The Russian Navy says one of its corvettes is heading to the Mediterranean Sea to join the country’s group of warships in the region.
A spokesman for the Black Sea Fleet said the Mirazh, armed with Malakhit cruise missiles, left its Crimean base at Sevastopol on October 6.
The Mirazh follows another two Black Sea Fleet corvettes, equipped with Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, which had been due to reach the Mediterranean late on October 5.
The navy said the deployments are part of a "planned rotation" of Moscow's naval forces in the region.
The moves come after Moscow confirmed it had sent an S-300 antiaircraft missile system to its naval base in Syria's port of Tartus.
They also follow Washington’s announcement that it is suspending talks with Russia on trying to end the violence in Syria.
The Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Situated on the Baltic Coast, it is surrounded by Poland and Lithuania, two NATO members.
Formerly known as Könisberg, Kaliningrad was annexed by the Soviet Union on April 7, 1946. With more than 963,000 people, Kaliningrad is one of Russia’s best-performing regional economies.
Its geographical location is ideal for an early warning system to monitor NATO movements.
Kaliningrad’s Geopolitical Situation
Surrounded by Poland and Lithuania, the Kaliningrad Oblast has no direct ground links back to Russia’s mainland. Kaliningrad is also the only Russian Baltic Sea Port that enables the Baltic Fleet to operate in the region on a year-round basis.
The Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia. Situated on the Baltic Coast, it is surrounded by Poland and Lithuania, two NATO members.
Formerly known as Könisberg, Kaliningrad was annexed by the Soviet Union on April 7, 1946. With more than 963,000 people, Kaliningrad is one of Russia’s best-performing regional economies.
Its geographical location is ideal for an early warning system to monitor NATO movements.
Due to the proximity of almost every European NATO member, Kaliningrad is ideal to have an early warning system: the Voronezh radar.
However, Kaliningrad is not ideal to mobilize troops for offensive operations due to its geographical position. The logistical issues would be far too great for Russia to even consider deploying an offensive force to the region.
The Baltic Fleet’s Marines are able to launch seaborne operations, but it would be very unlikely due to its small size.
Nevertheless, the adjacency of NATO members makes it ideal for defensive purposes and provide Russia with a strong foothold in the Baltic Sea.
The presence of the Baltic Fleet is also one of the main reasons behind the strategic importance of Kaliningrad. According to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation: “The main tasks of the Baltic Fleet are as follows:
• to protect economic zone and production regions, suppression of illegal production activities; • to ensure safety of navigation; • to fulfil foreign policy acts of the Government in economically important regions of the World Ocean (visits, ships business visits, joint exercises, peacekeeping missions, etc.)”
Kaliningrad remains one of the most vital regions for Russia’s defence against NATO. The military installations in Kaliningrad would most likely be NATO’s first targets if there was a total war against Russia.
The destruction of the Voronezh radar station would greatly weakened Russia’s ability to counter NATO attacks thus making it a target of choice.
Voronezh Radar In Kaliningrad
Based at the former Dnuyavka air base, the Pionersky Radar Station operates a Voronezh radar system. The radar was built in Kaliningrad to counter NATO’s missile defence systems and enable Russia to keep their nuclear weapons operational.
NATO is putting a lot of emphasis on this missile system to deter the launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles by Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces against their members.
The radar was deemed operational in 2014 and can cover more than 6,000 km, enough to keep Europe and part of the Atlantic Ocean under permanent surveillance. The Voronezh-DM can also simultaneously track more than 500 objects.
Due to its vulnerability, the radar site is most likely guarded by anti-aircraft systems such as the S-300 and the S-400 Triumf.
Anti-Aircraft In Kaliningrad
Surrounded by NATO countries, the Kaliningrad military installations need a solid anti-aircraft capability.
With NATO aircraft able to quickly reach the Kaliningrad military installations and ports, Russia has no choice but to deploy many anti-aircraft surface-to-air (SAM) missiles.
Russian S-300 and S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems are the weapons of choice to counter enemy aircraft. Capable of reaching 400 km with a 40N6 missile, both missile systems can be quickly deployed—under 5 minutes—and engage incoming enemy aircraft.
It is vital for Russia to keep the S-300 and S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems operational to protect the Voronezh radar installation in Pionersky. Due to its mobility, both systems can also be deployed anywhere in the Kaliningrad Oblast to counter enemy aircraft.
Russian Armed Forces In Kaliningrad
The Russian Armed Forces have different types of units deployed all over the Kaliningrad Oblast. Due to its strategic importance, Russia keeps a strong permanent military presence in the Oblast to give them a capable defensive force.
Troops stationed in Kaliningrad are under the command of the Western Military District. According to Wikipedia, the Ground and Coastal Forces of the Baltic Fleet is mainly comprised of:
HQ: Kaliningrad
7th Independent Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment (Kaliningrad) (formerly known as the 1st Guards Motor Rifle Division)
22nd Independent Air Defence Regiment. Not clear which missiles this regiment is equipped with. However it was announced in 2011 that two divisions (batteries) of new S-400 Ground-to-Air Missile systems will join the Baltic Fleet.[24]
73rd Independent Bridge Battalion.
