Russia May Launch Mass Production of New Ilya Muromets-Class Icebreakers

The new generation of Russia's diesel-electric icebreakers designed for the Russian Navy, the Ilya Muromets-class, can go into mass production, Rear Adm. Igor Zvarich, the Navy's technical department chief, said Friday.

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the lead icebreaker of the Project 21180, the Ilya Muromets, was launched at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg. It is the first icebreaker constructed for the Russian Navy for the last 45 years, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

"There is a high probability that the icebreaker of the 'bogatyr' class [Project 21180] will go into mass production. Such an opportunity is being studied," Zvarich told reporters.

In April 2015, Adm. Viktor Chirkov, who served then as the Navy commander, said that vessel would have a cruising range of 12,000 nautical miles. The ship will be capable of breaking ice that is 80-cm (over 31 inches) thick, according to Chirkov.