Russian Navy: Status & News #4

Rating: Russian Navy Keeps on Getting Stronger Despite Delays in Ships Commissioning

Mil.Press Today publishes the annual rating of combat capabilities comparing the Russian Navy to the US one. In spite of the quite challenging year for the national naval shipbuilding industry, the Russian Navy has managed not only to hold positions but even slightly enhance its standing as opposed to the US counterparts.

According to Mil.Press Today analysis, last year the level of the Russian Navy’s combat capabilities was 47% of the US Navy’s one. A year ago, this figure was 45%, in 2015 – 44%, in 2014 – 52%, in 2013 – 45%, and in 2012 – 42%.
Unfortunately, in 2017 Russian naval shipbuilders had very few good news for the navy: only two combat ships were commissioned, namely, frigate Admiral Makarov and corvette Sovershenny. Also, nuclear-powered strategic subs Ryazan and Tula returned into the ranks after overhaul.

In the same year, the US Navy obtained the new-generation aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, two Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyers, two Virginia-class attack submarines, and three littoral combat ships (LCS).

One might expect the Russian Navy’s capabilities would considerably drop down comparing to the US ones. However, this time, taking into account arrays of publications about US Navy, we amended the assessment procedure and left out ships and subs docked for repairs and upgrade, just like we have been doing to calculate the Russian Navy’s combat potential. This gave advantage to Russian Navy, and its positions became even a kind of better.

What’s in store for 2018? American industry generally works as scheduled, so the US Navy would be expectedly reinforced with at least three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (the fourth one is in question), two Virginia-class subs, a San-Antonio-class amphibious dock, and up to three littoral combat ships (LCS).

It is hard to predict what ships the Russian Navy would acquire, as rescheduling has become a tradition. For instance, the navy has spent years waiting for Project 22350 lead frigate Admiral Gorshkov and Project 11711 landing ship Ivan Gren. Now, they are reported to join the navy this year, but who knows what the future holds...

Over several years, Mil.Press Today holds an independent inquiry into strength and status of the global leading navies (researches for 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 ).

Combat capabilities is understood here as an overall index of military parity representing a relation of Russia’s naval power to similar parameters of the world’s biggest navies, the US one. Sure, Chinese Navy has been actively growing in the recent years, too, but official Beijing is trying to keep the lid on any information about its shipbuilding program, so unbiased assessment of ROCN’s combat capabilities seems impossible.

To compare naval power of different class of Russian and American ships, we use conditional ‘weight factors’.

The primary objective of research is to detect a development vector of the Russian Navy regarding the strongest potential opponent. Notwithstanding complex, multifaceted and confidential input data and the lack of credible absolute values, outlining of relative dynamics is still possible, indeed, if based on sequential comparison within a certain time interval while the expert assumptions (‘weight factors’) remain unchanged. For more details, see the rating page.

Mil.Press Today takes into account the mission-ready ships, except for those in reserve or under long-term (over 3 years) overhauls or mothballed. The special-purpose ships and submarines are not considered in the rating either. The research is based only on the open source data.

Down to 2% resolution in the comparison. What a joke. What training model did they use for their "weight factors". These days
reports are pulled out of random assess and passed off as proof of whatever is being peddled.

I bet their weight factors can't handle the actual potency of Buyan-M corvettes.

Really comparing apples to oranges. They are built and organized for different tasks and priorities.

kvs wrote:Down to 2% resolution in the comparison.  What a joke.   What training model did they use for their "weight factors".   These days
reports are pulled out of random assess and passed off as proof of whatever is being peddled.

I bet their weight factors can't handle the actual potency of Buyan-M corvettes.  

Yes because the number of missiles buyan's can carry make them a threat to a DD it hardly makes them a threat to a well-armed frigate, please spare me your fanboy fapping logic.

WTF are those numbers LOL? I remember there was a discussion about that a few years ago. Russian Navy’s combat capabilities are NOT 47% of the US Navy’s LMAO, that's for sure (NOR DO THEY HAVE TO BE, but get real).

Yeah, because 80 or so US destroyers and cruisers don't carry any cruise missiles, nor do they have naval aircraft... How many Buyans are there? 10?

Kimppis wrote:WTF are those numbers LOL? I remember there was a discussion about that a few years ago. Russian Navy’s combat capabilities are NOT 47% of the US Navy’s LMAO, that's for sure (NOR DO THEY HAVE TO BE, but get real).

Yeah, because 80 or so US destroyers and cruisers don't carry any cruise missiles, nor do they have naval aircraft... How many Buyans are there? 10?

So you think that only 100s of units matter?

Maybe all you saps think that some fluffy prose is enough to prove something. I expect to see their equations and
a listing of the parameters.

Kimppis wrote:WTF are those numbers LOL? I remember there was a discussion about that a few years ago. Russian Navy’s combat capabilities are NOT 47% of the US Navy’s LMAO, that's for sure (NOR DO THEY HAVE TO BE, but get real).

