Military


Russian Naval Reforms

Throughout the 1990s the Russian Navy suffered from a chronic shortage of funding and attention from Moscow. This forced the Navy to concentrate on its Strategic Nuclear Sea Forces, to the dismay of the primary surface fleet. Although some of the separate fleets within the navy maintained a level of battle-readiness, others were allowed to wither away until the point they were either barely adequate to carry out missions, or were rendered insignificant altogether. Some Russian media sources suggested in 2007 that since the fall of the Soviet Union the Russian Navy had deceased by close to 40% in the total number of warships it possessed, over 85% in active warships, and by 60% in personnel.

In April 2001 Russia Navy Commander-in-Chief, Adm Vladimir Kuroyedov stated that the Navy should consist of 12-15 strategic missile submarines, 50 nuclear-powered attack submarines and 35 diesel submarines, along with about 70 ocean-going surface combatants. However, to achieve these goals the Navy would need to receive at least 25% of the Russian defense budget, double the current allocation of about 12%.

Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kuroedov, commander of the Russian Navy, stated that the navy will be slashed by one-fifth over the next few years, "Krasnaya Zvezda" reported on 6 January 2003. Kuroedov said that since 1995 the navy had received about 12 percent of the funding it needs, and the underfunding had forced the navy to decommission ships it cannot afford to maintain. He also revealed that from 1992 to 1997, the navy received 10 new nuclear submarines and that one additional nuclear submarine was commissioned in 2002. He said the navy will be reviewing its maintenance and modernization priorities with an eye toward refurbishing and upgrading existing ships and weapons systems.

On 24 July 2004 RIA Novosti reported that Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Kuroyedov said Russia's surface combatant ship force will not be downsized until 2020. He said that adequate repairs and maintenance will make it possible for the Russian Navy to avoid cuts on the number of its surface ships through 2020. Russia will be able to sustain its status of a great power only if it remains a naval power, which is impossible without a modern, well-balanced fleet, the admiral pointed out. In a longer term, surface vessels will be upgraded to carry modern weaponry systems.

According to Admiral Kuroyedov, smaller surface vessels and boats will have to be discarded first, as their service life is shorter than that of larger vessels. "The firstborn of our surface shipbuilding is the corvette - a new multifunctional littoral combat ship, which combines qualities of anti-submarine ships and missile carriers," the Russian Navy chief said, citing the Steregushchy and the Soobrazitelny by way of example.

Russian Navy orders for the Scorpion Project 1230.0 475-ton fast patrol craft and the Project 2038.0 1800-ton Steregushchy class corvette signal a recovery for domestic naval business. Construction is underway on the first hulls for these classes, with the first Steregushchy due for commissioning in 2005 and the Scorpion patrol craft in 2003. Russia would like to build 12 of the fast patrol craft and 10 Project 2038.0 corvettes if funding continues is available.

The construction of a multifunctional frigate will soon get underway, Adm. Kuroyedov announced. The next type of surface ship to manufacture for the Russian Navy will be an oceangoing torpedo boat destroyer. Its mass production was expected to start in about a decade's time, just as the large surface vessels, cruisers, and torpedo boat destroyers that are currently in operation will be approaching the end of their service life.

As of the end of 2003 the Russian navy consisted of 300 ships, 400 aircraft and helicopters, 150,000 personnel and 120,000 employees. The ratio between maintaining the fleet and newbuilding has been raised to 60/40. Four years ago it used to be 90/10.

A mid-2004 analysis of future shipbuilding priorities suggested that the following types of new ships might eventually enter service with the Russian fleet:

  1. Strategic submarine missile carrier, within the framework of the American-Russian agreement on limiting the strategic attack potentials, signed by the Presidents in 2002.
  2. Multi role nuclear submarines will become "multi functional and universal. The main criteria in the development will remain reducing the noise level, improving the hydro acoustic weapons and reducing the level of other fields. Utilizing the high precision cruise missiles with non-nuclear charges on such submarines will attribute the role of the strategic deterrence weapon to this class of subs."
  3. Diesel-electric subs "The development of this class of subs, especially "coastal" subs of limited (as a rule 1000 tons) deadweight will go in the following directions: increasing the power and the suddenness of the strike due to the increased number of combat ready weapons; increasing the submarine speed aimed at intercepting the surface warships and transports within the vicinity of own coastline to ensure preventive strikes; increasing the submarine endurance; reducing the physical fields to the minimal level, first of all the fields of the electro magnetic group, aimed at minimal visibility when on patrol; complexly automating the control systems of the ships and reducing crews. Anaerobic power stations, especially single units, will make a great impact to the development of this class of subs."
  4. Multi role ocean ship, with "the characteristics of a torpedo carrier, anti sub ship and missile-artillery ship (destroyer), will have the displacement of up to 10 000 tons, the speed of 28-30 knots and the endurance of up to 10 000 miles at 16-17 knots speed. The type of the main power station is gas turbine with fully electricity based movement. The destroyer will have a complex of missiles with universal vertical launching systems to use high precision missiles against ground targets, missiles against surface and submarine targets, air defense missiles of far, medium and small range targets as well as a universal artillery unit with high precision controlled shells against ground and surface targets. The ship will have one or two helicopters."
  5. The universal ship of the sea zone (frigate) "will have the displacement of about 5000 tons. Even now there are prerequisites to provide absolutely the same complex of weapons to the destroyer and the frigate with the only difference in the number of spare charges."
  6. Corvette "with the displacement of up to 2000 tons. It is supposed to conduct short range and coastal operations as well as the functions of the border guard."

As of mid-2006 there were about 50 large surface ships in the Russian naval fleet. This included one aircraft carrier, four Project 1144 and 1164 missile cruisers (with two more Project 1144 cruisers laid up), ten Project 956 destroyers, 12 large antisubmarine ships and 25 large amphibious ships. Not all of them are combat-ready, as some were under repair or awaiting major overhauls.

As of mid-2006 there were 45 nuclear submarines and 20 diesel submarines in the Russian fleet. Although the fleet includes three Project 941 ballistic missile submarines, the Dmitry Donskoi is a test pad for the Bulava missile, the Severstal was under renovation, and the Arkhangelsk had no missiles. The main nuclear deterrent was six Project 667BDRM missile submarines [one of which is under renovation], and six Project 667BDR vessels. Of the nine Project 959A submarines with anti-ship missiles, two were under renovation. And of the 21 Projects 971, 945 and 671RTMK nuclear torpedo submarines, at least six are under renovation. Of the 20 Project 636, 877 and 641B diesel submarines, only 12 were actually combat-ready. By 2010 it seemed the best-case scenario was there would be five or six Project 667BDRM ballistic missile submarines and one or two new Project 955 submarines, with the total number of submarines reduced to 35-40.

Under the tutelage of President Vladimir Putin and Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov, Russia's military policy was drastically revamped. Due to significant economic growth and an influx of cash from oil and natural gas exports, Russian embarked upon a series of military reforms aimed at modernizing and strengthening their armed forces, including the navy. A giant State Armaments Program for 2007-2015 was approved for the sum of 4.9 trillion rubles, of which 25% was allocated toward the production of new ships. Furthermore, a Rearmament Program until 2015 put the development of the naval program at parity with that of the strategic nuclear forces. Lastly, in September 2005 President Putin relieved the Head Commander of the Russian Navy, Vladimir Kuroedov, the man many claimed was responsible for the navy's numerous setbacks it had experienced in previous years, and replaced him with Vladimir Masorin.

Russia analyzed their naval production, capabilities, and overall strategy in the early 2000s. The Ministry of Defense's concocted a new policy within the Plans for Naval Development to 2040-2050, where it was announced that emphasis would be placed on construction, upgrades and modernization, and smaller, more efficient ship types.

The United Shipbuilding Corporation was established via Presidential decree on March 21, 2007. The Corporation intended to consolidate the country's financial assets within the industry and the shipbuilding companies themselves. It was owned entirely by the state. The corporation was divided into three separate regional areas: the Western Center, located in St. Petersburg, the Northern Center, located in Severodvinsk, and the Far Eastern Center, located in Vladivostok. It was to be led by Colonel General Alexander Burutin. Moscow anticipated that it would have an immediate effect and was hopeful that production in warships would increase by close to 50% by 2010.