254th Independent Radio Battalion (electronic intelligence gathering)
Other small units
The ground troops are mainly conducting defensive operations. However, the 336th Independent Guards Marine Brigade can be deployed to conduct seaborne operations. The 71st Order of the Red Star Landing Ship Brigade provide the Marines with landing ships and two air-cushioned landing crafts.
In fact, the 336th could launch offensive operations against Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. However, this is very unlikely and would start a total war between NATO and Russia.
The Russian Baltic Fleet is permanently headquartered in Kaliningrad. In 2015, 3 submarines and 55 warships are under the Baltic Fleet’s command. The main naval port is Baltiysk and a second port is also in Kronstadt, located in the Gulf of Finland.
The Baltic Fleet’s Kilo-class submarines are known to lurk around Latvia’s territorial waters. However, the Russian submarines stay in the international waters, which is perfectly legal.
The 128th Surface ship Brigade is the largest formation of the Baltic Fleet. Composed of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare warships, the 128th is the first line of defence of the Russian Navy against NATO warships.
The Future Of Kaliningrad
Russia is slowly deploying new Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad. The Iskander missile is a tactical weapon and can be launched up to 500 km. It could be employed as a pre-emptive strike weapon to disrupt enemy forces on the borders of Kaliningrad.
The Baltic Fleet will most likely receive new ships in the near future, especially to conduct littoral operations. Having said that, the Baltic Fleet is one of the most important fleets of the Russian Navy due to its geographical location.
As for ground troops, I think an additional motorized rifle brigade could be deployed to Kaliningrad to provide a quick reaction force in case of a NATO attack.
Tensions between Russia and NATO are quickly escalating and we’re on the verge of a new Cold War. Nevertheless, a total war between Russia and NATO is highly unlikely. Russia will continue to mass troops on their borders and launch aerial reconnaissance mission around NATO airspaces.
Although more large-scale drills will be conducted to test the Russian Armed Forces readiness, Russia will also focus on keeping its fleets fully operational. The Russian Navy, especially the Baltic Fleet, is vital for them to gain more influence on the world stage and having a strong presence in their waterways.
As for Kaliningrad, I believe Russia will fortify the region while pouring money to further stimulate the thriving regional economy.
New Russian strategic nuclear submarines will not use any foreign-made equipment, official of Russia's Sevmash shipyard said Wednesday.
"During construction of nuclear submarine Prince Vladimir (Borei-class) and all other ships, the shipyard does not depend on import," the Sevmash chief Mikhail Budnichenko was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.
He added the enterprise has also stopped using spare parts produced in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and successfully switched to production using spare parts and equipment made by itself or other Russian enterprises.
Located in the northwestern Arkhangelsk region, Sevmash is the largest ship-building enterprise and the only nuclear submarine producer in Russia.
Russia plans to put on service eight Borei-class submarines by 2020. Each submarine is capable to carry up to 16 Bulava inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in April that Russia needs to end direct purchase of industrial machinery by producing them and creating related software on its own.
Rogozin also said in July that components for Russian weapons and military equipment imported from Ukraine will be replaced with domestically manufactured products in about three years.
On August 22, 2014, RF Navy flag raising ceremony was held at the Admiralty Shipyards (Saint-Petersburg) for the diesel-electric submarine Novorossiysk (Or 636.3 Varshavyanka).
The Novorossiysk, the first submarine of project 636.3 in the series being built by Admiralty Shipyards for RF Navy was laid down in August 2010. All submarines of the series are named after Hero-Cities or Cities of Military Glory The second submarine, Rostov-on-Don, was laid in November 2011; the third, Stary Oskol, - in August 2012.
The construction of submarine Novorossiysk is the first step in implementation of the long-term plan of RF Ministry of Defence aimed at recovery of tactical efficiency of the Black Sea Fleet and the programme on modernization of Russia’s fleet of diesel-electric submarines.
Varshavyanka-class submarines, the third generation of Diesel-Electric submarines, feature one of the the lowest level of noise among ships worldwide. Characteristics: surface speed – 20 knots; maximum dive – 300 m; cruising capacity – 45 days; crew – 52 persons, submerged displacement – about 4,000 t.
Russia’s new nuclear submarine Alexander Nevsky will arrive at its base in Kamchatka before the end of the year to begin combat training, Eastern Military District Commander, Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin said on Thursday.
Surovikin is inspecting the construction of infrastructure facilities for the fourth-generation submarines in Vilyuchinsk, Kamchatka.
“The commander inspected the construction of the pier, including mooring areas and support facilities, to ensure that work was proceeding according to the schedule approved by the ministry of defense,” Eastern Military District spokesperson Alexander Gordeyev told ITAR-TASS.