Yeah, because 80 or so US destroyers and cruisers don't carry any cruise missiles, nor do they have naval aircraft... How many Buyans are there? 10?

If you compare what they have with their respective budget, Russia is the best. If they had 600 billion $ per year for their army they would have hundreds of buyans and hundreds of gorshkovs.

Russian budget is on pair with UK and they can have a modern army which can stop even Nato at its borders. UK can't even mobilize its navy to follow russian ships going around UK. In the last years they got 3 boreis, 2 yasen, 3 grigorovich, 1 gorshkov, some kilo and tens of corvettes. It's not Chinese level but it is good.

Don't expect them to be able to destroy USA or invade europe. They build their army to protect the mainland not attack others.

Soviet did the error of spending a lot in military for basicaly nothing. What did they do with all those destroyers and cruisers ? Nothing. They lunched 0 missile during their service time. Now Russia has to spend money to decontaminate nuclear subs which also did nothing during their service time. Their radiation killed more russians than americaans actually. Russia won't do this mistake of a new arm race with the richest countries in the world (Nato). That's stupid.

10 Boreis are enough to be sure no one will go on full war with them. Russia knows that and won't invest that much in military hardwares. Now they also pay more their soldiers which is an investment worth the money. They want to be a power not a superpower.

That has nothing to do with the Russian Navy vs. US Navy comparison. I of course agree: Russia is a land power, it doesn't need a blue-water navy that is 1:1 comparable to the US. However, I'd say Russian military budget is actually much higher than UK's, Russia doesn't spend dollars (or in this case, pounds). But "Russian Navy’s combat capabilities are NOT 47% of the US Navy’s", especially without any land-based systems (and I don't take they took those into account), that's all.

Depends on their definition of capability...

What I mean is that if you can move from point A to point B then you have mobility... but do you get extra points if you are moving by supersonic fighter plane or less points for moving by bicycle.

If the requirement is just moving there and they both get you there one side has spent large amounts of money which may or may not be justified, while the other has the requirements met and is saving money for other things.

I would think if you crossed purposes and ask if the Russian Navy could perform the roles of the US Navy and if the US Navy could perform the roles of the Russian Navy you would have to say probably not and yes, yet one could equally argue that the US would save an enormous amount of taxpayers money operating the Russian Navy and still having its core priority of nuclear deterrence met, while the bloated enormous US Navy would quickly bankrupt any country that was not the US.

Saying the Russian Navy is only 40% of what the US Navy is is a good thing because even the US can't afford the US Navy and they are lying and cheating and stealing and invading and bullying and printing money to keep it...

The Pacific Fleet will be replenished with new ships under the state program for the next 10 years. This was announced by the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sergei Avakyants.

For the Pacific Fleet is already being built a series of modern corvettes - universal ships of the near sea zone, which with relatively small displacement carry both impact and anti-submarine weapons, able to protect themselves and other ships from an air attack. These ships provide for the basing of the helicopter, which significantly expands their capabilities in anti-submarine operations, search and rescue at sea, embargoes and inspection operations.

At the end of last year, the Pacific Fleet received the first ship of Project 20380 Corvette "Perfect". This year, the fleet is preparing to receive the ship of the same project - "Loud", and then an improved project - "Gremyaschy." In the corvette "Gremyaschy" and in the subsequent Corvette "Agile" fundamentally new technologies and design solutions were introduced. Among other things, these ships are the first in the Pacific Fleet carriers of the cruise missile complex "Caliber", which has proved itself well during operation at the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla. "In the coming years, we expect to adopt up to four corvettes with the optimal composition of weapons. In total, the plans to bring their total to eight units, "- added Admiral Sergei Avakyants.

According to GPV-2027, four small missile ships of Project 22800, which are armed with cruise missiles Caliber and Onyx, will be built for the Pacific Fleet at the shipyard in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. This high-speed small-sized and barely noticeable ships with a displacement of about 800 tons will replace missile ships and boats that have served or in the long term will serve the established service life. It is possible that a few more such ships will be built for the Pacific Fleet "Eastern shipyard".

Following the modern strategic nuclear submarines of the project 955 Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh, which already serve in the Pacific Fleet submarine forces, the Pacificers will soon begin to develop the newest diesel-electric submarines of Project 636.3, the armament of which includes cruise missiles sea-based "Caliber". The ships are being built at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg, and the first submarine will be delivered to the Pacific Fleet in 2019. A total of six such submarines are envisaged for the Pacific Fleet.

There are plans to upgrade and re-equip the 949A nuclear missile cruisers for new weapons[u]. They will be adapted to the complex of cruise missiles "Caliber", which will replace anti-ship missiles "Granite". At the same time, the arsenal of missiles will increase substantially. Practical work in this direction is already being carried out at the Zvezda plant in Primorsky Krai and, most likely, one of the modernized ships will become part of the permanent readiness forces of the fleet after 2021.

