Russian Navy
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  Russian Navy Ships and Aircraft

                              

The primary missions of the naval forces are to provide strategic nuclear deterrence from the nuclear submarine fleet and to defend the sea-lanes approaching the Russian coast. In the post-Cold War era the Russian Navy is no longer interested in limiting American naval power in areas that do not affect Russian interests. The Russian Navy would be hard pressed to challenge Western command of the seas, and with the death of communist ideology and collapse of its overseas influence, there would appear little reason for attempting such a challenge.
The year 1996 marked the tercentennial of the Russian Navy. It was celebrated on 28 July 1996 in a show of the main naval parade of the Russian fleet. In addition to Russian ships representing all four fleets and the North-West Border Guard District, vessels from ten foreign states participated in the naval parade. As of 1996 the naval forces included about 200,000 sailors and marines, about 20 percent of whom were conscripts, and 500,000 reserves. There is no tradition of enlisted members staying in the Navy after their initial tour is over. Of the active-duty personnel, about 30,000 were in naval aviation and 24,000 in coastal defense forces.

The naval forces include shore-based troops, naval aviation units, four fleets, and one flotilla. The shore-based forces and naval aviation forces are operationally subordinate to the fleets. The Northern Fleet is headquartered at Severomorsk, at the top of the Kola Peninsula near Murmansk, with additional home ports at Kola, Motovskiy, Gremikha, and Ura Guba. The Baltic Fleet is headquartered in Kaliningrad, where it controls naval bases at Kronshtadt and Baltiysk. Headquartered at Sevastopol', the Black Sea Fleet has an additional home port in Odessa. Pacific Fleet headquarters is in Vladivostok, with additional home ports in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Magadan, and Sovetskaya Gavan'. Each of the Fleets is in turn organized into a variety of subsidiary units.

SHIPS and SUBMARINES :

- 935 Borei (1 - still building)

This is the first submarine of the new Borei-class [Boreas], with a length of 170 meters, a body diameter around 10 metres, and a submerged speed of over 25 knots (over 45km/h). With about half the displacement of the Typhoon, the 935 class will nonetheless carry 20 SLBMs of a new type.

- 941 TYPHOON (3)

During the Cold War the Typhoon submarines prowled the waters of the North Atlantic. These submarines do not have to submerge or go to sea to launch their long-range missiles. They are able to do so tied up at their docks. The Typhoon is the world’s largest submarine and was one of the most feared weapons of the Cold War. Each submarine is capable of carrying twenty long-range ballistic missiles with up to 200 nuclear warheads that were once aimed at the United States.

- 667BDRM Dolphin DELTA IV (6)

The 667BDRM Delta IV submarine, which was constructed parallel to the Typhoon class, is a further modification of the previous Delta. In comparison with the Delta III submarine the diameter of the pressure hull was increased and the bow was lengthened. As a result the displacement of the submarine was increased by 1,200 tons and it was 12 meters longer. To increase the reliability of the pressure hull, the tip and intercut-off bulkheads are made of specially processed steel.

- 667BDR DELTA III (3)

The development of the 667BDR Delta III ballistic missile submarine began in 1972 at the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering. This strategic submarine is equipped with the D-9R launch system and 16 R-29R missiles, and is the first submarine that can fire any number of missiles in a single salvo.The advanced Delta III SSBN entered service in 1976, and by 1982 a total of fourteen submarines were commissioned. All of them were build at Severodvinsk. The operational lifetime of these submarines is estimated to be 20-25 years.

- Project 949 Granit / Oscar (8)

The Oscar-class nuclear-powered cruise missile attack submarine, which displaces more than 18,000 tons when under water, is one of Russia's largest and most capable submarines. As with earlier cruise-missile submarine, the Oscar was designed primarily to attack American aircraft carrier battle groups.The submarine is equipped with two dozen SS-N-19 missiles with a range of 550-kilometers -- three times as many anti-ship cruise missiles as earlier Charlie and Echo II class submarines. The missiles, which are launched while the submarine is submerged, are fired from tubes fixed at an angle of approximately 40 degrees.

