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The Russian Navy (Template:Lang-ru) is the naval arm of the Russian Military.

The present Russian Navy succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States which succeeded the Soviet Navy after the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War in 1991.

The regular Russian Navy was originally established by Peter the Great (Peter I) in October of 1696. Ascribed to Peter I is the oft quoted statement: "A ruler that has but an army has one hand, but he who has a navy has both." The symbols of the Russian Navy, the St. Andrew's flag and ensign (seen to the right), and most of its traditions were established personally by Peter I.

The Russian Navy possesses the vast majority of the former Soviet naval forces, and currently comprises the Northern Fleet, the Russian Pacific Fleet, the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the Russian Baltic Fleet, the Russian Caspian Flotilla, Naval Aviation, and the Coastal Troops (consisting of the Naval Infantry and the Coastal Missile and Artillery Troops).

Recently approved, a rearmament program until 2015 puts, for the first time in Soviet and Russian history, the development of the navy on an equal footing with strategic nuclear forces. The program covering the period until 2015 is expected to replace 45% of the military inventory in the army and navy.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). According to the list of ships in the Russian Navy today the tonnage of the active navy is approximately 1,300,000, the ships in reserve have a tonnage of more than 300,000, this makes the Russian Navy by far the second largest in the world with a combined tonnage of 1,600,000.[citation needed] The Russian Navy has suffered severely since the dissolution of the Soviet Union due to insufficient maintenance, lack of funding and hereby training of personnel and timely replacement of equipments. Another setback is attributed to Russia's domestic shipbuilding industry which is reported to have been in decline as to their capabilities of constructing contemporary hardware efficiently. Some analysts even say that because of this Russia's naval capabilities have been facing a slow but certain "irreversible collapse".[1]

A reported international designation of Russian naval vessels is RFS—"Russian Federation Ship". However the Russian Navy itself does not use this convention and it may simply be a United States Navy usage.[citation needed]

Origins

Russian Armed Forces
Staff
Services (vid)
Independent troops (rod)
Special operations force (sof)
Other troops
Military districts
History of the Russian military

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On April 28, 2010, The Ukrainian parliament ratified an agreement to lease the port of Sevastopol past the year 2017.[2] Russia's Crimean naval leases were extended to 2042 with an option for five more years, through 2047.

An extensive rearmament program announced February 25, 2011 sees the Russian Defense Ministry procuring 100 warships by 2020.[3] The purchase of 20 submarines, 35 corvettes and 15 frigates is planned. The nature of the other 30 ships is as yet unknown. The Black Sea Fleet will receive 18 new surface ships and submarines, including Kilo class submarine diesel submarines, Admiral Grigorovich class frigates, Admiral Sergey Gorshkov class frigates, and Ivan Gren class landing ships. There are also plans to lay down project 21631 small missile boats and Steregushchy class corvettes. This state arms program also provides funds for the purchase of two Mistral class assault ships.

Expeditions and increase in activity

In the last years of the 1990s naval activity was very low. Even at the height of the Kosovo war crisis a planned task group deployment to the Mediterranean was reduced to the dispatch of the intelligence ship Liman. 2003 saw a major increase in activity, including several major exercises. A May joint exercise with the Indian Navy saw two Pacific Fleet destroyers and four vessels from the Black Sea Fleet, led by the Slava-class cruiser Moskva, deployed for three months into the Indian Ocean. The largest out-of-area deployment for a decade, the INDRA 2003 exercise, was highlighted by a series of missile launches by two Tu-160s and four Tu-95s, which made a 5,400-mile (8,700 km) round trip flight from Engels-2 air base near Saratov to the exercise area.[4] In August 2003 the Navy also participated in the Far Eastern exercise Vostok-2003, which saw the Slava-class cruiser Varyag and the Sovremennyy class destroyer Bystryy active, as well as an amphibious landing carried out by three Pacific Fleet Ropucha class LSTs. Warships and helicopters from the Japanese and South Korean navies also took part. The Northern Fleet followed in January 2004 when thirteen ships and seven submarines took part in exercises in the Barents Sea. The involvement of Admiral Kuznetsov and Kirov-class nuclear-powered cruiser Petr Velikiy was overshadowed however by two ballistic missile launch failures, made more embarrassing because President Vladimir Putin was afloat aboard the Typhoon-class SSBN Arkhangelsk to witness the tests. Neither of the Delta IV-class Novomoskovsk nor Kareliya were able to successfully launch what were apparently RSM-54 SLBMs.[5] Former Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Kuroyedov's early dismissal may have resulted from these gaffes. He was replaced by Admiral Vladimir Masorin in September 2005.

