Article Posted on : - Jul 03, 2014

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MOSCOW (BNS): The Russian Navy will receive four new minesweepers by 2019 under Project 12700, according to the Ministry of Defence.

A ceremony was held recently at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in St. Petersburg to introduce the lead mine countermeasures vessel of the project, Alexander Obukhov, named after a famed Soviet fleet boat commander and hero.

The first minesweeper will be put into service in late 2015, a RIA Novosti report said.

The Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard signed a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry in April this year to build three (additional) ships for the project. The ships are to be delivered in 2016-2018, the MoD said.

The news report quoting Yuri Borisov, Deputy Defence Minister said, the shipbuilding programme approved by President Vladimir Putin in May envisages building around 30 minesweepers by 2050.

The 890-ton Alexander Obukhov designed by Almaz is 61 meters in length and ten metres in width, with a maximum speed of 16.5 knots and a crew of 44. The vessel will join Russia's Northern Fleet.