The general demanded strict compliance with the construction schedule and technical specifications approved by the Defense Ministry and the Navy, which require improved seismic resistance and the use of high anti-corrosion technologies.
The Alexander Nevsky is the second Borei-class submarine and the first serial Project 955 ship of the Borei Class. It was laid down on March 19, 2004. This is a fourth generation strategic underwater missile cruiser.
The leading submarine of the series, Yuri Dolgoruky, went into service in January 2013. It was the 129th nuclear-powered submarine built by the Sevmash shipyard and the first one in the past 12 years. Prior to that, in December 2001, the shipyard handed over the multirole submarine Gepard (carrying no ballistic missiles) to the Navy.
The Alexander Nevsky is the first serial strategic rocket carrier of the Borei class. It is 170 metres long, 13.5 metres wide, maximum operating depth is 450 metres, underwater speed is 29 knots, and a crew of 17 sailors.
Borei class submarines are designed to serve as the basis of Russia's strategic nuclear capabilities for the decades to come. They are designed by the St. Petersburg-based Naval Design Bureau Rubin.
Each submarine can be armed with 12 ICBMs with MIRVs. They will also have an escape capsule for all crewmembers.
The Borei claims to be a state-of-the-art submarine, featuring characteristics superior to any submarine currently in service, such as the ability to cruise silently and be less detectable to sonar.
Advances include a compact and integrated hydrodynamically efficient hull for reduced broadband noise and the first ever use of pump-jet propulsion on a Russian nuclear submarine.
The submarines will be armed with Bulava missiles. The Bulava carries the NATO reporting name SS-NX-30 and has been assigned the GRAU index 3M30. In international treaties, the common designation RSM-56 is used.
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to build at least eight new Borei-class submarines that should become the main naval component of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces.
Two multi-purpose Project 971 nuclear submarines Samara and Bratsk of the Russian Pacific Fleet will be delivered to the city of Severodvinsk, a nuclear shipbuilding center in Russia’s northern Arkhangelsk region. They will be upgraded at the Zvezdochka military shipyard, the military shipyard’s press service told ITAR-TASS on Wednesday.
A dock-ship will deliver nuclear submarines from the Far-Eastern port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Northern Sea Route
A Russian defense official said two French-built Mistral-class warships on order for the Russian navy will be retrofitted with Russian weapons systems after their delivery, signaling that Western sanctions against Russia may have succeeded in scaling back the military technology transfer proposed in the Mistral sale deal.
"The construction of the Vladivostok [the second Mistral ship] is being completed. … She will be retrofitted with Russian-made weapons at port [in St. Petersburg]," Igor Sevastyano, a spokesman for Russia's state arms import and export agency was quoted by news agency Interfax as saying Wednesday at an arms expo outside Moscow.
France's 2011 deal to supply Russia with two Mistral assault ships was part of a 1.2 billion euro ($1.6 million) technology transfer agreement. Officials have remained coy about exactly what cutting edge French technology would be supplied along with the ships, but the expectation was that the deal would be a major boost to Russia's technical military expertise.
But since Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March, the West has been expanding sanctions against Russia. In July, the country's defense industry was hit by an EU arms embargo. While stopping short of actually prohibiting the delivery of the ships and transfer of related shipbuilding technologies, this appears to have nixed the possibility of the warships from being outfitted with advanced French gear.
The first of the two warships, the Sevastopol, has already been launched and is undergoing final preparations for its delivery to the Russian navy later this year, while its sister ship, the Vladivostok, is not expected to be delivered until November 2015.
Washington and several of its NATO allies have pressured Paris to ax the deal, which Western leaders believe will enable potential Russian military aggression against NATO member states and pro-Western post-Soviet states near the Black Sea.
France, for whom the loss of the contract would be a major economic blow, has resisted pressure to withhold delivery of the first Mistral. French President Francois Hollande said in July the decision to follow through on the second vessel would "depend on Russia's attitude," referring to Moscow's support of separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported.
If everything goes according to plan and Moscow receives its new warships, the vessels will begin their induction into the Russian navy by stopping off at St. Petersburg's Northern Wharf shipyard to receive a full complement of Russian-made weapons systems.
Russian sailors are currently training on how to operate the warships, which are unlike anything else currently serving in the Russian navy. Although one Soviet-era aircraft carrier remains in service, it is plagued by technical troubles. The Mistral-class amphibious assault helicopter carriers are significantly more advanced in the areas of command and control systems, as well as communications.
Two new diesel electric submarines will be laid down for the Russian Navy in October, Defense Ministry spokesperson for the Navy Igor Dygalov said on Tuesday.
The submarines, called Kolpino and Veliky Novgorod, and four other Kilo-class (Varshavyanka by Russian classification) craft are to join the Navy by 2016.
Dygalo confirmed that the Russian Navy Ensign would be hoisted on the leading submarine of the series, called Novorossiysk, on August 22.