Embarrassment for the Navy had unfortunately continued, with a mine accident during rehearsals for the Baltic Fleet's celebration of Navy Day in St. Petersburg in July 2005 and the Priz class mini-submarine AS-28 having to be rescued by a joint British/U.S. effort using a Royal Navy unmanned submersible in the Far East in early August 2005. However exercises and operations continued - Peace Mission 2005 in August 2005 involved a new level of cooperation between Russia and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. Two months later the Slava-class cruiser Varyag led Russian participation in INDRA 2005, held off Vishakapatnam between 14 and 20 October 2005. It included surface firings, air defence, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises.[6]

Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy became Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy on September 11, 2007, having moved up from the Northern Fleet, which he had commanded since September 2005.[7]

On October 16, 2008, the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament said that Russia could resume a naval presence in Yemen. Authorities in the Middle East country had been calling on Moscow to help fight piracy and possible terrorist threats. The U.S.S.R. had a major naval support base in the former socialist state of South Yemen, which merged with North Yemen in 1990 to form the present-day Yemen. Speaking to journalists in Sana, the capital of Yemen, Federation Council Speaker Sergey Mironov said the new direction of Russia's foreign and defense policies and an increase in its naval missions would be taken into consideration when making a decision on the request. "It's possible that the aspects of using Yemen ports not only for visits by Russian warships, but also for more strategic goals will be considered," he said.

Mironov also said a visit to Russia by the president of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, could take place in the near future and that the issue of military technical cooperation could be raised during his visit.[8]

North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea

  • In February 2008 a Russian naval task force completed a two-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic which started on December 4, 2007. The operation was the first large-scale Russian Navy deployment to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean in 15 years. The task force included the Kuznetsov-Class aircraft carrier Kuznetsov, the Udaloy-Class destroyers Admiral Levchenko and Admiral Chabanenko, and the Slava-Class guided missile cruiser Moskva, as well as auxiliary vessels. During the operation the navy practiced rescue and counter-terror operations, reconnaissance, and missile and bomb strikes on the (theoretical) enemy's naval task force. Over 40 Russian Air Force aircraft took part in joint exercises with the navy as well.[9][10][11] Vice-Admiral Nikolay Maksimov, the Northern Fleet commander, said during the operations that the deployment was aimed at ensuring Russia's naval presence "in key operational areas of the world's oceans" and establishing conditions for secure Russian maritime navigation. "After this visit to the Mediterranean and France, the first in 15 years, we will establish a permanent presence in the region" he said.[9][10] Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy summed up the results in February saying: "What is important is that we have appeared [in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean] at a scheduled time and not just that we appeared there. We'll do all we can to build up our presence where Russia has strategic interests", adding that Russia intended to carry out similar missions once every six months.[12]
  • In October, 2008, a naval task group from the Northern Fleet, comprising the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko, and support ships, left their homeport of Severomorsk in northern Russia on September 22 and is currently in the northern Atlantic, having covered a distance of 1,000 nautical miles (2,000 km) in a week. "Having some spare time before a joint exercise with the Venezuelan navy, which is planned for November 2008, the warships will perform a number of tasks in the Mediterranean Sea and visit several Mediterranean ports, including Tripoli," the Navy's press service said in a statement. Russian warships are scheduled to participate in joint naval exercises with the Venezuelan navy in the Caribbean on November 10–14, in line with the 2008 training program, and in order to expand military cooperation with foreign navies.[13] These exercises actually took place on 1 December.
  • October 11, 2008, Russian warships bound for Venezuela, including the nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great), put in Saturday at the Libyan port of Tripoli for refuelling.[14][15]
  • From Venezuela the Petr Velikiy proceeded to a port call in Capetown, South Africa, then participated in the INDRA-2009 exercise off western India, briefly engaged in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and returned to its homeport of Severomorsk in March 2009.

