Dobrynya Nikitich-class icebreaker explained

Dobrynya Nikitich class, also known by its Soviet designation Project 97, is a diverse series of diesel–electric icebreakers and other icebreaking vessels built in the Soviet Union. In total, 32 vessels were built in various configurations for both civilian and naval service in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, and several remain in service in Russia .

Western sources refer to the Project 97 vessels using two different names: Dobrynya Nikitich class for the various icebreaker variants and more heavily-modified derivative designs, and Ivan Susanin class specifically for Project 97P patrol ships.[1] [2]

Background and construction

In the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union began developing a new diesel–electric icebreaker design that could meet the needs of both civilian and naval operators. At the time, the merchant marine relied largely on ageing steam-powered icebreakers, many of which had been built during the Imperial Russia era and would reach the end of their operational life in the coming years. In addition, the Soviet Border Troops possessed just one ice-capable vessel for patrolling the country's northern border, Project 52K patrol ship Purga, which had been laid down already in 1938 but did not enter service until 1957.

Technical development of the new icebreakers was entrusted to Leningrad-based Central Design Bureau No. 15, today known as Central Design Bureau "Iceberg" and part of the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation, which based the hull lines on the Swedish-built steam-powered icebreaker Eisbär which Germany had handed over to the Soviet Union as war reparations in 1946. Discussions during technical meetings sometimes became heated as naval architects tried to include both civilian and naval requirements into the design. One of the sources of disagreement was the bow propeller which was considered essential for icebreaking operations in the Baltic Sea and other non-Arctic waters but susceptible to damage in heavier Arctic ice conditions.

Once the final design had been developed, the construction was awarded to the Leningrad-based Admiralty Shipyard. The first series, which consisted of largely similar triple-screw icebreakers, was built at a rapid rate: the hulls were assembled side by side on the slipway and launched at a technical readiness of 60–80%. In 1960–1971, the shipyard delivered up to three vessels annually, often in different configurations, while simultaneously implementing various technical improvements devised during the operation of the first vessels of the series. The second series with eight twin-screw Project 97P patrol ships and one research vessel was built in 1973–1981.

With a total of 32 vessels built in various configurations over more than two decades, Project 97 and its subclasses are the largest and longest-running series of icebreakers and icebreaking vessels built in the world. With the exception of nuclear-powered icebreakers, they were also the only domestically-built post-war icebreakers in the Soviet Union and later Russia until the construction of Project 21900 icebreakers in the late 2000s.[3]

General characteristics

With the exception of few heavily-modified variants, all Dobrynya Nikitich-class icebreakers had a length overall of 67.7m (222.1feet) and a beam of 18.1m (59.4feet). Fully laden, the vessels drew between 5.35mand6.3mm (17.55feetand20.7feetm) of water corresponding to a full load displacement ranging from 2935t3350t. The later patrol ship and research vessel variants were somewhat larger than the early icebreakers. The hull form, derived from an older Swedish-built icebreaker, featured a round midship with pronounced tumblehome and practically no flat bottom or sides. While the curved hull lines resulted in low resistance and high maneuverability in ice, the vessels were very uncomfortable in open water due to excessive rolling.

All ships shared the same diesel–electric power plant with three direct current (DC) main diesel generators. The 1800hp 10-cylinder 13D100 (Russian: 13Д100) two-stroke opposed-piston main diesel engines were in fact reverse-engineered Fairbanks Morse 38 8-1/8 diesel engines manufactured by the Malyshev Factory in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The engines were coupled to double-armature DC generators (2 × 625 ) that provided power to 1760abbr=onNaNabbr=on PG-147 (Russian: ПГ-147) DC propulsion motors driving two 3.50NaN0 fixed pitch propellers in the stern and a 1175abbr=onNaNabbr=on PG-146 (Russian: ПГ-146) DC motor driving a 2.70NaN0 propeller in the bow. During initial icebreaking trials, the icebreakers were able to break 70cmto75cmcm (30inchesto30inchescm) thick level ice with a 25cm (10inches) snow layer on top at very slow but continuous speed.