The Novorossiysk, the construction of which began in August 2010, is finishing the second stage of sea trials in the Baltic Sea and will arrive at St. Petersburg’s Admiralty Shipyard before the flag raising ceremony.
A third Project 636.3 submarine called Stary Oskol will be launched on August 28. Two more submarines of the same series, Krasnodar and Rostov on Don, are still under construction.
Project 636.3 diesel electric submarines being built for the Russian Black Sea Fleet will be tested in deep waters at the North Fleet, Admiralty Shipyard Director-General Alexander Buzakov said earlier.
“The submarines will undergo deep-water trials in northern testing ranges,” Buzakov said.
The new submarines will be stationed in Novorossiysk and Sevastopol on the Black Sea.
The Black Sea Fleet will get about 30 new warships in the next six years, Navy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Chirkov said.
“The Black Sea Fleet will receive six Project 636 submarines by 2016 and the first of the six Project 1135.6 escort ships in 2015. The Fleet will also get six Project 22160 patrol boats for patrolling territorial waters and the 200-mile exclusive economic zone, escorting ships at sea and protecting naval bases and water areas to warn about enemy attacks,” he said.
“Six such submarines will be built for the Black Sea Fleet in the next two years,” the commander said.
In late June, the Russian Navy was joined by a new-generation mine countermeasures vessel (Project 12700) designed by the Almaz Design Burea and built by the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard. The vessel is intended for finding and destroying mines near naval bases at safe distances. “Three more such ships will be built shortly,” Chirkov said.
The Navy will also acquire four fast-speed Raptor patrol boats complete with the most up-to-date control systems and intended for landing and assault missions.
“The Navy expects to receive more than 50 ships and support vessels before the end of the year,” he said.
Chirkov said the Black Sea Fleet was “obsolete beyond reason and we now have the opportunity to stop its aging and upgrade underground and surface forces in order to be able to carry out our missions effectively in the Black and Mediterranean Seas”.
The Black Sea Fleet is carrying out an ambitious rearmament program to upgrade its capabilities in Crimea.
“The Navy expects to receive more than 50 ships and support vessels before the end of the year,” Chirkov said.
Project 636.5 Varshavyanka head diesel-electric submarine Novorossiysk produced for Russian Black Sea Fleet will be handed over to the country’s Navy on August 28, a high-ranking source in the military and industrial sector told ITAR-TASS on Friday.
“A festive St. Andrew naval flag-hoisting ceremony will be held abroad Novorossiysk at the Admiralty Wharfs in the city of St. Petersburg on August 28,” the high-placed military source said.
He recalled that this submarine would be put on trials at Northern Fleet’s deep-water ranges after it is taken into naval service, before being sent to a naval base on the Black Sea coast.
Novorossiysk was laid in August 2010. Submarines of this project belong to the third generation developed by St. Petersburg-based Design Bureau of Marine Engineering Rubin and considered to be noise lowest in the world and have a higher combat capability than submarines of previous projects. Varshavyanka project submarines are upgraded fundamentally especially for Russian Navy provided with missile and torpedo weaponry, radioelectronic and hydroacoustic equipment.
Submarines of this project has a surface speed of 20 knots (37 kph), maximum submersion of around 300 metres, can go on autonomous sailing of 45 days, has a crew of 52 and underwater displacement of around four thousand tonnes.
The fifth and sixth submarines are to be laid down in October - November this year, for the 310th anniversary of Admiralty Shipyard. The submarines will be named Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino.
Admiralty Shipyard Director General Aleksandr Buzakov said previously that this year the enterprise should deliver to the Russian Navy three submarines of Project 636.3 - Novorossiysk, Rostov-on-Don and Stary Oskol.
Russia's Northern
and Baltic Fleets are beefing up their operational strength in the Barents and
Baltic Seas as part of a surprise operability test that was announced in
Russia's armed forces on Wednesday, the Defense Ministry reported in a
statement on Thursday.
"About 80
surface vessels, submarines and support ships of the Russian Navy have left
their permanent bases and started the deployment phase in the designated areas
of the sea ranges in the Barents and Baltic Seas. Several groups of all-arms
naval forces have been put together at the moment," it said.
While proceeding
toward the deployment areas, the ships are training the organization of air
defense and short-range anti-submarine defenses and the arrangement of
communications.
"In the
course of anti-submarine defense training, in cooperation with naval aviation,
the participants are training to look for, detect, and track submarines using
bottom, towed, and dunking sonar stations. The ship crews have conducted
onboard damage control exercises, practicing the norms stipulated by the Surface
Ship Damage Control Manual and the Submarine Damage Control Manual," it
said.
As concerns the
Navy, special significance during the operability test will be attached to
efficiency of operational control of the naval forces and the practicing of
interoperability of coastal forces, naval groups, the all-arms naval forces,
and the naval aviation, the Defense Ministry said.
"The Navy's
coastal forces will perform a set of duties as part of an anti-amphibious
operation, during which the countering of a simulated enemy's amphibious
assault landing and anti-amphibious coastal defense measures will be
practiced," it said.
