The Russian Navy has officially commissioned the Ivan Papanin, the first armed icebreaker of Project 23550, during a ceremony held on 5 September 2025 in Severomorsk and commissioned it for service in the Northern Fleet.
Combining the roles of icebreaker, patrol ship, and tug, the Ivan Papanin is designed to operate in the challenging Arctic environment. It can break through ice up to 1.7 metres thick and undertake missions ranging from resource protection and logistics support to search and rescue operations.
The ship has a displacement of about 8,500 tonnes, a top speed of 18 knots and measures 114 metres in length. With an endurance of 70 days and a range of 10,000 nautical miles, it offers long-duration operational capability in remote polar regions.
Moreover, the ship comes equipped with a 76mm AK-176MA naval gun, heavy machine guns, and man-portable air defence systems. The vessel also features a flight deck capable of hosting Ka-27 helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, the design allows for modular container-based cruise missile launchers, significantly enhancing its potential combat capability in the Arctic theatre.