Variants

Project 97

Three Project 97 icebreakers were built for the Soviet Navy: Dobrynya Nikitich for the Northern Fleet, Purga for the Baltic Fleet, and Vyuga for the Pacific Fleet. While initially armed with 57 mm and 25 mm deck guns, the vessels were later disarmed.

Name(s)Namesake(s)Yard numberLaid downLaunchedCompletedIn serviceStatus or fateImageRef
Dobrynya Nikitich (Russian: Добрыня Никитич)Dobrynya Nikitich76020 December 195910 May 196031 December 19601960–1998Broken up[4]
Purga (Russian: Пурга)Russian for "blizzard"76131 May 196010 December 196023 October 19611961–2012Broken up[5]
Vyuga (Russian: Вьюга)Russian for "blizzard"7635 May 196120 January 196216 July 19621962–1991Broken up[6]

Project 97A

The series of unarmed icebreakers built for the Ministry of the Maritime Fleet of the Soviet Union, Project 97A, is the most numerous variant of the Project 97 family with twelve vessels built between 1961 and 1971. While initially named simply Ledokol (Russian: Ледокол|icebreaker) followed by a running number, in 1966 they were given individual names to honor famous Imperial Russian and Soviet polar explorers.

, two Project 97A icebreakers remain in service with Rosmorport's North-Western Basin Branch in the Baltic Sea: Ivan Kruzenstern and Semyon Dezhnev.

Name(s)Namesake(s)IMO numberYard numberLaid downLaunchedCompletedIn serviceStatus or fateImageRef
Vasiliy Pronchishchev (Russian: Василий Прончищев|; 1966–1989)Ledokol-1 (Russian: Ледокол-1; 1961–1966)Vasili Pronchishchev650076576213 December 196028 April 196130 December 19611961–1989Broken up[7]
Afanasy Nikitin (Russian: Афанасий Никитин; 1966–1995)Ledokol-2 (Russian: Ледокол-2; 1962–1966)Afanasy Nikitin65007917641 November 196131 May 19621 November 19621962–1995Broken up[8]
Khariton Laptev (Russian: Харитон Лаптев; 1966–1996)Ledokol-3 (Russian: Ледокол-3; 1962–1966)Khariton Laptev650080676510 February 196211 August 196225 December 19621962–1996Broken up[9]
Poyar (Russian: Пояр; 1988)Vasiliy Poyarkov (Russian: Василий Поярков; 1966–1988)Ledokol-4 (Russian: Ледокол-4; 1963–1966)Vassili Poyarkov650077776613 August 196216 March 196326 July 19631963–1988Broken up [10]
Yerofey Khabarov (Russian: Ерофей Хабаров; 1966–1993)Ledokol-5 (Russian: Ледокол-5; 1963–1966)Yerofey Khabarov65007897675 April 196324 August 19637 December 19631963–1993Broken up [11]
Ivan Kruzenstern (Russian: Иван Крузенштерн; 1966–present)Ledokol-6 (Russian: Ледокол-6; 1964–1966)Adam Johann von Krusenstern76820 January 196429 April 196427 October 19641964–presentIn service[12]
Vlad (1988)Vladimir Rusanov (Russian: Владимир Русанов; 1966–1988)Ledokol-7 (Russian: Ледокол-7; 1964–1966)Vladimir Rusanov650817176930 March 196425 July 196428 December 19641964–1988Broken up[13]
Semyon Chelyuskin (Russian: Семён Челюскин; 1966–1988)Ledokol-8 (Russian: Ледокол-8; 1965–1966)Semyon Chelyuskin651452277012 December 196428 February 196511 August 19651965–1988Broken up[14]
Yuriy Lisyanskiy (Russian: Юрий Лисянский; 1966–2021)Ledokol-9 (Russian: Ледокол-9; 1965–1966)Yuri Lisyansky652185077230 June 196531 August 196530 December 19651965–2021To be broken up[15] [16]
Fyodor Litke (Russian: Фёдор Литке)Friedrich von Lütke7020085780 12 January 197029 July 197014 December 19701970–2013Broken up[17]
Ivan Moskvitin (Russian: Иван Москвитин)Ivan Moskvitin71173837812 November 197025 March 19711 September 19711971–1997Broken up[18]
Semyon Dezhnev (Russian: Семён Дежнёв)Semyon Dezhnev78230 March 197131 August 197128 December 19711971–presentIn service[19]

Project 97K

Two unarmed Project 97A icebreakers built for the Soviet Navy, Ilya Muromets for the Pacific Fleet and Buran for the Baltic Fleet, are sometimes considered as a separate subclass, Project 97K.