Russia’s
Navy is expected to receive 40 new warships and auxiliary vessels in 2014, a
high-ranking official said Friday.
In addition to surface ships of various classes, the navy
will also commission the third Borey-class nuclear powered ballistic missile
submarine, the Vladimir Monomakh, and a Varshavyanka-class diesel electric
submarine, Rear Admiral Viktor Bursuk, a deputy commander of the Russian navy,
said.
Bursuk, who oversees weapons procurement for the navy, said
that Russia
will continue the repair and overhaul of the Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered
missile cruiser and three nuclear-powered attack submarines this year.
The Kirov-class cruiser, known as the Kalinin
until 1992, was commissioned in 1989 and mothballed in 1999. It has since been
docked for upgrades at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk,
on the White Sea.
The Admiral Nakhimov is expected to rejoin the Russian navy
in 2018 with the most advanced weapons systems for its vessel type, the Sevmash
shipyard said in June last year.
Auxiliary ships to be commissioned by the end of 2014
include the Igor Belousov, an advanced search-and-rescue ship designed to boost
the navy’s ability to rescue submarines and ships in distress, Bursuk said.
The Russian Navy will receive three new missile corvettes by
the end of 2015, navy commander Adm. Viktor Chirkov said Wednesday.
“The navy is expecting the Veliky Ustyug corvette this year
and two more warships of the same class in 2015,” Chirkov said.
The Defense Ministry has ordered a total of nine Project
21631 (Buyan-M) corvettes for the navy, with at least six vessels to be
assigned to the Caspian Flotilla.
The first two Buyan-M corvettes, the Grad Sviyazhsk and the
Uglich, entered service with the flotilla earlier this year, Chirkov said.
The Zelenodolsk shipyard, based in Russia’s
TatarstanRepublic,
began construction of the sixth corvette in the series, the Vyshny Volochek, in
August last year.
A Buyan-M corvette has a displacement of 949 tons and a maximum
speed of 25 knots. It is armed with Kalibr (SS-N-27) anti-ship missiles, 100-mm
and 30-mm guns, as well as Igla-1M air defense missiles.
The lead vessel in a new class of patrol ships was laid down in
a ceremony at Russia’s Zelenodolsky
shipyard Wednesday, the builder said in a statement.
The Vasily Bykov will be the first diesel-powered Project 22160
patrol ship and is planned to feature a helicopter landing pad on its aft deck,
according to the Severnoye Design Bureau, the vessel's designer.
The 1,300-ton ship will have a range of 6,000 nautical miles and
be armed with a single 57mm cannon, heavy machine guns, air defense systems and
optional missile launchers.
“This ship is a vessel of a new generation, built according to
modular principles,” Cpt. of the First Rank Igor Dygalo said.
Dygalo explained that owing to its modular design the ship could
be re-tasked in short order to perform a range of duties.
The new class is intended for economic zone patrol,
search-and-rescue operations, anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities,
environmental monitoring, as well as coastal defense and escort service,
according to the shipyard’s statement.
A navy spokesperson said that six ships of the class are
expected to be built by 2019.
The combat capability of Russia’s
naval task force in the Mediterranean will increase
significantly following the first deliveries of Varshavyanka-class submarines
to the Black Sea Fleet in 2015, Navy Commander Adm. Viktor Chirkov said
Thursday.
Russia
formed a permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean
last year to defend its interests in the region. The move was widely seen,
however, as a response to calls for international intervention in the worsening
civil war in Syria, Russia’s
longtime ally.
The task force currently consists of 12 warships and
auxiliary vessels, including the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky
and aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.
According to Chirkov, the Russian warships are taking part
in an international operation to remove chemical weapons stockpiles from Syria.
“In general, the tasks assigned to the Mediterranean group
are absolutely clear: to thwart any threat to Russia’s
borders and security,” the admiral said, adding that it is normal practice for
any country to keep naval assets in vital regions around the globe.
Chirkov said that the first Varshavyanka-class
diesel-electric submarine, the Novorossiisk, will join the Black Sea Fleet in
2015.
The Defense Ministry has ordered a total of six
Varshavyanka-class subs, dubbed “black holes in the ocean” by the US Navy
because they are nearly undetectable when submerged.
According to the Admiralty shipyard in St.
Petersburg, the second and third subs in the series
will be floated out in May and June, respectively, “to be delivered to the
customer by yearend.”
Construction of the fourth submarine – the Krasnodar
– began at the shipyard Thursday.
The Varshavyanka-class (Project 636) is an improved version
of the Kilo-class submarines and features advanced stealth technology, extended
combat range and the ability to strike land, surface and underwater targets.
The submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and
anti-submarine missions in relatively shallow waters.
The vessels, crewed by 52 submariners, have an underwater
speed of 20 knots and a cruising range of 400 miles (650 kilometers) with the
ability to patrol for 45 days. They are armed with 18 torpedoes and eight
surface-to-air missiles.
