American military expert Harry Kazianis, a member of the defense policy section of the US Center for National Interests and a member of the National Security Section of the Potomac Foundation, in an article published in the National advancing your Navy. Moscow is developing an even more lethal class of submarines, which, due to their low noise level, are superior to their predecessors. According to Garry Kazianis, Russian Lada-class submarines are capable of destroying the American fleet.
Of course, the overseas expert is mistaken: the Russian Navy is currently unable to send the US Navy ships to the bottom, since it is much inferior to them in terms of total power and number of combat units. Project 677 Lada submarines will not cope with this task either. However, the Russian navy is undoubtedly quite capable of eliminating the United States itself. According to Chinese naval expert Yin Zhuo, "Russia is the only country that can destroy the US with its naval nuclear weapons."
HARRY CASIAN'S ERROR
Yes, twelve Russian nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine cruisers (SSBNs) of projects 667BDR Kalmar, 667BDRM Dolphin and 955 Borey, each of which carries sixteen intercontinental ballistic missiles (SLBMs) R-29RKU-02, R-29RMU2 The Sineva or R-29RMU2.1 Liner, as well as the R-30 Bulava with three to ten self-guided nuclear warheads, may, if not sweep the United States off the world map, make this country completely incapacitated. And the situation in this area will only get worse.
As you know, the basis of the Russian strategic forces is the Strategic Missile Forces (Strategic Missile Forces). In the coming years, they will be replenished with silo and mobile ICBMs of the new generation "Yars", as well as the newest mobile complex "Rubezh" with missiles equipped with maneuvering hypersonic warheads. According to experts, to intercept one such missile will require at least 50 SM-3 interceptor missiles. A little later, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces will receive the Barguzin combat railroad missile system and the Sarmat heavy ICBMs with a starting weight of 210 tons, which will make it possible to “take on board” 10 hypersonic units with a capacity of 750 kt each and attack the United States not only through the North, but also South Pole.
Since the United States does not abandon the dream of creating a global anti-missile shield, Russia's naval strategic nuclear forces (NSNF) are also being improved. Their advantages are obvious: high stealth, mobility and choice of positions in the World Ocean, from where an attack by the enemy is hardly expected. In recent years, the Russian Navy has received three Project 955 Borey SSBNs with R-30 Bulava SLBMs. Currently, four SSBNs of the improved project 955A are in various stages of construction, and the laying of the eighth boat of the series is planned for July this year. At the same time, work is underway to modernize the Bulava SLBM in order to expand its capabilities to overcome existing and future missile defense systems.
Probable Russian strategic deterrent strikes against United States territory.
SSBNs of projects 955 and 955A are intended to replace three nuclear submarine missile carriers of project 667BDR in the Pacific Ocean and partially SSBNs of project 667BDRM in the Northern Fleet, which currently form the basis of Russian NSNF. Then, obviously, the construction of even more advanced Project 955B submarines with a new missile system will begin.
And yet, the feverish attempts of the United States to improve the means of missile defense are forcing the military-political leadership of Russia, Russian scientists and designers to look for fundamentally new tools for overcoming missile defense. These are, for example, the Kh-102 aircraft stealthy strategic cruise missiles with a firing range of up to 5500 km, the non-nuclear versions of which - the Kh-101 - have demonstrated high accuracy and efficiency in attacks against the targets of the Islamic State terrorist organization banned in Russia. Among the promising new products - the ocean multipurpose system "Status-6", which became known in November last year. It is designed to destroy "important objects of the enemy's economy in the coastal region and inflict guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country's territory by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination, unsuitable for military, economic and other activities in these zones for a long time." This new type of naval underwater strategic weapon is expected to enter service in 2019-2023.
The Russian Navy also has other strategic deterrents. We mean sea-launched cruise missiles. Their effectiveness was confirmed by the B-237 Rostov-on-Don diesel-electric submarine, project 06363 Halibut. It hit targets in Syria, where terrorists were deploying, with 3M14 missiles of the Caliber-PL complex with high accuracy.
Launch of the Kalibr-NK cruise missile from the Project 21631 Buyan-M small missile ship.
The presence of such missiles gives the naval forces a great deal of flexibility. They can attack a wide variety of coastal targets: port terminals, oil and gas storage facilities, industrial facilities, military bases, headquarters and command posts, state or regional government bodies - to different depths of the enemy's territory with conventional or nuclear charges. Therefore, the very posing of the question of whether the fleet of one country will be able to defeat the navy of another at sea, if it does not lose its meaning, then, in any case, levels its content. Why hide in the depths, chasing ships and vessels, make complex maneuvers and formations, come up with cunning tactics, while exposing yourself to significant risk, if you can find a "quiet pool" in the sea or ocean and inflict deadly blows on the enemy?
In the second half of December last year, the US Navy intelligence report “The Russian Navy. Historical Transformation”, which contains two very impressive schemes. The first shows the radius of destruction of the Kalibr-NK cruise missiles, which can be launched by Russian surface ships from the waters of the Caspian, Black, Baltic and Barents Seas. With a flight range of 1000 miles, that is, about 1852 km (note that a number of authoritative sources claim that the maximum range of these cruise missiles is 2000 km and even 2500 km), the entire territory of Europe will fall under their attacks, with the exception of Spain and Portugal. most of the states of Central Asia, as well as a number of countries in the Middle East. The second diagram shows how Japan, Korea and Alaska will become the "victims" of the Caliber-NK missiles. Obviously, the report was drawn up before the Rostov-on-Don submarine attacked the targets of a terrorist state with Caliber-PL missiles. Otherwise, this work would have to place a third diagram, which would show a good half of the territory of the United States, which could become the target of potential attacks by cruise missiles from Russian submarines.
