The Russian government will build a new fleet to guard energy flows and fend off threats from China and Japan. According to rough estimates, it will take up to 5 trillion. rub. more than any other branch of the armed forces. According to plans, by 2020 the fleet will be replenished with 36 nuclear and diesel submarines and 40 surface ships of new models, made using stealth technology.
New tasks for the fleet
Experts identify 4 main areas for the use of the fleet in the future:
1. Protection of oil and gas pipelines passing along the bottom, as well as natural resources on the sea shelves.
2. Maintaining the security of maritime trade communications (countering piracy).
3. Creating a military balance in those regions of the country where it is not possible to achieve this goal with the help of other types of armed forces. First of all, this concerns the Chinese direction, where the Chinese grouping is concentrated, surpassing our entire army by 2 times. In addition, China's ground forces are armed with fairly modern weapons, while its fleet has limited military capabilities.
4. Political demonstration. Demonstration of the Russian flag in those parts of the world where it is important for Russia to indicate its influence. First of all, we mean the countries of Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
USA is no longer the enemy
According to the new naval concept, the United States will cease to play the role of the most probable adversary. Therefore, ships of narrow specialization will no longer be built, in particular large anti-submarine (BOD) and submarines "killer of aircraft carriers". The main forces of the fleet will be 5 classes of ships.
Strategic nuclear submarines that are part of the nuclear triad. According to the plan of the Ministry of Defense, 8 submarines of the Borey project equipped with Bulava missiles will be purchased by 2020. The first boat of the series, Yuri Dolgoruky, has already been launched.
This is followed by 22 multipurpose nuclear and diesel submarines armed with cruise missiles and torpedoes. Their purpose is to protect and escort strategic nuclear submarines, to launch missile strikes on enemy army targets and infrastructure. The first multipurpose nuclear submarine "Severodvinsk" is already ready.
The third class includes a frigate. A total of 12 units will be laid, the construction of the first "Admiral Gorshkov" is being completed at the plant in St. Petersburg. These ships are ships of the far sea zone with a range of 5-10 thousand km.
In addition, by 2020, the fleet will receive 20 corvettes, ships of the near sea zone, designed to be used within a radius (2-5 thousand km). The lead ship of the Guarding series was commissioned, 4 more have already been laid down at the shipyards.
The last class includes landing ships. In total, up to 10 units will be built, among them 4 universal amphibious assault ships, most likely the Mistral, 2 of which will be purchased in France, and 2 built under license in Russia. The rest of the ships will be of our design, the lead one, the Ivan Gren, is currently at the initial stage of construction in Kaliningrad.
Turn to the Pacific Ocean
The role of each of the 4 fleets will also undergo a radical review. The most powerful Russian fleet will be the Pacific Fleet, which is currently second in combat potential, yielding to the Northern. It is he who will receive most of the large surface ships and half of the nuclear submarines.
Accordingly, the tasks of the fleet will also change. He will become the main and only force to contain the expansionist aspirations of the PRC. His second potential adversary will be Japan, which still cannot come to terms with the loss of the Kuril Islands. The first of the Mistrals received from France will be used just in the Kuril ridge region.
All the main heavy weapons are now concentrated in the Northern Fleet - the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter Veliki, our only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, and about 80% of strategic nuclear submarines. After the reforms, the fleet will only have the role of one of the two bases of strategic submarines, which will be assigned up to 2-3 frigates and 5-6 corvettes. Peter the Great will be used primarily for demonstration visits. The fate of the aircraft carrier is still uncertain, it is clear that it has nothing to do in the Northern region, and all other fleets do not have a suitable coastal infrastructure.
The Black Sea Fleet will soon undergo the most radical renovation. It should include 18 new ships, all of a short range. These are 12 corvettes and landing craft and 6 diesel submarines of the Varshavyanka and Lada projects, while the main striking force of the fleet will remain the missile cruiser Moskva. The Black Sea Fleet will carry out two main tasks, guarding the South Stream pipeline and preventing possible aggression from Georgia. The Mistral helicopter carrier, which has been commissioned into the fleet, will be responsible for the fight against Somali pirates.
The Baltic Fleet will in fact become a coastal flotilla. All large ships from its composition are now being transferred to Sevastopol, and from new ones it will receive 2-3 corvettes. We have no one to fight in the Baltic, and the entire task of the fleet will be reduced to protecting the Nord Stream pipeline.
