The modernization of the Black Sea Fleet, the need for which was much talked about on the sidelines, is taking shape. The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy said on Wednesday that in the next 10 years, Russia's southern fleet will receive 15 new vehicles - these are Project 22350 frigates, the "firstborn" of which will be the Admiral Gorshkov at the St. Petersburg shipyard, as well as Project 677 Lada submarines. Earlier it was said that a number of operating ships from other fleets would be transferred to the Black Sea.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet will be replenished by 2020 with 15 new surface ships (Project 22350 frigates) and diesel submarines (Project 677 Lada), said the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, RIA Novosti reports.
“In total, by 2020, it is planned to build 15 frigates and non-nuclear submarines for the Black Sea Fleet in a ratio of 60 to 30,” Vysotsky said. He also said that already this year, one frigate and one non-nuclear submarine will be laid down specially for the Black Sea Fleet.
"The Black Sea Fleet will be rearmed with new ships, and not by transferring ships from other fleets," said the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy.
Diesel-electric submarines of the project 677 "Lada" have a displacement of 1,765 tons, a length of 67 meters and a width of 7.1 meters. The maximum underwater and surface speed reaches 21 and 10 knots, respectively. Cruising range at economical speed - 650 miles. The sailing endurance is 45 days. The maximum diving depth is 300 meters.
The lead boat of the Saint Petersburg project is now undergoing state testing. At present, the ships of the project 677 "Kronstadt" and "Sevastopol" are being built at the "Admiralty Shipyards". The boats are intended to destroy enemy submarines, surface ships and vessels, to protect naval bases, sea coast and sea communications, and to conduct reconnaissance.
The Project 22350 frigate will have a displacement of 4, 5 thousand tons, the greatest length - over 130 meters, the cruising range exceeds 4 thousand miles. The ship's main weapons will be eight 3M55 Onyx anti-ship cruise missiles, a new A-192 130-mm artillery mount, Medvedka-2 anti-submarine missile system, and Uragan medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. The ship will be based on the Ka-32 helicopter.
Project 22350 includes a series of Russian multipurpose warships of the far sea zone, which are part of the rearmament program of the Russian Navy. The lead ship of the project is the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov", the laying of which took place on February 1, 2006 at the St. Petersburg shipyard "Severnaya Verf". According to the plan, the ship should enter service in 2011.
New ships will replace outdated equipment, which, according to unofficial information, is being prepared for decommissioning. So, in April, it became known that in the near future several large ships could be withdrawn from the Russian Black Sea Fleet. According to media reports, the large anti-submarine ship "Ochakov" and the diesel submarine B-380 "Holy Prince George", built in 1982, are being prepared for decommissioning. After the Ochakov and Kerch are decommissioned, only the Moskva missile cruiser will remain from the ships of the first rank in the Black Sea Fleet.
In addition to replacing obsolete ships, the optimization of the personnel of the Black Sea Fleet is also being prepared. According to the specialized press, by the end of this year, it is planned to cut down to 500 officer positions in the fleet - first of all, representatives of auxiliary forces, coastal units and rear structures of the fleet.
At the same time, there has not yet been any official confirmation of the forthcoming reductions in officers in the Black Sea Fleet. At the same time, the dismissal of seamen for civilian specialties is already underway.
Optimization and modernization of the Black Sea Fleet began after the ratification of the agreement on the extension of the lease term for the base for the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol until 2042. This agreement was signed by the presidents of Russia and Ukraine on April 21.
