Bigger Than An Aircraft Carrier: Russia is Building the World’s Most Powerful Nuclear Powered Icebreaker

Russian state media reported on July 12th that the country’s Zvezda shipyard has begun construction of the first Leader Class nuclear powered icebreaker, a massive 70,000 ton ship which is larger than the Russian Navy’s Kuznetsov Class heavy aircraft carrier and has one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world. Investment in the program comes amid a fast growing Russian military presence in the Arctic region, where the new icebreaker is expected to be deployed. New assets stationed in the Arctic have included S-400 air defence systems, MiG-31K Foxbat jets armed with hypersonic ballistic missiles, T-80BVM battle tanks and a wide range of other assets which have so far given the country a very considerable advantage should conflict break out in the region. The company Rosatomflot, which is involved in the Leader Class icebreaker project, reported regarding the new ship's capabilities: “It will become the most powerful icebreaking vessel in the history of global shipbuilding… has no analogues in the world,” further noting that the “Leader project will become the basis of the new generation Russian icebreaking fleet.” 

The program, also known as the Project 10510, was approved in April with and Zvezda and Rosatomflot signing a contract for its construction. A notable feature of the Leader Class ship is its ability to operate all year round, with an eight month endurance and minimal maintenance requirements. The program follows on from the Project 22220, the maiden vessel of which is currently undergoing its final trials and is expected to become active before the end of 2020. Where the older class of icebreaker had a 60MW power plant and could cut through 3 meter thick ice, the Leader Class is twice as powerful with a 120MW power plant and can cut through 4.3 meter thick ice. The first Leader Class icebreaker is expected to become operational in 2027, and three ships of the class are planned. The program could potentially better facilitate the establishment of permeant shipping routes beyond Russia’s north coast, something neighbouring China has shown a particularly strong interest in accessing due to ongoing Western threats to its shipping routs in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean.