KALININGRAD. March 7 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has guaranteed completion of the Novik guard ship, Nikolai Volov, director general of the Yantar shipyard, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
Kasyanov attended the transfer of an ice-class arctic trawler to the Norwegian Umoe Cterkoder company on Tuesday and expressed his wish to see the Novik, though such a visit was not included in the protocol. After seeing the vessel Kasyanov guaranteed that it would be completed. Moreover, he promised to support production of guard ships similar to the one that was handed to the German Coast Guard in January this year.
The Novik was laid down in July 1997. Sailors name it the 21st century vessel. Its length is over 100 meters, the displacement is some 3,000t and it will be powered by both gas- turbine and diesel engines. The Novik will be able to take helicopters of all types on board. Its transfer to the Russian Navy was scheduled for late 2001 but the construction stopped last year due to poor financing.