Russian Navy Third Project 12700 MCM Vessel Launched in St. Petersburg.

The Sredne-Nevshy shipyard in St. Petersburg floated the third (second serial) minesweeper the Ivan Antonov of project 12700, TASS reported from the shipyard.

The Ivan Antonov is the third Project 12700 Mine Counter Measure (MCM) vessel for the Russian Navy. Picture: JSC "Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard"

"We have just recently laid the warship. The series is important for all the fleets. I hope we shall soon be building two such ships a year," Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief for armaments Vice Admiral Viktor Bursuk said.

Almaz Design Bureau CEO Alexander Shlyakhtenko said the Sredne-Nevsky shipyard can produce more sophisticated and upgraded warships. The concept and technical characteristics of new serial minesweepers of project 12700 are gradually changing and improving.

Minesweepers of project 12700 will comprise the backbone of the minesweeping forces of all the fleets. The lead Alexander Obukhov of the series is already operational in the navy, and four other minesweepers (the Georgy Kurbatov, the Ivan Antonov, the Vladimir Yemelyanov and the Jakov Balyaev) are at various construction stages.

Project 12700 minesweepers have the biggest fiberglass hull in the world. It is highly durable against steel hulls and ensures better survivability of the ship in mine sweeping. The service life of monolithic fiberglass hull is longer than low-magnetic steel and the hull weight is considerably smaller. The displacement of project 12700 minesweepers is close to 900 tons, the length is over 60 meters and the width is 10 meters. The speed is 16.5 knots and the crew comprises 44 men. It can use various flails, remotely guided and autonomous unmanned underwater craft to sweep mines.

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