The Czilim class ACV (Project 20910) is a small patrol hovercraft operated by the Border Guard Service of Russia

Border Guard Service of Russia

The Border Service of Russia , also called the Border Force of Russia is a branch of Federal Security Service of Russia tasked with patrol of the Russian border. In English, the terms "Border Guards" and "Border Troops" are frequently used to designate this service...

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Configuration

The Czilim class is the first new class of military hovercraft developed for the Russian military since the fall of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. It is based on an Almaz design and was ordered from Jaroslawski Sudostroiteinyj Zawod in the late 1990s. It is roughly the same size as the British SR.N6 hovercraft.

The Czilim class was designed for border patrol duties on the Amur River on the border with China, and is expected to be used entirely by Russian Border Guards. It is intended as a smaller replacement for the Soviet Gus class LCAC

Gus class LCAC

The Gus class LCAC was a medium sized assault hovercraft operated by the Soviet Navy from 1969 until the early 1990s.- Configuration :The Gus class was a military version of the Soviet Skate class 50 passenger hovercraft, and was designed to transport infantry and light equipment. Between 1969 and...

. The first craft was laid down on 24 February 1998 and entered service in early 2001. Three further craft were built at Yaroslavl between 1997 and 1999. Four were in service in 2004, though none are believed to be currently operational.

The Czilim class is capable of carrying six Border Guards and their equipment.