"The Academician
Kovalyov moored at Zvyozdochka’s berth, having completed its
official test program in almost three weeks," the press office
said. "The hardware will be checked out soon, and the ship will
be prepared for delivery. The St. Andrew’s flag will be hoisted
onboard the Academician Kovalyov and the advanced armament support
ship will thus be commissioned for service with the Russian Navy on
December 18."
At present, Zvyozdochka is building the third and fourth ships in
the series - the Academician Alexandrov and Academician Makeyev. According
to the press office, Russian-made components will substitute for the
imported ones in the latter.
The Project 20180TV Academician Kovalyov reinforced ice-class armament
support ship was set afloat in summer 2014 for outfitting. The ship
is designed for handling and carrying naval armament. It has a total
displacement of about 6,000 tons, a length of 107.6 m and a maximum
speed of 14 knots. The project 10180TV armament support ships mount
three cranes of two types and of different lifting capacity. The transport
carries a Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name: Helix) helicopter or a
derivative thereof. The Russian Defense Ministry awarded the order
for the Academician Kovalyov in September 2011. The Project 20180TV
armament support ship was derived from the Project 10180 Zvyozdochka
seagoing rescue tug built by the Severodvinsk-based shipyard and delivered
in 2010.
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