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Almaz Bureau Told of New Drone Boats for Alexandrite-Class Minesweepers

Rubric: Russia, Industry

The ninth and further Project 12700 Alexandrite-class mine countermeasures ships will obtain the crucially new Russian-made unmanned boats developed by the ships’ designer, Almaz bureau, the company’s CEO, Alexander Shlyakhtenko told Mil.Press Today at the International Maritime Defense Show (IMDS-2019).

As for him, the French unmanned boats Inspector Mk II do not meet the needs of the Russian naval mariners in full. In May, Shlyakhtenko announced that beginning from the ninth ship, Project 12700 minesweepers would get "numerous changes and absolutely new features". This includes the new drone boats, too.

One of the arrangement options of unmanned boats Inspector onboard the Project 12700 minesweeper

An interim solution was installation of the Russian unmanned boats Scanda. On July 10, Admiral Nikolay Evmenov, Russian Navy’s Commander-in-Chief said the Scanda’s key feature was that the robotized system was based on the massive operation experience of the fast-speed boats BL-680.

Development of unmanned motorboats for minesweepers and other Russian Navy’s ships is currently going on a competitive basis, two industry insiders told Mil.Press Today. The tactical specifications of the drone boats are jointly elaborated by the naval personnel, scientists, designers and representatives of industry.

One of the interviewees emphasized that the new unmanned boats would be mounted for test operation even on the fourth or fifth Alexandrite-class sweepers. The expert did not specify what exactly drone boat was in question, though said it was created on a new platform.

Unmanned boat Scanda

The third ship of this class, Vladimir Yemelyanov, will get the Russian-made drone boats based on BL-680, announced on May 30 Vladimir Tryapichnikov, director of the Russian Navy’s shipbuilding department. The second Alexandrite-class minesweeper, Ivan Antonov, was equipped with the boats based on BL-680, they are undergoing trials.

The Ninth International Maritime Defense Show (IMDS-2019) took place in Saint Petersburg in July 10-14. In the first three days, from July 10 to July 14, the exhibition was open for experts and international guests; in July 13-14 it welcomed wide public.

Mil.Press publishes news, overviews of the novelties and business events of the show in the thematic section IMDS.

Dmitry Zhavoronkov

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