The Black Sea Fleet has not received new submarines for
decades and currently operates only one boat: the Kilo-class Alrosa, which
joined the navy in 1990.
Russia’s
latest generation attack submarine will be fitted with an advanced ultra-quiet
propulsion system within the next three years, the country’s naval commander
said Thursday.
Admiral Viktor Chirkov said that the first Lada-class attack
submarine will be equipped with the air-independent system by 2016, to increase
both its range and stealth.
The only operational Lada-class submarine, the Sankt
Peterburg, entered into service four years ago after more than a decade of
construction and sea trials.
The navy briefly suspended production of the vessels in
2012, pending design changes.
The new propulsion system is being developed at the northern
Sevmash shipyard, the country’s largest.
Air-independent power plants offer significant advantages
over diesel-electric submarines, which must surface regularly to recharge their
batteries, and nuclear submarines, which must continually run noisy pumps to
cool their reactors.
Submarines with such systems can stay submerged for weeks at
a time and are already in operation with a number of navies around the world.
The United States
has so far not employed the technology, however, in favor of the longer
endurance and range of nuclear submarines.
Chirkov said that in the long-term Russia
would move towards building submarines in modular fashion to produce a variety
of sizes from standard parts, a common practice in the construction of surface
ships. He added that future submarines would also increase their degree of
automation.
A Russian fourth-generation diesel-electric Sankt Peterburg submarine arrived Thursday at a Northern Fleet base to continue sea trials, a spokesman for the Western Military District said.
The boat will undergo a series of comprehensive trials, including deep water tests in the Barents Sea, Captain First Rank Vadim Serga said.
Construction of the Sankt Peterburg, the lead ship of the Project 677 Lada-class of submarines, began in December 1997. It was introduced into the Navy for trial operations in April 2010.
Russian daily Izvestia in November 2011 cited navy commanders saying the navy rejected the craft for service after finding fault with various aspects of the boat, including the sonar, the command and control system, and the torpedo. Construction of the class was frozen pending a major redesign.
The navy announced last July that construction of the Lada class was set to resume. It also said work would commence on two further Lada-class craft: Kronshtadt and Sevastopol.
The submarine, which carries six 533-mm torpedo launchers and can fire cruise missiles, is designed to defend naval bases, coastal waters and sea communication lines. It can be effectively employed against both surface ships and submarines.
Russia reportedly plans to complete four to six Lada-class submarines by 2015 and eventually build up a fleet of eight.
The ceremony of launching of Russia's first helicopter carrier of the Mistral-class has
taken place in the French town of Saint-Nazaire, according to the STX France, the company that
assembled the ship's hull.
"The
launch ceremony began at 10.45 am local time [12.45 amMoscow time]. It will last until noon," STX France press service said.
Several shipyards built Russia's first Mistral called Vladivostok.
STX France built the ship's hull and Russia's Baltiysky Zavod, which is a part of the United
Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), built the ship's stern.
STX France and Baltiysky Zavod are building parts for
the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier called Sevastopol.
Rosoboronexpert and France's DCSN signed a contract for two Mistral ships in June
2011.
The USC is subcontractor of STX France. The
Mistral-class helicopter carrier is 199 meters long. Its beam is 32 meters
and draft is 6.2 meters. The ship's standard displacement is 22,600 tonnes. A
Mistral crew has 177 crewmembers. It can carry 481 passengers. The ship will
carry Kamov Ka-52L helicopters. It may also be equipped with Russia's Serna and Dyugon landing vessels.
Many military pundits say the Mistrals are more than just
helicopter carriers. They are in fact a class of multi-purpose amphibian
assault vessels capable of carrying armed vehicles, helicopter groups and a
command center. The warship built for Russia,
the Vladivostok, will be first sent
to the Severnaya shipyard in St. Petersburg
where it will be outfitted with additional equipment and weapons. The design of
Russia’s
Mistral helicopter carriers has also been altered. For instance, they got a
stronger hull that will allow the navy ship to perform tasks beyond the Arctic
circle. Viktor Baranets, a Russian military expert, shared with
the Voice of Russia more details on the new ship.
"French vessels will be redesigned to meet Russian
standards. They will be equipped with Russian weapons and carry about 16 heavy
or 32 light choppers, as well as some serious anti-aircraft systems. They’ll
also be provided with tactical nuclear complexes, such as supersonic cruise
missiles Kalibri and some serious radar systems," Mr. Baranets said.
Another thing on the list of readjustments is
the ship’s deployment system and infrastructure engineering facilities. The Vladivostok
is set to join the Russian Navy in the Pacific by 2014.
Russia’s
Mistral-type Vladivostok helicopter
carrier will make its maiden voyage in March 2014, Yves Destefanis, a senior
executive of the French DCNS naval shipbuilding company, told reporters on
Tuesday.
