The Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex and the Research Fleet Department of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have signed a contract on construction of two cross-functional research vessels with limitless navigation.
The contract was awarded due to the decision of the Government of the Russian Federation identifying Zvezda as the sole provider for the order stipulated by the Nauka (“Science”) project. Such vessels have not been built in Russia for several decades, and upgrading the research fleet is an important national objective. Draft design for the vessels has already been prepared by the Lazurit central design bureau.
The purpose of the new vessels is to conduct basic and applied research in the world’s oceans, including hydrometeorological measurements, measurement of magnetic, gravity, electric and thermal fields, biological and environmental studies, high-resolution geological and hydrographic bottom surveys, sampling and analysis of rocks and bottom sediments using underwater equipment, and environmental monitoring. A wide range of measuring will be carried out with the latest on-board and towed equipment, and the research vessel laboratories will be able to process the resulting data in real time.
The ice class Arc4 enables the vessels to navigate through one-year ice up to 0.6 metres thick in winter-spring navigation and up to 0.8 metres thick in summer-autumn navigation. The vessels will be 122.5 metres long and have a displacement of 8,130 tonnes. They will be able to navigate autonomously for 50 days and cover a range of 7,500 miles. Helipads are provided on the vessels.
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