Syria

  • In September 2008, it was reported that Russia and Syria conducted talks about permitting Russia to develop and enlarge its Russian naval base in Syria in order to establish a stronger naval presence in the Mediterranean,[16] and amidst the deteriorating Russia relations with the west in conjunction with the 2008 South Ossetia war‎ and the plans to deploy US missile defense shield in Poland, it has even been asserted that president Assad has agreed to Tartus port’s conversion into a permanent Middle East base for Russia’s nuclear-armed warships.[17] Moscow and Damascus additionally announced that it would be renovating the port, although there was no mention in the Syrian press.[18]
  • On September 22, 2008, Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the nuclear-powered Peter the Great cruiser, accompanied by three other ships, sailed from the Northern Fleet's base of Severomorsk. The ships will cover about 15,000 nautical miles (28,000 km) to conduct joint maneuvers with the Venezuelan navy. Dygalo refused to comment on Monday's report in the daily Izvestia claiming that the ships were to make a stopover in the Syrian port of Tartus on their way to Venezuela. Russian officials said the Soviet-era base there was being renovated to serve as a foothold for a permanent Russian navy presence in the Mediterranean.[19]
  • On 29 November 2011, Army General Nikolay Makarov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, said that sending ships of the Russian Navy to the Mediterranean Sea is linked to exercises and not to the situation in Syria. "In the event of necessity, namely to carry out repairs, to take water and food on board and to allow rest for the crews, Russian ships may visit Tartus but in this case this has not been included in the plan of the trip," the Interfax source said. He also noted that the size of Admiral Kuznetsov does not allow it to moor in Tartus because the port does not have suitable infrastructure, i.e. large enough mooring.[22]

Caribbean Sea

  • On September 8, 2008, it was announced that the Pyotr Velikiy would sail to the Caribbean Sea in order to participate in naval exercises with the Venezuelan Navy. This action would represent the first major Russian show of force in that sea since the end of the Cold War.[23] On 22 September the Kirov class nuclear missile cruiser Petr Velikiy and the Udaloy class large anti-submarine ship Admiral Chabanenko, accompanied by support vessels, left their homeport of Severomorsk for naval exercises with Venezuela scheduled for early November 2008.[24]

East Africa: Somali Coast

  • On September 24, 2008, the Russian Neustrashimyy left its home base at Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, for counter-piracy operations near the Somali coast, said Russian Navy spokesman Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo. Moscow Interfax-Agenstvo Voyennykh Novostey 24 Sep 2008</ref>.[26]
  • On November 19, 2008, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Vysotskiy, speaking to the official news agency, RIA Novosti, stated that the Russian Navy would send additional vessels to the area.[27][28]
  • From January 11 through 17 March 2009, the Admiral Vinogradov took up the counter-piracy mission from the Neustrashimyy and upon completion took a course home to Vladivostok by way of a port visit to Djakarta, Indonesia 24–28 March 2009.[29][30]
  • From 26 April through 7 June 2009, the Pacific Fleet destroyer Admiral Panteleyev took up counter-piracy duties in the Gulf of Aden, having left Vladivostok at the end of March 2009 to relieve the Admiral Vinogradov. It returned to Vladivostok on 1 July.[31][32]
  • On 29 June 2009, the Pacific Fleet destroyer Admiral Tributs was preparing to depart Vladivostok to relieve Admiral Panteleyev for counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Depending on the situation, the deployment could last from two to six months.[33]

Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea

  • On 11 January 2009, Army General Makarov - Chief of the Russian General Staff - announced that the Kirov class nuclear-powered cruiser Petr Velikiy and five other ships would take part in exercises with the Indian Navy in late January 2009 [34]

Lists of Russian Navy ships

References and sources

  1. ^ Russian Navy facing 'irreversible collapse'
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watchv=35vpFAE4n08&playnext_from=TL&videos=8IteejYal9M&feature=sub][dead link‍]
  3. ^ Russian Navy to procure 100 ships by 2020
  4. ^ Foreword to Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-05, p.29
  5. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-05, p.29
  6. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships , 2006-7, p.33
  7. ^ Russian Ministry of Defence, Navy Commander-in-Chief[dead link‍]. Retrieved December 2007.
  8. ^ Russia could resume naval presence in Yemen | World|RIA Novosti. En.rian.ru (2008-10-16). Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  9. ^ a b Over 40 Russian planes to take part in naval drills in Atlantic RIA Novosti Retrieved on April 11, 2008
  10. ^ a b Thirty Russian aircraft take part in exercises over two oceans RIA Novosti Retrieved on April 11, 2008
  11. ^ Russian Mediterranean Naval Build-Up Challenges NATO Sixth Fleet Domination - Defense Update News Analysis
  12. ^ Russia to build up presence in global ocean - navy commander, RIA Novosti, Retrieved on April 11, 2008
  13. ^ Russian warships head to Mediterranean | Russia|RIA Novosti. En.rian.ru. Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  14. ^ Russian naval task force to visit Libya on Saturday | Russia|RIA Novosti. En.rian.ru. Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  15. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  16. ^ David R. Sands, "Russia Expanding Navy into Mediterranean Sea", The Washington Times, August 7, 2007.
  17. ^ "Big Russian flotilla led by Admiral Kuznetsov carrier heads for Syrian port". DEBKAfile. August 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-22. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  18. ^ “Syria and Russia strengthen naval cooperation”[dead link‍] Itar-Tass news agency via Haaretz. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  19. ^ "Russian navy ships head to Venezuela". CNN. [dead link‍]
  20. ^ "Russia sent military ships to base in Syria". Hotspots and Incidents - Terrorism. Pravda. November 30, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-01. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ Thomas Grove (November 28, 2011). "Russia sending warships to its base in Syria". Africa. Rueters. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
  22. ^ Interfax, Moscow 1250 GMT 29 Nov 11
  23. ^ Reuters: Russia says to send battleship to Caribbean Sea[dead link‍]
  24. ^ [ITAR-TASS 1007GMT 22 Sep 2008]
  25. ^ Russian naval task force starts Venezuela visit - 2 | World|RIA Novosti. En.rian.ru (2008-11-25). Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  26. ^ (The Ukrainian merchant vessel Faina was seized by Somali pirates on 25 September. The deployment of the Neustrashimyy was not in response to the seizure of the Faina.)
  27. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  28. ^ "Russia sending more ships in pirate crackdown - CNN.com". CNN. 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  29. ^ Moscow ITAR-TASS 1754 GMT 11 Jan 2008, Moscow INTERFAX 1641 GMT 11 Jan 2008
  30. ^ Морская коллегия. - Новости. Отряд кораблей Тихоокеанского флота в составе большого противолодочного корабля «Адмирал Виноградов» и танкера «Борис Бутома» закончил патрулирование в районе Африканского рога. Morskayakollegiya.ru (2010-08-30). Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  31. ^ [3][dead link‍]
  32. ^ "Адмирал Пантелеев" вернулся во Владивосток после успешно выполненной миссии -Русское зарубежье, российские соотечественники, русские за границей, русские за рубежом, соотечественники, русскоязычное население, русские общины, диаспора, эмиграция. Russkie.org. Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  33. ^ Телеканал "Звезда". Tvzvezda.ru. Retrieved on 2010-09-09.
  34. ^ Moscow ITAR-TASS 1125 GMT 11 Jan 09

Further reading

See also

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