Project 23550 ship, the Nikolai Zubov, was launched in late 2024 and is expected to enter service in 2026.
Earlier, the Russian Navy officially commissioned the Knyaz Pozharsky, a Project 955A Borei-A class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
Knyaz Pozharsky is the seventh submarine in the Borei series and part of the improved Borei-A class. It features upgraded stealth, enhanced survivability, and increased missile capacity, forming a core component of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrent.
The Borei-A class represents a modernized evolution of the original Borei design, incorporating advanced sonar, quieter propulsion, and improved hull hydrodynamics. Each submarine carries 16 RSM-56 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each capable of delivering multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads.
