The Yantar shipyard in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad floated out on Friday a new large landing ship for the Russian Navy.
The construction of the Ivan Gren landing ship started in 2004, but has been delayed due to the lack of financing and skilled workers.
The ship’s completion is expected by 2013. Plans to build three more ships of the same class are under consideration.
The $160-million vessel has a displacement of about 6,000 tons and will be able to carry up to 13 main battle tanks or 36 armored personnel carriers or 300 naval infantry troops.
Along with Mistral-class amphibious ships being built in France, Ivan Gren class ships will form the core of the Russian Navy’s landing forces.