The Arctic, with its gigantic hydrocarbon reserves, is rapidly turning into an arena of confrontation between Russia and the collective West. The United States is threatening to turn the Northern Sea Route into a common one, implying an American one, and is training its fleet to operate in the Far North. How will our country respond to the militarization of the Arctic zone?
Today, the United States has only two icebreakers that are not of the first freshness, which the Pentagon can somehow count on when escorting its ships. If these old vessels break, and the Americans who have climbed into the Arctic have to turn to the Russians for help, there will be no shame. The United States ordered a series of new icebreakers, but this is a very slow process, and they will have to wait for reliable guides in the ice for many years.
In theory, Norway can provide them with some military assistance in the High North. Oslo has the KV Svalbard, a patrol icebreaker, armed with a 76 mm cannon and a multipurpose helicopter. Earlier it was reported that Canada was going to build on the project of the Norwegian "Svalbard" from 6 to 8 such specialized ships, but so far this has not happened. Probably, we should expect news on this topic, since Canada, feeling the support of the United States, declared its readiness, if necessary, to fight with Russia for its part of the Arctic.
So, there is the likelihood of an armed conflict in the Arctic. How can our country respond?
First of all, it is necessary to remember that we have good traditions of arming the icebreakers themselves. In the troubled thirties of the last century, when developing ships of Project 51, they provided for the possibility of installing several artillery mounts of 130 mm and 76 mm caliber, as well as large-caliber machine guns. All ships of that series survived the Great Patriotic War, taking part in hostilities.
This experience was taken into account in the design of nuclear icebreakers. For example, if necessary, the "Lenin" could be equipped with quad 45-mm automatic cannons, there were cellars for ammunition and other equipment. All weapons and ammunition for the Soviet nuclear-powered ships were prudently stored in their home ports. Icebreakers of the Arktika project can carry two twin 76 mm AK-726 artillery mounts and four 30 mm AK-630 six-barreled assault rifles.
Thus, our icebreaker fleet, the most powerful in the world, in which case it represented an impressive military force in the Arctic. Russia also has its own tradition of patrol icebreakers.
In 1957, the only ice-class frontier patrol ship Purga was launched in the 52 series. During the years of service in the Far North, he detained 26 foreign ships that violated our borders. In the sixties, on the basis of Project 97 icebreakers, a series of 97P patrol patrol ships was created, which could carry artillery weapons and a helicopter. Their goal was to oust American and Canadian icebreakers from the Soviet Arctic zone, where they "accidentally" found themselves. Finally, Project 22100 Okean icebreaker-class frontier patrol ship Polar Star of the 1st rank is in service, two more are under construction. They can be operated both in the Far North and in the tropics. The ships are equipped with artillery weapons, but they can also carry missiles.
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The information about the launching of the lead patrol ship 23550 "Arktika" for the needs of the RF Ministry of Defense called "Ivan Papanin" aroused great interest. There will be only two of them in the series, the second will bear the name "Nikolai Zubov". In terms of their size, the ships belong to the class of destroyers, and are adapted to serve both in arctic and tropical conditions. On the move, they are capable of breaking ice 1 meter thick, but a 1.7 meter thick obstacle will also obey ships.
Armament consists of 76-mm AK-176MA bow cannons, as well as a Ka-27 helicopter. They also carry two Raptor speed boats and a hovercraft. The possibility of installing eight Caliber cruise missiles is allowed. Let's face it, the US Navy AUG will not stop these ships. And it’s hard to imagine that the US Navy's carrier group was beyond the Arctic Circle.
In fact, we have before us multipurpose modern ships. Their task is to patrol the Northern Sea Route, which is growing in importance every day. If necessary, "Papanin" and "Zubov" will be able to stop the intruder and take him in tow. They will also help ships in distress. Thanks to specialized equipment, two of our ships will be able to perform the functions of patrol boats, keeping an eye on Arctic waters.
In other words, we have before us the future "traffic controllers" on the Northern Sea Route, who keep order and promptly provide assistance in difficult climatic conditions. Unfortunately, due to funding problems, the deadlines for the completion of the Papanin and the laying of the Zubov are being shifted all the time, to which the competent authorities should pay close attention.
Author: Sergey Marzhetsky