"The maiden voyage is scheduled for March
2014. And in October 2014, the ship will set out for St.
Petersburg where the finishing touches will be
put," Destefanis said at a ceremony of putting Russia’s
first Mistral-type helicopter carrier afloat.
The
Russian Navy will launch its first Mistral-class helicopter carrier on October
15, that is according to Interfax news agency, citing the French company STX
France.
The second
Mistral-class ship 'Sevastopol' is
scheduled for the delivery in October 2014, according to Russian Deputy Prime
Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
The Mistral-class
multipurpose ships have enough capacity to carry 16 helicopters, up to 40 tanks
and some 600 troops. With addition of their operational range of nearly 40,000
km, the new-generation vessels are said to be of a strategic importance for the
Russian navy.
The
1.2-billion-euro contract for two Mistral-class ships was signed between Russia
and France in
2011. Although the bilateral project has been subject to criticism for being
'political,' rather than beneficial, its proponents argue that as well as
strengthening the country’s ties, it would also give Russia
access to the latest naval technology.
At least one of
the Mistral-class ships is said to be intended for Russia’s
Pacific Fleet, which has already prompted concerns in Japan.
Pacific Fleet forming crews of two Mistral-class
helicopter carriers The Pacific Fleet
human resources department is recruiting contract servicemen to operate the Vladivostok
and Sevastopol Mistral-class
helicopter carriers, Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.
"The ships
will have crews of over 200 men, and all of them will be officers, warrant
officers or contract servicemen. The Pacific Fleet human resources department
is recruiting crewmembers. The crews of the helicopter carriers will be formed
in November 2013," Martov said.
Apart from the
standard fleet recruitment requirements, the recruitment commission will pay
attention to the education of candidates.
Warrant officers
and contract servicemen need at least to have completed secondary specialized
education to qualify.
Psychological
tests will also be important.
Qualification rules will be strict for
the prospective pilots and technicians, Martov said.
He said that
pilots would go on long-distance voyages aboard the helicopter carriers and
experience all aspects of the naval service.
After the first helicopter
carrier's hull is launched, the crews will be trained in St.
Petersburg and accept the ships in France, the fleet
spokesman said.
The launch of the
ship will take place in Saint-Nazaire, France,
on October 15 this year.
“During the year
we’re going to finish its equipment and to test it in order to hand it over to
the Russian Navy on November 1, 2014,”
the official claimed.
After this, the
vessel will arrive in St Petersburg
where, as planned, it will be armed and the equipment of the ship will be
finished at the Severnaya Verf shipyard.
Rosoboroneksport and the French DCNS company signed a
$1.2-billion contract for building of the first two helicopter carriers in June
2011.
United
Shipbuilding Corporation is involved in a deal as a contractor of a French
builder of ships, STX France, situated in Saint-Nazaire.
Two other ships of this class are to be built in Russia
in accordance with the French technology.
Seven ships of the Chinese naval forces arrived in Russia’s Far
Eastern port of Vladivostok on Friday to take part in large-scale
Russian-Chinese exercises.
The Naval Interaction 2013 exercise will be held in the Sea of Japan
between July 5 and 10 and involve about 20 Russian and Chinese warships
and auxiliary vessels, as well as a dozen of aircraft.
At a welcome ceremony, Rear Adm. Leonid Sukhanov, deputy chief of the
Russian Navy Main Staff, said it was the biggest Chinese naval task
force ever to arrive at the main base of Russia’s Pacific Fleet.
“The Naval Interaction 2013 exercises are not directed against any
third party and are not politically charged,” he said, adding that they
should not be treated as a threat or warning to any country.
China’s Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Vice Adm. Ding Yiping, said the exercises are aimed at improving the two states’ anti-piracy cooperation.
Russia on July 26 will begin constructing the third of at least eight
nuclear-powered submarines to make up the core of its underwater attack
fleet, the vessel's designer said Thursday.
The Novosibirsk, the third Yasen-class sub, designated as
Graney-class by NATO, will be laid down at the Sevmash shipyard near the
White Sea, said Vladimir Dorofeyev, head of the St.
Petersburg-based
Malakhit design bureau.
The Project 885 vessel is designed to launch conventional or nuclear
warhead-bearing missiles up to 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers), as well
as effectively engage other submarines, surface warships and land-based
targets.
The first Yasen-class sub, the Severodvinsk,
is undergoing a second round of sea trials in the White Sea and is
expected to enter service with the Navy by the end of this year.
The submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles and eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles.
“Everything is going according to schedule, coordinated with the Navy,” Dorofeyev said.
The second vessel, the Kazan, was laid down in 2009 and is under construction at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk.