- Project 971 Shuka-B Akula class (8)

The Project 971 Shuka-B attack submarine multi-purpose submarine is capable of strikes against groups of hostile ships and against coastal installations. Designated the "Akula" class by the West, the submarine is officially designated Project 971 Shuka B (shuka is an aggressive breed of fresh water pike). Some 110 meters long, the Akula is double-hulled with considerable distance between the outer and inner hulls to reduce the possible damage to the inner hull. The hull is constructed of low magnetic steel, and divided into eight compartments, and features a distinctive high aft fin.

- Project 877 Kilo class (18)

The Kilo Class (Project 877) submarine was designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare in the protection of naval bases, coastal installations and sea lanes, and also for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. The Kilo is considered to be to be one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world. The submarine consists of six watertight compartments separated by transverse bulkheads in a pressurised double-hull. This design and the submarine's good reserve buoyancy lead to increased survivability if the submarine is holed, even with one compartment and two adjacent ballast tanks flooded. The foreplanes are positioned on the upper hull in front of the fin or sail. The command and control systems and fire control systems are located in the main control room which is sealed off from the other compartments.

- Project 1143.5 Kreml class (1)

The 67,500-ton Kreml class aircraft carrier supports strategic missile carrying submarines, surface ships and maritime missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian fleet. The ship is capable of engaging surface, subsurface and airborne targets. Superficially similar to American carriers, the design is in fact "defensive" in support of SSBN bastions. The lack of catapults precludes launching aircraft with heavy strike loads, and the air superiority orientation of the air wing is apparent.

- Project 1144.2 Orlan Kirov class (3)

The Russian Kirov Class Heavy Missile Cruise Ship are the world's largest 'cruisers' and might best be termed "battle cruisers". Originally designed as a large antisubmarine warship to search for and engage enemy ballistic missile submarines, the Kirov’s role was expanded to engage large surface targets and provide air and antisubmarine protection to naval forces after the introduction of the Granit antiship missile system. There are substantial differences in the equipment of each unit of this class.

- Project 1164 Atlant Krasina/Slava class (2)

The Slava class was designed as a surface strike ship with some anti-air and ASW capability. This smaller contemporary of the Kirov may have been intended as a less-expensive complement to the larger ships. The sixteen SS-N-12 Sandbox anti-ship missiles are mounted in four pairs on either side of the superstructure, giving the ship a distinctive appearance. Many sources credit the Slava with the ability to carry nuclear armed SA-N-6 surface-to-air missiles, and 21-inch nuclear torpedoes, in addition to the SS-N-12. Soviet sources denied that the SA-N-6 missiles on the ship was even nuclear capable.

- Project 956 Sarych Sovremenny class  (12)

The Sovremenny Class is a Russian class of destroyers designed to engage hostile ships by means of missile attack, and to provide warships and transport ships with protection against ship and air attack. Intended primarily for anti-ship operations, it was designed to compliment anti-submarine warfare (ASW) Udaloy destroyers. The ships have anti-ship, anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and coastal bombardment capability. The ships, with a maximum displacement of 8,480 tons are similar in size to the US Navy's Aegis-equipped missile cruisers, and are armed with an anti-submarine helicopter, 48 air defence missiles, 8 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, mines, long range guns and a comprehensive electronic warfare system.

- Project 1155 Fregat  Udaloy  class (11)

Designed primarily as an anti-submarine warfare platform, with a long cruising range and underway replenishment capabilities, Udaloy class ships provide support to surface task forces. Udaloy reflects design changes that addressed the shortcomings of the previous Krivak program; namely the lack of helicopter facilities, limited sonar capabilities, and light air-defenses. The Udaloy has two helicopter hangars with doors that serve as a ramp to the flight deck. The ship uses a Polinom active/passive search/attack sonar system. The Udaloy’s air-defense system consists of 8 Klinok launchers, and the AK-630 and AK-100 gun mounts.

- Project 1135 Burevestnik Krivak class (9)

Project #1135 Burevestnik [Krivak I] was an entirely new design, initially believed in the West to be designed for offensive surface warfare. In reality, the class was intended primarily as a defensive ASW ship. The Krivak was designed as a less expensive and capable counterpart to the larger Kresta II and Kara classes, with which it originally shared the BPK designation. In the late 1970s the designation changed to SKR (Storozhevoy Koabl') or small antisubmarine ship, a more accurate indication of their actual capabilities.