, Buran remains in service with the Baltic Fleet.

Name(s)Namesake(s)IMO numberYard numberLaid downLaunchedCompletedIn serviceStatus or fateImageRef
Ilya Muromets (Russian: Илья Муромец)Ilya Muromets705227277110 March 196530 June 196528 December 19651965–1993Broken up[20]
Buran (Russian: Буран)Russian for "blizzard"77321 January 196616 May 196624 October 19661966–presentIn service[21]

Project 97E

Project 97E was an unarmed icebreaker variant built for East Germany. The vessel, Stephan Jantzen, was operated by the state-owned shipping company Bagger-, Bugsier- und Bergungsreederei Rostock (BBB) until the German reunification in 1990 and Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Stralsund until 2005. After decommissioning, the ship went through a number of owners before ending up as a museum ship in Rostock.[22]

Project 97AP

Project 97AP (Russian: 97АП) was an armed patrol icebreaker variant built for the Soviet Navy. Built with increased autonomy time and operating range, they were intended to patrol the western and eastern ends of the Northern Sea Route. The armament was later dismantled.

Peresvet, which was previously assigned to the Northern Fleet, was decommissioned in 2011 and later scrapped. Sadko, assigned to the Pacific Fleet, was expended as target during the Umka-2022 military drills in September 2022.[24] [25]

Name(s)Namesake(s)Yard numberLaid downLaunchedCompletedIn serviceStatus or fateImageRef
Sadko (Russian: Садко)Sadko77720 June 196728 June 19686 November 19681968–2022Expended as target[26]
Peresvet (Russian: Пересвет)Alexander Peresvet77810 July 196829 January 196928 July 19701970–2011Broken up[27]

Project 97D

Project 97D (Russian: 97Д) was a hydrographic survey vessel variant built for the Ministry of the Maritime Fleet of the Soviet Union to survey the Northern Sea Route. While otherwise nearly identical to baseline Project 97 icebreakers, these two vessels were fitted with additional scientific facilities, echosounders to conduct hydrographic survey, and accommodation for an additional 14 personnel. However, they were also used for icebreaking operations from time to time.

Name(s)Namesake(s)IMO numberYard numberLaid downLaunchedCompletedIn serviceStatus or fateImageRef
Prabhavi (1997)Pyotr Pakhtusov (Russian: Пётр Пахтусов; 1975–1997)Mendeleev (Russian: Менделеев; 1971–1975)Pyotr Pakhtusov (Russian: Пётр Пахтусов; 1966–1971)Ledokol-10 (Russian: Ледокол-10; 1966)Pyotr PakhtusovDmitri Mendeleev661435877421 May 19668 August 196630 December 19661966–1997Broken up [28]
Georgiy Sedov (Russian: Георгий Седов)Georgiy Sedov71171377763 January 196715 June 1967 30 December 19671967–1992Broken up [29]

Derivative designs

Project 97B

Project 97B (Russian: 97Б) was a hydrographic survey vessel variant built for the Hydrographic Office of the Soviet Navy. Unlike the preceding Project 97D built for civilian service, Project 97B was a more radical departure from the original Project 97 icebreaker design with increased length and displacement to increase range and endurance, as well as an enlarged deckhouse to accommodate more personnel on board.

