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Military Base of the Russian Federation "Arctic Shamrock": description, composition and interesting facts

"Arctic Shamrock" - the northernmost outpost of the Russian Federation, as well as the northernmost structure of this scale. The uniqueness of this object is observed in everything from the architectural features of the complex to the latest technologies that ensure the full functioning of the outpost.

Country of Ursa Major

The country of the Big Dipper - that's how you can translate from the Greek word "Arctic". This is the most northern region of the globe. The area of the Arctic, depending on the method of territorial division varies from 21 to 27 million square kilometers.

The development of the Arctic began a long time ago. And to this day this area attracts many researchers. The Arctic is rich in minerals, and this explains the disputes of the northern countries about determining their territories. Interest in recent years has increased due to global warming, which promises to make extraction of minerals less expensive in the future, as well as to open new routes.

The Arctic territories are claimed by Russia, the United States, Denmark, Norway and Canada. Regulates legal relations in matters of the division of the Arctic. UN Convention.

Russia in the Arctic

The development of the Arctic by Russia with some interruptions continues for centuries. The development of oil deposits was actively carried out by the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the USSR, developments were abandoned and garbage lands remained in their place. Cleansing of the territory began only in 2011.

Russia's interest in the Arctic is caused by a variety of factors. First, it is the wealth of the region's natural resources. Secondly, the massive melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean in the future will ensure the formation of new transport routes. The third and one of the most important factors is the military one. Since the shortest path between the Russian Federation and Western countries passes through the Arctic Ocean, it is obvious that in the event of a military conflict, the main theater of military operations will unfold exactly in the Arctic. This fact is the main reason for the construction of the military base "Arctic Shamrock" in the Arctic.

In 2014, D. Medvedev signed an order to resume development. It meant the opening of thirteen airfields, ten air defense stations, sixteen ports. In addition, the work was resumed drifting and search stations.

Building

Construction of the base "Arctic Shamrock" began in 2007, but information about the stages of construction became public only in 2015. The location of the base was the island of Alexandra Land in the archipelago of Franz Josef Land at the eightieth degree of northern latitude. This is not the only Russian military facility located in the northern latitudes. In the archipelago of the Novosibirsk Islands on the island of Kotelny there is "North Clover" - the first Arctic base of Russia, "Shamrock" became the second.

"Arctic Shamrock" - the world's northernmost object, with the creation of which not only construction and erection works, but also earthworks were used. They consist in the arrangement of buried foundations, supporting structures and communication. Despite the fact that the construction is not yet completed, the base is already populated and performs its functions. The construction works are carried out by the enterprise SpetsStroy of Russia. In the construction of more than eight hundred people are involved. For the facilities, unique technologies have been used that allow the construction of capital structures in permafrost conditions and modern materials that effectively conserve heat and significantly reduce the costs of maintaining a positive temperature in the base shells.

Description of the base

On the territory of the "Arctic Shamrock" there are several buildings and special structures. The main building of the base is the administrative-residential complex, made in the form of a three-beam star. This five-story building, painted in the colors of the Russian tricolor.

Between the branches of the administrative and residential complex, three buildings of elliptical shape were built. There are a kitchen and dining room, leisure facilities, medical and administrative blocks. On the territory of the outpost there is also a boiler house, a power station, warehouses, garages and other outbuildings. The buildings are interconnected by insulated crossings. This is a very important communication, allowing you to move freely around the base even in the most severe frost.

In addition, along the territory of the island there are roads, on the shore there is a pumping fuel station. All this makes the "Arctic Shamrock" complex autonomous. Equipping the base is able to provide a one-time stay of one and a half hundred people for eighteen months.

Unique Features

During the erection of the outpost, the designers encountered certain difficulties due to the remoteness of the complex from the "Big Land" and the very low average annual temperature of the region. Equipment and building materials are delivered to the facility through the Northern Sea Route. However, maybe it's only four months a year during the summer navigation.

The main feature of the "Arctic Shamrock" is the pile foundation, the presence of which excludes the risk of snowdrifts of buildings. The administrative and residential complex is located in the center of the base, and from it, like rays, branches into other buildings and structures. Moreover, even from space, the Arctic Shamrock is able to impress with the uniqueness of architectural solutions.

Life at the base

For the garrison guarding the northern border of the Russian Federation, comfortable conditions for work and leisure are organized. The main building of the base is divided into four blocks - three beams and the central part, which has an atrium with a glass roof, which ensures the arrival of daylight in the building. In addition, an observation deck on the roof of the building allows you to observe every point of the base. In the beams of the building there are mainly living quarters. From the central part of the insulated passages lead to other main buildings.

In addition to the main buildings on the base there are technical and economic structures capable of ensuring the autonomous operation of the facility for a long time.

Air defense

The protection of the northern borders and the air defense of the territory of the Russian Federation is the main task entrusted by the Defense Ministry to the Arctic Shamrock. The organization of the air defense division in the Arctic today has become one of the priorities of the Ministry of Defense.

Even in the Soviet era, when the likelihood of war with the United States was brewing, the installation of air defense in the Arctic was paid great attention, because the shortest path from the US to Russia lies just across the Arctic Ocean. But after the end of the Cold War, many bases were abandoned and abandoned. And now, after more than twenty years, in connection with the aggravation of relations between Russia and the West, air defense in the Arctic has been talked about again.

In the northern latitudes of the country there are already two military bases. This is the "Northern Clover" "Arctic Shamrock".

The construction of the "Shamrock" significantly strengthened the grouping of Russian troops in the Northern latitudes and ensured the protection of the Northern Sea Route.

Functions of "Shamrock"

In addition to its main function - the protection of the Russian Federation's air borders, meteorological studies are conducted on the base. Control of the Northern Sea Route is not only in military defense, but also in ensuring the safe passage of ships in terms of weather conditions. Modern equipment installed on the base helps to analyze the current, ice movement and other factors that can slow or impede navigation.

Prospects

More recently, only a certain circle of people knew about the existence of the base. In March 2017, the Russian president visited the Arctic. Putin. The visit was also attended by the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology. One of the purposes of the visit was to visit the outpost. And already in April on the website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation a new project started - a virtual tour of the "Arctic Trefoil". Now everyone can get acquainted with the conditions in which the most northern military unit lives.

As predicted by political scientists, already in the near future in the world arena will be fierce struggle for the Arctic territories. In addition to the five candidates, known for a long time, having borders in the Arctic Ocean, other countries began to claim their rights to the northern territories.

The mass melting of glaciers opens new prospects for the development of northern territories rich in their natural resources. In addition, from the point of view of the country's defense, the Arctic is of strategic importance.

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