"We do not refuse the exploitation of ships, whose age is 20-30 years, but only if these units have a modernization resource," said the commander of the Pacific Fleet. - Obviously, such ships are the large anti-submarine ships of [u]Project 1155, which are part of the Maritime Flotilla of dissimilar forces. At the moment, repairs and upgrades are being carried out at the first of them - the large anti-submarine ship Marshal Shaposhnikov. Among other things, the ship will be reinforced with shock rocket weapons. "

The final stage includes works on the modernization of the small missile ship project 1234 "Smerch". Anti-ship cruise missiles "Malachite" will give way to more modern Uran missiles.

In addition, in Vladivostok, the shipyard "Vostochnaya Verf" for the Pacific Fleet recently laid the second small marine tanker with a displacement of more than 3,000 tons. These tankers are universal and can perform both patrol functions, and transport cargo, tow emergency ships, perform rescue operations and receive a helicopter on deck.

It is planned that in 2018 the Pacific Fleet will be replenished with two new raid diving boats of Project 23040. The vessels are built on JSC "Zavod Nizhegorodskiy Teplokhod" in accordance with modern requirements for vessels of this type and are included in the series of emergency rescue boats.

In Kamchatka in November 2017, a new anti-sabotage boat of project 21980 Grachonok replenished the security ships of the water area of ​​troops and forces in the Northeast of Russia. This is the fourth ship of this project, which received the Pacific Fleet as part of the rearmament program. Another such boat will replenish the fleet this year.

In December 2017, Vladivostok solemnly raised the flag on the new modular diving catamaran "SMK-2177", which was included in the squad of rescue vessels of the Pacific Fleet.

"Also in the long term we will get another modern tugboat and that's not all," said Admiral Sergey

PapaDragon wrote:

franco wrote:The Pacific Fleet will be replenished with new ships under the state program for the next 10 years. This was announced by the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sergei Avakyants............

So for surface combatants that would be:

8 corvettes (4 Steregushi + 4 Gremashi)

4 Karakurts

Overhauled Udalois.

And nothing else? That frigate gap is seriously killing them.





As for submarines:

6 Kilos (no surprises here, these are always built on time)

3 Borei SSBNs - not mentioned in this article but Wiki says that at least 3 should go to Pacific in next decade (Knyaz Vladimir,   Knyaz Oleg and Imperator Aleksandr III), maybe more if they keep it fast

Overhauled Oscars (good move) and probably some Yasens (but they are very hush-hush on anything Yasen related)

You forgot Nakhimov kirov cruiser (??).

PapaDragon wrote:

Isos wrote:.......
You forgot Nakhimov kirov cruiser (??).

Isn't that one part of Northern Fleet?

Anyway, main problem remains: they need to pick a corvette or a frigate, send blueprints to several shipyards and go for some numbers. Whoever is done fastest gets bonus and some extra contracts.

Derzkii-class seem like ideal choice: fresh design, plenty of range and endurance for it's size (some of you guys call it frigate) but still small enough to be handled by most shipyards.

you are correct that ships home port is listed as the northern.

Three Russian warships have been deployed Mediterranean on March 14th, according to Geopolitical futures. Any info what kind of ships are we talking about here?

verkhoturye51 wrote:Three Russian warships have been deployed Mediterranean on March 14th, according to Geopolitical futures. Any info what kind of ships are we talking about here?

Frigate Admiral Essen
Frigate Pitlivy
Don't know the third one (probably a Ropucha class landing ship)

Nice!

Do you have any information regarding their task and duration? Source would be appreciated.

verkhoturye51 wrote:Nice!

Do you have any information regarding their task and duration? Source would be appreciated.

Introduce yourself first pls here

https://www.russiadefence.net/f6-member-introductions-and-rules

Possibly offtopic. Pacific fleet had also two squadrons abroad in the Soviet times, 17th in Vietnam and 8th in the Indian ocean. Which country hosted the latter?

Hole wrote:The next Generation of Subs will be even better. And faster build. Like Buyan-M/Karakurt.

I don't think the Buyan-M is a fast built. It's 2018 and there's only 5 of them active.
> 3 years for commissioning a 900ton fast attack missile craft.

It's bad.

KiloGolf wrote:

Hole wrote:The next Generation of Subs will be even better. And faster build. Like Buyan-M/Karakurt.

I don't think the Buyan-M is fast.
> 3 years for commissioning a 900ton fast attack missile craft.

It's bad.

Those numbers means nothing actually. They need only 5 years for nuclear subs so if they really wanted to they could have build buyans in matters of months. It's just they take their time so that they don't need to hire more workers and they can test everything while building it nicely.

Just look at German frigates which is shit and british destroyer which can be detected by subs hundreds km away. At least russian ships are accepted only if they are very good.

Isos wrote:Just look at German frigates which is shit and british destroyer which can be detected by subs hundreds km away. At least russian ships are accepted only if they are very good.

If Russia's shipbuilding benchmark is the German and Royal Navies and industries, then they're setting the bar quite low.
They should look at the US, China, Korea and Japan and take notes.