Promising auxiliary vessels for the Russian Navy
Sea transport of weapons "Akademik Kovalev" pr. 20180TV, introduced into the KTOF in 2015
Currently for the naval fleet Russia is building a wide range of auxiliary vessels of various types and purposes. Plans are also being made for the development of this area in the future. So, it became known about the development of a new line of projects that will be implemented in the medium and long term. During their creation, the main attention will be paid to the issues of unification of designs and localization of production.
Promising ruler
On March 6, Izvestia reported on the prospects for the development of the auxiliary fleet of the Navy. From unnamed sources in the Ministry of Defense, it learned about the existence of such plans and about the first work on them. The main tasks and features of future construction are also reported.
According to Izvestia, the customer and related organizations are now working on the main provisions of the future shipbuilding program. The general appearance and some parameters of promising vessels have been formed and agreed upon. Now work is underway to determine the needs of the Navy as a whole and individual fleets - they calculate the classes, types and number of ships they need.
The future shipbuilding program is divided into two main areas. The first involves the development of a universal hull, on the basis of which ships of specific types and classes will then be created. The line of unified ships will include a hospital, a floating workshop, etc.
Oceanographic research vessel "Akademik Alexandrov" pr. 20183
In the second direction, such unification is not expected. These will be vessels for various purposes based on their own hulls. In particular, the possibility of building a tug, a keel, a small tanker and a universal ship for removing physical interference and degaussing is being considered.
All projects of the new family are faced with the general task of import substitution. Vessels should be built using only domestic systems and units. This will protect the Navy from possible import problems, and will also give impetus to the development of domestic industry.
Unfortunately, Izvestia does not provide exact plans and technical details of the new shipbuilding program. The exact composition of the lines of auxiliary vessels, their classes, technical characteristics, etc. while remain unknown. However, it should be expected that new details will appear later - after the successful completion of current work at the theoretical level.
The current position
The fleets and flotillas of the Russian Navy have a large number of various auxiliary vessels. Numerous tugs of several classes, tankers, transports, support vessels, rescue vessels and boats, etc. are used to solve various problems. The ships belong to different projects and were built at different times. Thus, pennants from the sixties and seventies are still in service, while the age of some other ships does not exceed a few years.
In the interests of various associations of the Navy, a number of new ships are being built. For example, a series of auxiliary vessels, pr. 20180, have been ordered for the Northern and Pacific Fleets. Three of them, in the configuration of rescue tugs and maritime weapons transports, have already begun service, and the fourth will be launched this year, after which the laying of the fifth will take place.
Rescue vessel "Igor Belousov" project 21300
At several plants, the construction of road and sea tugs of a number of types continues. Several of these vessels have already begun service, and in the near future they will be supplemented by new ones. Two projects of sea tankers are being implemented - medium "23130" and small "03182". The first pennants of these types were handed over to the customer in the recent past, and several more are at different stages of construction. Icebreakers of new projects are expected by the fleet.
Much attention is paid to the rescue direction. Hydrographic and research vessels are also being built. At the same time, some of them have special capabilities and are intended for the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research.
Difficulties and successes
The range of auxiliary vessels under construction generally meets the needs of the Navy and allows it to maintain the required quantitative and qualitative indicators. At the same time, there are a number of problems that negatively affect the development of auxiliary forces. They are trying to fight, and the situation is gradually improving.
Due to the well-known difficulties of the past decades, the Ministry of Defense and the Navy now have to simultaneously order both warships and auxiliary vessels. At the same time, resources are not infinite, because of which you have to choose and make compromises. In addition, the industry needs to restore competencies and modernize production. Until these processes are completed, there may be difficulties, construction delays, etc.
Over the past few years, there have been problems with access to imported components. Not all the required products and assemblies can be obtained from foreign suppliers, and the development of our own products takes time and effort.
Lead sea tug pr. 23470 "Sergey Balk"
However, the shipbuilding industry and related industries are taking the necessary measures. Production facilities are being restored and new ones are being built, as well as promising technologies are being mastered. Domestic products of various kinds are created and brought to production to replace imports, incl. the most complex units requiring special competencies. For example, in recent years, it has been possible to solve the problem with foreign ship engines, as well as to replace some of the inaccessible electronics.
Next Steps
Now it has become known how the Ministry of Defense plans to develop an auxiliary fleet in the medium and long term. The construction of new vessels will continue and they will gradually replace the oldest pennants remaining in service. At the same time, several new important ideas are proposed that will simplify the solution of the tasks set, as well as protect against possible problems.
First of all, it provides for a complete rejection of foreign components and assemblies. For all the complexity, such import substitution will give obvious positive results, both in the short and long term. It will affect both current shipbuilding programs and the future of the industry.
Of great interest is the proposal to build ships of several types in one hull. This approach will allow some savings at the design and construction stage, as well as some operational benefits. However, not all tasks can be solved with the help of a unified body and a similar composition of equipment and systems. In this regard, a second line of vessels will be developed, requiring their own designs.
General view of the icebreaker project 21180
How soon the ships of the new lines will appear is not yet clear. It is reported on the preliminary study of a number of similar projects and on measures to determine the needs of the fleet. It follows from this that a full-fledged design can be completed in the coming years, after which the first construction contracts will appear.
The construction of new pennants will have to take at least several years. At the same time, there is reason to believe that the work will be extended for a significant period - due to general restrictions of various kinds, due to the novelty of the projects, as well as due to the need to develop and launch the production of import-substituting components. Unfortunately, now the construction of a tug or tanker can take several years, and in the case of new series of auxiliary vessels, the situation cannot quickly change for the better.
Reasons for optimism
Thus, the Ministry of Defense and the command of the Navy not only plan the development of the combat strength, but also draw up a program for updating the auxiliary fleet. In addition to existing and under construction ships of different classes, it is planned to develop and build completely new ones.
In general, the existence and development of such plans is not something unexpected. The development of all components of the fleet must be a systematic and continuous process. In addition, it must take into account the changing situation and take advantage of available opportunities. It is on these ideas that new plans for the construction of auxiliary vessels are built. Whether they can be fully implemented, time will tell.
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