Russia recently bought
two French Mistral class amphibious ships. Russia has not bought
foreign warships for a long time, but this purchase was largely because
of an eagerness to acquire Western shipbuilding technology and
construction skills. This has already paid off, although not exactly how
the Russians had planned. This became evident when a Russian official
recently announced that the first Mistral would be built entirely in
France. It had earlier been decided to have Russian shipyards build some
sections of the first Mistral. It was quickly discovered that the
Russian shipyard was not capable of building to the French
specifications or do it according to the French timetable. The Russians
expected to learn some valuable lessons from the French and, while
embarrassing, this was one very valuable lesson. Russian shipyard
officials have had their faces rubbed in the embarrassment of not being
able to compete with using their current practices. Russian experts on
Western production methods and techniques have long complained of the
antiquated and inefficient methods still favored by Russian
shipbuilders. Navy leaders have been complaining for decades about the
poor quality of work coming out of Russian shipyards. The Mistral
purchase was to put this to the test.
The Russian Navy has made some changes, in cooperation with the
French, of the existing Mistral design. The Russian version of the
Mistral will be called the Vladivostok Class and carry 30 helicopters
(compared to 16 on the French version). The Vladivostoks will be armed
with two AK-630 multibarrel 30mm autocannon for anti-missile defense.
There will also be two quad-launchers of shoulder fired type
anti-aircraft missiles (with a 5 kilometer range and does well against
helicopters) and two or more DP-65 55mm grenade launchers for defense
against divers.
The Vladivostoks will also be winterized for use in arctic
conditions. The hull will be strengthened to deal with ice and the well
deck door will completely close. The flight deck will have a deicing
system and the ship will be modified to operate for extended periods in
arctic conditions. There is also different electronics and this means a
different arrangement of radomes and antennae.
In the aircraft handling areas below the deck, there will be more
for the taller Ka-52K and Ka-29 helicopters. The Ka-52K is a navalized
version of the Ka-52 that went into production last year. In addition to
being equipped with coatings to resist sea water corrosion, the K model
will also have a lightweight version of the high-definition Zhuk-AE
AESA radar used on jet fighters. This radar currently weighs 275 kg (605
pounds), but the helicopter version will weigh only 80 kg (176 pounds)
and enables the Kh-52K to use the Kh-31 anti-ship missile. This weapon
has a range of 110 kilometers and travels at high speed (about one
kilometer a second). The Kh-52K can also carry the sub-sonic Kh-31
missile, which has a range of 130 kilometers. Both of these missiles
weigh about 600 kg (1,300 pounds) each.
Russia is buying two French Mistral class amphibious ships for $1.7
billion and the second one is to be built in Russia, with plenty of
French supervision and technical assistance. This is the largest Russian
purchase of Western weapons since World War II. The deal was delayed
for a long time because the Russians demanded the transfer of
shipbuilding and electronics technology (which is now agreed to).
The French navy received the first of the 21,500 ton Mistrals in
2006, with the second one arriving in 2007. Both were ordered in 2001.
These two ships replaced two older amphibious landing ships. This gave
France a force of four amphibious ships. The two Mistrals are also
equipped to serve as command vessels for amphibious operations. The
French have been very happy with how the Mistrals have performed.
The Mistrals are similar in design to the U.S. LPD 17 (San Antonio)
class. Both classes are about 200 meters (620 feet) long, but the LPD
17s displace 25,000 tons. The French ships are more highly automated,
requiring a crew of only 180, versus 396 on the LPD 17. On long voyages
on the open ocean, the Mistrals require as few as nine sailors and
officers on duty ("standing watch") to keep the ship going.
The Mistrals carry 450 marines, compared to 700 on the LPD 17s.
Both have about the same room for helicopters, landing craft, and
vehicles (2,650 square meters for the Mistrals, room for nearly a
hundred trucks or 60 armored vehicles). Both have hospitals on board,
with the Mistrals being larger (69 beds). The American ships however
have more sensors installed and larger engines (and thus higher speed).
The LPD 17 can also handle vertical takeoff jets like the Harrier or
F-35. The French believe that the smaller complement of marines, who are
very capable troops, are sufficient for most missions. And the smaller
number of people on the ship makes it possible to provide better living
and working conditions. This is good for morale and readiness.
One thing American marines and sailors notice about the Mistral is
the wider and higher corridors. This came about because the ship
designers surveyed marines and asked what ship design improvements they
could use. It was noted that in older amphibious ships, the standard
size (narrow) corridors were a problem when fully equipped troops were
moving out. That, plus the smaller crew size, makes the Mistrals appear
kind of empty but very roomy. That, plus larger living accommodations
(made possible by the smaller ship's crew and marine complement), make
the Mistrals a lot more comfortable. The French ships can be rigged to
accommodate up to 700 people for short periods, as when being used to
evacuate civilians from a war zone.
After the first two, additional Mistrals for the French Navy are
being built using more commercial techniques and are expected to cost
closer to $500 million each. France has three Mistrals with several more
on order. Russia says it plans to base some of its Mistrals in the Far
East, where there is an ongoing dispute with Japan over Japanese islands
Russia occupied after World War II and never gave back. The Mistrals
will probably show up elsewhere because the Russian fleet is again
patrolling the high seas and showing up wherever its government needs
some muscle.