Russia also planned on repairing, upgrading, and modernizing its fleet. Due to the large number of outdated ships that the country possessed, upgrading offered a cost-effective alternative to producing modern warships. Furthermore, the scale and scope of technological advances available to the navy were quite impressive. By the summer of 2007 Russia was reportedly proceeding towards the development of a global satellite navigational system, comparable to the United States Global Position System, which would be available for the military to operate upon its completion. In addition, the navy has successfully launched a series of corvettes and smaller vessels equipped with stealth technologies. The production of new weapons platforms and missile systems continued as well. The newest generation of Project 955 Borei-class Ballistic Missile Submarines were scheduled to field and operate the newly developed Bulava SLBMs. Other system upgrades included those related to tactical defense and energy use and consumption.

A strategic decision was also made to move away from the traditional custom of building large warships in favor of smaller multi-purpose vessels that were capable of partaking in numerous types of missions. This would enhance the overall efficiency of the Russian shipbuilding process and fulfill the security requirements and needs of the country.

In a series of statements and press conference during the spring and summer of 2007, Admiral Masorin announced that the future Russian Navy would be centered on an array of technologically innovative and newly built strategic nuclear-powered submarines, and a force of six aircraft carriers. Although numerous officials reiterated that construction on the carrier force would not being prior to 2015, it appeared as though the admiralty were basing their naval strategy around these ships. The six carriers would be divided into two powerful strike groups, one in the Pacific and one in the Atlantic. Each would have a total of three carriers at its disposal, in which one would be actively conducting operations; another would be on call and ready to be deployed at a moments notice; and the last would be undergoing maintenance and repairs.

Although these ambitious plans would thrust Russia to possess the second largest navy in the world by 2020-2025, Masorin quickly denounced any intentions of getting into a naval arms race with the United States. In the immediate future the country would focus its efforts in the carrier program on the maintenance of its only operational vessel of that type, the Admiral Kuznetsov. At the same time, however, it would slowly begin to develop, design, and ultimately construct the new ships. It was estimated that Russia's nuclear aircraft carriers should finish at approximately 50,000 tons displacement and have the capacity to field 30 aircraft and helicopters. Officials believe that a naval-aviation complex will be completed within Russian territory by 2010 to train pilots with deck aircraft.

Most naval and naval infantry units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-volunteer by the end of 2007. All personnel aboard ships and submarines are anticipated to be contract servicemen by the beginning of 2009. As of the summer of 2007 the Navy had approximately 62 submarines, between 185 - 200 surface ships, and just over 140,000 sailors.

Ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet until 2020 will be supplemented with new ships and modernized bombers will be built in total, 18 new ships: including six frigates of Project 22350, six diesel submarines of Project 677, and two large amphibious ships project 11711, a Representative of the General Staff of the Navy told Interfax on October 25, 2010. In addition, he said, up to 2016’s Black Sea Fleet naval aviation will get upgraded Su-24M bombers, instead of outdated samples of this machine, and instead of amphibious aircraft Be-12 - a more modern anti-IL-38.

The service life of the majority of the Black Sea Fleet ships exceeded the 35-year mark, and by 2015, when the fleet will come on the first ships, almost the entire fleet will need replacing, the source said earlier in the General Staff of the Navy. In addition, the same deadline, anti-aircraft naval aviation’s Black Sea Fleet, which has now crossed the 40-year milestone will be subject to cancellation by the resource.

Previously reported that the ship of the Black Sea Fleet will fill two patrol ships of Baltic Fleet Project 11540 “Fearless” and “Yaroslav the Wise.” In addition, earmarked for BSF Project 22350 frigate Admiral Kasatonov “(founded in Severnaya Verf in November 2009), the diesel submarine of Project 677? Sevastopol “(founded in November 2006), a small missile ship Project 21631 (tab is scheduled for the end of 2010), and Project 20380 corvettes “Prompt” (scheduled to lay in 2011). “Given how quickly we built warships, you can be sure that by 2015 no new products BSF will not get” - commented, “Independent Military Review”. http://www.nti.org/db/submarines/russia/



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