The FSB is not only intelligence and special forces, but also the border service, including the coast guard. Therefore, in reality, no one should be surprised by the fact that this state structure also receives entire ships at its disposal. One of the last to be put into service was the new generation patrol ship "Ladoga". It's time to get to know the ship better.
The Ladoga vessel was built within the framework of Project 22120 Purga (creation of multipurpose ice-class border patrol vessels). Used "Ladoga", like all its other brethren, will be for the coast guard of Russia in the northern waters: the Sea of Japan, the Barents Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as in the Gulf of Finland. One of the most important features of the Purga-class ships is the ability to navigate through the ice. All 22120 ships break through ice floes up to 1 meter thick.
Initially, the Federal Customs Service of Russia was involved in the project, but later the funding for the program was discontinued. Some time later, after the FCS refused to deal with project 22120, it was decided to transfer it to the FSB department. The Ladoga patrol ship is far from being the first of its kind. To date, the FSB already has 6 new generation patrol ships from the mentioned project: Rear Admiral Kolchin, Rear Admiral Dianov, Kamchatka, Transbaikalia, Taimyr and Admiral Ugryumov. All of these vessels are in service and on alert. They were created at the Almaz shipyard in St. Petersburg.
"Ladoga", like all the other ships of "Blizzard", is not very large: the ships' displacement is 800 tons. Patrol icebreakers belong to ships of the 3rd rank. Ladoga's dimensions are 71x10.4x6 meters. Draft - 3.62 meters. The ships are powered by ABC diesel power units - two 16VDZC-1000-175A units and two 12M VDZC units. The total output of the former is 5,100 hp, of the latter - 4,080 hp. The Ladoga's cruising range can reach 6 thousand nautical miles, and the autonomous navigation period is 20 days. The FSB ship accelerates to 24 knots. The crew ranges from 16 to 25 people. All ships of this type are distinguished by the highest level of automation.
The patrol vessel "Ladoga" can detect targets at sea at a distance of up to 40 nautical miles. There is a helipad on board the ship. The Ka-226 patrol helicopter significantly expands the ship's potential and helps in the early arrest of border violators. Two detachable 12.7-mm KORD machine guns are used as standard armament for the Ladoga. In addition, like any ship of the Purga project, a newcomer can, if necessary, be equipped with an AK-306M 30-mm automatic aviation cannon, as well as with Igla and Verba MANPADS installations.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about why is there smoke from Russian ships, because it increases their visibility.