The ice-class patrol ship (combat icebreaker) “Ivan Papanin” Project 23550, built for the Russian Navy, has completed its factory sea trials. This ship and three others (“Nikolai Zubov”, “Purga” and “Dzerzhinsky”) will be equipped with powerful weapons, including “Kalibr” and Kh-35 “Zvezda” missiles (NATO codename SS-N-25 Switchblade). This is according to Bulgarian Military.
Icebreakers of Project 23550 are armed with a 76.2-mm gun on the bow, two 30-mm AK-630M air defense systems, and a launch system for Kalibr cruise missiles. Some sources even suggest that they may be equipped with Kh-35 “Zvezda” anti-ship missiles.
According to the publication, the Kh-35 “Zvezda” is a missile designed to neutralize enemy warships.
With a range of up to 120 km, the missile is part of Russia's advanced arsenal aimed at maintaining naval superiority and deterring potential threats. The Kh-35 missile is renowned for its accuracy.
The dimensions of the Kh-35 “Zvezda” missile are approximately 4.5 m in length and approximately 0.42 m in diameter. The compact size of the missile allows it to be launched from various platforms, including submarines, surface ships, and coastal defense systems, providing flexibility in operational use.
The Kh-35 “Zvezda” missile can be equipped with various types of warheads, including high-explosive fragmentation (for maximum damage) and armor-piercing (for striking armored vessels). This allows the missile to be used in various combat scenarios.