- Project 1154 Neustrashimy class (1)

The Neustrashimy ("Redoubtable") class frigate was designed to combat submarines and surface ships and provide defense to task forces and convoys. Project 1154 is the product of a protracted research and development process. Soviet Navy design and operation requirements were established in 1972 for a replacement of the Project 1124 small antisubmarine ship.

- Project 1239 Sivuch Bora class (2)

The Project 1239 Sivuch small missile air cushion ship is primary intended for coast defense operations. These very large surface-effect ship corvettes have proven mechanically unreliable. Completion of these units was much-delayed and they probably are not effective combat units. Two ships in service now - for future series intended for Black Sea/Baltic Fleets of Russian Federation.

- Project 1234 Nanuchka class (12)

This heavily armed Small Missile Ship [Malyy Raketnyy Korabl' MRK] feature more gun and anti-air defense capabilities compared to previous Soviet missile ships. The remarkable amount of fire power and electronics mounted on such a small platform apparently was purchased at the price of poor sea-keeping characteristics. All Nanuchka I class ships are being scrapped, though it is difficult to establish how many remain operational, and in particular which units remain in service

- Project 1124 Albatros Grisha class (25)

The Grisha class antisubmarine ship is designed to search for and destroy enemy submarines found in coastal areas. It has a limited sea-going capability.As with most other classes consisting of large numbers of small units, the identity and status of most individual units of the Grisha class is poorly attested. The correlation between construction sequence and current status and the names and numbers of most listed units is largely conjectural.

- Project 1241.2 Molniya-2 (25)

The Pauk class Small Antisubmarine Ship (Malyy Protivolodochnyy Korabl' MPK) is designed to search for and destroy enemy submarines in coastal areas. The ship’s hull is made from steel and its superstructure is made from light alloy. The Pauk has a limited sea-going capability, and is not an all weather vessel.

- Project 775 Ropucha class (9)

The Project 775 Ropucha Large Landing Ship (Bol'shoy Desatnyy Korabl' BDK) is a beachable, general-purpose LST-type design with bow and stern ramps for unloading vehicles. A slightly smaller successor to the Alligator class, they were all built in Poland three distinct production runs. The last three units were an improved version with some variations in detail. Many have been retired, and remaining units may be in reserve, given the Russian Navy's decreased emphasis on amphibious operations.

- Project 1174 Ivan Rogov class

The Ivan Rogov Class Large Landing Ship provides sea-lift and landing of troops and equipment on the coast of enemy occupied territory. The rise of the Soviet amphibious capability under Admiral Gorshkov during the 1970s was marked by the construction of the amphibious dock landing ship Ivan Rogov [and the replenishment ship Berezina]

AIRCRAFT :

- KA-27 Helix

Ka-27 was designed to replace Ka-25. The first prototype flew in December 1974. Variants include the Ka-27PS search and rescue version and Ka-28 ASW model. The Ka-29 combat/transport helicopter and Ka-31 surveillance variant are in operational service. The primary function of the KA-29 Helix B amphibious assault helicopter is delivery of percision-guided weapons, weapons designation, and troop transport.

- MiG-29 FULCRUM

The MiG-29K was initiated in 1984 as a Russian Air Force development program for a multi-role fighter, and in 1989 - 1991 the MiG-29K underwent tests aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft-carrying cruiser. The MiG-29K differed from the MiG-29 production model, featuring a new multi-function radar, dubbed Zhuk; a cabin with monochrome display and use of the HOTAS (hands-on-throttle-and-stick) principle; the RVV-AE air-to-air active homing missiles; antiship and antiradar missiles; as well as air-to-ground precision-guided weapons. The MiG-29K program was revived in response to the decision of the Indian Navy to acquire the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier.

- SU-33

Su-33 (Su-27K) is a carrier-based variant that first flew in May 1985, and entered service in the Russian Navy in 1994. The air regiment comprising 24 fighters of the type was formed up on Russia's only operating aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. It has extra small wings near the pilots cabin which shorten the take-off distance and improve manoeuvrability. The Su-33 can also carry guided missiles such as the H-25MP, H-31 and H-41. The Su-33 is used in both night and day operations at sea, and operate with the command center ship and with the Ka-31 early-warning helicopter. With the R-27EM missiles it can intercept antiship missiles.