Project 23900 amphibious assault ship

The Project 23900 is the newest class of Russian amphibious assault ships (LHDs) intended as a replacement for the French Mistral class, two of which were ordered by Russia in 2011, but that France refused to deliver in September 2014 due to Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.[5] A contract was signed on 22 May 2020 for the construction of two Project 23900 LHDs with a displacement of +40,000 tons.[3] The construction is led by JSC Zelenodolsk Design Bureau, which is a part of JSC Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation, and the first vessel should be launched by 2024 and commissioned by 2026.

For landing ships named Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko, see Ivan Rogov-class landing ship.
Official computer-generated image of the Project 23900.
Class overview
Builders: Zaliv shipyard, Kerch[1]
Operators:  Russian Navy
Preceded by: Project 11780 (canceled)
Cost: RUB 50 billion ($688 Million)[2]
Built: 2020–present
Planned: 2
Building: 2
General characteristics
Type: Amphibious assault ship
Displacement: +40,000 tons [3]
Length: 220 m (720 ft) (!?)[4]
Beam: 38 m (125 ft)
Draught: 7.5 m (25 ft)
Propulsion: 2x 16D49 5 MW 2x M90FR 21 MW
Speed: 22 kn (25 mph; 41 km/h)
Range: 6,000 mi (5,200 nmi; 9,700 km)
Endurance: 60 days
Capacity:
Complement: up to 900 marines
Crew: 320 crew
Armament:
Aircraft carried:
Aviation facilities: Hangar deck

Previously, the Lavina (Russian: Лавина, lit. 'Avalanche'), and Priboy (Russian: Прибой, lit. 'Surf')[6][7] designs were proposed by the Nevskoe Design Bureau and Krylov State Research Center as the replacement for Mistrals.[8][9]

Project 23900 is also a successor class to the Soviet unrealized Project 11780 LHD program.

History

"Priboy" and "Lavina" designs were first revealed in June 2015 during the «ARMY-2015» military-technical forum, as a replacement for the two undelivered Mistral-class vessels ordered by Russia in 2011 under a $1.3 billion contract. However, due to the Western sanctions against Russia, the French side rejected to proceed with the delivery and the deal was suspended in 2015. France subsequently returned Russia the deposit paid for the construction of the two vessels.[10] Both vessels were later sold to the Egyptian Navy.

On 25 May 2017, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yury Borisov stated that the construction cycle of new Russian helicopter carrier would last at least four years and the first such ship will be completed by 2022.[11][12]

In June 2017, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Igor Ponomarev said the "Priboy" helicopter carriers were implemented in Russia's New State Armament Programme for 2018–2025 and that the construction of the ships could be carried either by Severnaya Verf, Baltic Shipyard or Sevmash.[7]

In July 2017, a member of the Russia's State Duma Dmitry Belik announced, the lead ship of the class will be named Sevastopol, after the city of Sevastopol.[13] The cost for the ship is to be about RUB40 billion ($675 million),[14] and its construction would begin after approval of the New State Armament Programme for 2018-2025.[15]

On 11 September 2019, it was announced the first and second vessel of the class, with a displacement of 15,000 tons, will be laid down in May 2020 at Zaliv Shipyard, Crimea.[16]

On 22 May 2020, according to a TASS news agency report, the Russian Defence Ministry has signed a RUB100 billion worth deal for construction of two universal landing ships (LHDs), the construction of which will take place at the Zaliv Shipyard in Crimea.[17][18] The two vessels should be delivered to the Russian Navy in 2026 and 2027, respectively.[19]

On 20 July 2020, during the laying down ceremony, the names of the first two ships were officially revealed. The ships were named Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko, same as already decomissioned two Ivan Rogov-class vessels.[20]

Design

"Lavina" was the first designation for the class, revealed at the «ARMY-2015» military-technical forum, and stands for the heavier variant designed by Krylov with a displacement of about 24,000 tons. "Priboy" used to refer to the lighter variant designed by Nevskoe, and displacing about 14,000 tons.[8][9]

However, based on images showed to Vladimir Putin at January 2020 exposition devoted to the future for the Russian Navy, the two Project 23900 LHDs ordered for the Russian Navy appear to be a design derivative from the French Mistral class, having similar architecture and dimensions.[21] The Project 23900 will be even larger and displace about +30,000 tons.[22]

On July 20, 2020, at the official ceremony for the laying down of the Project 23900, a computer-generated image was showcased to represent the warship. Based on that image, the design of Project 23900 looks like a hybrid between the Lavina and the Mistral.[20]

Export

Krylov has also proposed an export version of the ship, dubbed "Priboy-E".[23]

Ships

Italics indicate estimates

Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Fleet Status
Ivan Rogov Zaliv Shipyard 20 July 2020[20] 2026[19] Northern Fleet Under construction
Mitrofan Moskalenko Zaliv Shipyard 20 July 2020[20] 2027[19] Pacific Fleet Under construction

See also

References
  1. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/05/russian-mod-signs-construction-contract-for-two-project-23900-lhd-for-the-russian-navy/
  2. https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/8207635
  3. https://ria.ru/20201230/vertoletonostsy-1591490559.html
  4. https://i.servimg.com/u/f46/15/11/39/27/russia10.jpg
  5. "Ukraine crisis: France halts warship delivery to Russia". BBC News. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  6. "Эксперт рассказал, почему российский корабль "Прибой" лучше французского "Мистраля"". tvzvezda.ru. 27 June 2017. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  7. "В России началась работа над проектом перспективного вертолетоносца "Прибой"". TASS. 28 June 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  8. "В России разработали второй корабль на замену "Мистралям"". lenta.ru. 15 June 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  9. "ВМФ заявил о подготовке технического задания на разработку аналога "Мистралей"". lenta.ru. 29 July 2016. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  10. "Mistral warships: Russia and France agree compensation deal". BBC News. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  11. "Russia to build first helicopter carrier by 2022". TASS. 25 May 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  12. "Russian MoD: First LHD Amphibious Assault Ship to be Built in Russia by 2022". navyrecognition.com. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  13. "Перспективный российский вертолетоносец назовут "Севастополем"". lenta.ru. 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  14. "Russia's First Priboy LHD Amphibious Assault Ship to Cost $675 Millions". navyrecognition.com. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  15. "Строительство российских вертолетоносцев начнут после утверждения госпрограммы вооружений". TASS. 20 September 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  16. "Источники: первые два российских вертолетоносца заложат на верфи в Крыму весной 2020 года". TASS. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  17. "Источник: Минобороны подписало контракт на два вертолетоносца". TASS. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  18. "Russian MoD Signs Contract for Two Project 23900 Helicopter Carriers LHD". navyrecognition.com. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  19. "Источник: Россия потратит 100 млрд рублей на постройку первых двух вертолетоносцев". TASS. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  20. "В России впервые заложили два универсальных десантных корабля-вертолетоносца". TASS (in Russian). 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  21. "Russian MoD Signs Construction Contract for Two Project 23900 LHD for the Russian Navy". navalnews.com. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  22. https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/9197097
  23. "Russian Krylov State Research Center Developing Priboy-E / UDK-E LHD for Export". navyrecognition.com. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
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