, Vladimir Kavrayskiy remains in service with the Northern Fleet as the stationary barracks ship PKZ-86 in Murmansk.[30]

Project 97P

See main article: Ivan Susanin-class patrol ship. Project 97P (Russian: 97П) was developed as a response to the renewed interest of the Soviet Navy and Soviet Border Troops on icebreaking patrol ships after United States Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers began appearing more frequently near the country's northern maritime borders. New icebreaking patrol ships were needed because existing Soviet naval vessels could not operate in ice-covered waters and large icebreakers, in addition to being unarmed and operated by civilians, could not be distracted from their primary mission of escorting merchant ships. Central Design Bureau "Iceberg" selected Project 97 as the design basis following positive operational experience and the difficulties associated with developing a new design.

, four Project 97P patrol ships remain in service: Ivan Susanin with the Pacific Fleet[31] and Ruslan with the Northern Fleet,[32] both with their armaments removed, and Neva and Volga with the FSB Border Service.[33] [34]

Project 97N

Project 97N (Russian: 97Н), the final variant developed based on the Project 97 icebreaker design, was a research vessel commissioned by the State Committee for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Control of the Soviet Union to conduct scientific research in the poorly-studied transition zone between open water and the polar ice pack. In addition to adding extensive scientific facilities and additional accommodation, the hull lines were given more pronounced sheer and flare to reduce the likelihood of waves breaking over the bow.

The only Project 97N ship, Otto Schmidt, was in service in 1979–1991, and was sold for scrap in 1996.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Admiralty Shipyard 194 Leningrad, USSR . 28 March 2003 . August 1966 . CIA.gov . 3 . 26 January 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126124040/https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78T05161A001300010048-3.pdf . 26 January 2024.
  2. Web site: Ivan Susanin Class (Project 97P Class) Russian Icebreaker. OE Data Integration Network. 27 January 2024.
  3. Web site: RosMorPort takes delivery of diesel-electric icebreaker Moskva built by Baltiysky Zavod. PortNews. 11 December 2008. 2 August 2020.
  4. Web site: Добрыня Никитич. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  5. Web site: Пурга. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  6. Web site: Вьюга. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  7. Web site: Василий Прончищев. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  8. Web site: Афанасий Никитин. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  9. Web site: Харитон Лаптев. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  10. Web site: Пояр. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  11. Web site: Ерофей Хабаров. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  12. Web site: Иван Крузенштерн. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  13. Web site: Vlad. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  14. Web site: Семён Челюскин. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  15. Web site: Юрий Лисянский. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  16. Web site: Росморпорт готов заплатить до 26 млн рублей за утилизацию ледокола «Юрий Лисянский». ru. PortNews. 24 January 2023. 27 April 2023.
  17. Web site: Фёдор Литке. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  18. Web site: Иван Москвитин. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  19. Web site: Семён Дежнёв. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  20. Web site: Илья Муромец. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  21. Web site: Буран. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  22. Web site: Verein rettet legendären Eisbrecher "Stephan Jantzen". de. Nordkurier. 4 August 2019. 2 August 2020.
  23. Web site: Stephan Jantzen. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  24. AkerArctic . 1571505977786093570 . Whoever (else) keeps track of Russian #icebreaking fleet may strike one of the few remaining Project 97 #icebreakers from the list: looks like the 1968-built Sadko was expended as a target in the recent Umka-2022 military drills..
  25. Web site: СМ-573. Fleetphoto. 7 October 2023. 9 October 2023.
  26. Web site: Садко. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  27. Web site: Пересвет. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  28. Web site: Prabhavi. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  29. Web site: Георгий Седов. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  30. Web site: ПКЗ-86. FleetPhoto. 14 March 2020.
  31. Web site: Иван Сусанин. FleetPhoto. https://web.archive.org/web/20190801095450/https://fleetphoto.ru/vessel/34333/. 1 August 2019.
  32. Web site: Руслан. FleetPhoto. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212174349/http://fleetphoto.ru/ship/26584/. 12 February 2019.
  33. Web site: Нева. FleetPhoto. https://web.archive.org/web/20190821010758/http://fleetphoto.ru/vessel/32373/. 21 August 2019.
  34. Web site: Волга. FleetPhoto. https://web.archive.org/web/20190218171237/http://fleetphoto.ru/ship/18582/. 18 February 2019.