Target hitting radii with Caliber missiles in Europe and the Far East. Diagrams from the report of the US Navy intelligence "Russian Navy. Historical transformation ".
That is, the American expert Harry Kazianis sees the threat not where it actually comes from. He demonstrates a traditional, outdated, and ultimately inertial and erroneous view of rivalry, confrontation and war at sea. And this view dominates today. Not only in the United States and Western Europe, but also east of it. This "inertia of style" is based on the theory of Alfred Mahan (1840-1914), Rear Admiral of the US Navy and the author of a number of, without exaggeration, epoch-making works on the history of naval art, especially British, for their time.
According to Mahan, Sea Power is the most important factor in the struggle for world leadership, and the conquest of dominance at sea is the main condition for victory in any war. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Great Britain was the world hegemon, even the world monopoly. Since the era of Queen Elizabeth (1533-1603), this island nation has waged a fierce struggle for control of the sea. And actually got it. However, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, young Germany began to "squeeze" it, which ultimately led to the First World War. She, by the way, demonstrated a serious "erosion" of Mahan's ideas. If Berlin had relied not on linear forces, as required by the postulates of the American theoretician, but on the all-round development of submarines, it would certainly have been able to bring London to its knees. But this did not happen. The results of the Great War are known. Germany temporarily dropped out of the ranks of the great powers. Few people remember this now, but after the end of the First World War, Great Britain and the new young contender for world hegemony, the United States, which possessed a significant fleet and powerful industry, were considered the main opposing sides in the next world war. If it were not for the revanchist "revival" of Germany under the banner of fascism and the militaristic frenzy of imperial Japan, so it probably would have happened.
Alfred Mahan (1840-1914) - guru of the theory of sea power.
The Second World War at sea was also fierce, but in its course the battleships so beloved by Mahan finally left the scene. Submarines and aircraft carriers began to dominate. The functions of battleships were, as it were, transferred to the latter.
In the post-war era, the new hegemon - the US Navy - challenged the Soviet Navy. This happened at the time of the next stage of the military-technical revolution, when nuclear energy came to replace conventional energy, missiles to guns, and nuclear warheads to gunpowder. From 1956 to 1985, the USSR Navy was headed by an outstanding theoretician and practitioner of "neomechanism" - Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Sergei Gorshkov. "New thinking", "perestroika" and the subsequent collapse of the great power put an end to the sharp rivalry on the seas of the two powers.
In the early 1990s, the United States, which emerged victorious in the Cold War, seemed to finally acquire the right to call itself the No. 1 power in the world. Of course, it was not customary to talk about this out loud, but Washington began to perceive this feeling as an axiom. Although in rivalry with the "Soviets" the United States undermined its economic power.
The short and in many respects imaginary right of the strong was reflected in naval construction. Due to overheating of the budget, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there were cuts in appropriations for military programs, including for the needs of the Navy. The ideas of "post-mahenism" have become popular, according to which the United States and other Western countries should have mainly police forces at sea. They are primarily intended to carry out non-combat missions. These include the fight against pirates and drug trafficking, counter-terrorism and rescue operations, regulation of migration flows at sea, protection of fisheries, control of the exclusive economic zone, monitoring and protection of the environment, humanitarian tasks in coastal and archipelagic waters, and other similar functions. In other words, they talked about creating, with the participation of the military fleets, a "most favored nation at sea" regime for the United States and its closest allies.
There is a fashion for ships that can only with a certain stretch be called combat. These are, for example, the high seas patrol ships (OPV) that have become widespread in the world. They are inexpensive and carry purely symbolic weapons, but have decent seaworthiness and cruising range. In fact, OPV took over the functions of border patrol ships, but they are not suitable for combat. To the same number can be attributed the American littoral warships (LBK) with "wound" electronics and equipped with replaceable modules with weapons. However, despite the enormous efforts and colossal costs, the situation with modules still does not go well. However, despite criticism from sailors and Congress, the laying and construction of "littorals", which were re-qualified as "frigates" to improve their status, continue. Why? Here, too, the inertia of style comes into play. About 900 large and small American corporations and companies are involved in their creation. This is not only a lot of money, but also employment, and, therefore, politics. Therefore, the LBC program, contrary to common sense, is inertially doomed to continue.
During the Cold War, confrontation at sea was often tough in the literal sense of the word. Destroyers Walker of the US Navy and Veskiy of the USSR Navy part in the Sea of Japan after collision on May 10, 1967.
There are a number of other programs that today are not expanding, but narrowing the capabilities of the American fleet. But let's not add salt to our wounds.
When Alfred Mahan built his theories based on the experience of sailing fleets, the first very imperfect submarines already appeared. He, of course, could not have imagined that these ugly creatures would eventually be able to attack the entire territory of the United States, destroying the previous ideas about sea power.
"HALTUS" + "LADA" = "KALINA"
It would be wrong to say that all the postulates of Mahan's teachings are outdated. Some of them are still relevant today. For example, that it is better to start the defense of your own shores near the enemy's shores. Only now this principle can and should be interpreted differently. Even a weaker fleet, but with an adequate number of nuclear and non-nuclear submarines armed with ballistic and cruise missiles, is capable of creating a real threat to a more powerful naval state.
The Project 677 Lada diesel-electric submarine is one of the quietest in the world.
It should be noted here that the diesel-electric submarine of project 677 "Lada", which was called by Harry Kazianis as the main threat to the American fleet, is indeed superior to modern domestic and foreign counterparts due to its low noise level. Which is not surprising. After all, it was originally conceived as a "killer of their own kind", that is, as an anti-submarine - to protect their bases and ports. Then it was brought to the level of multipurpose. However, the "generic features" remained, including rather modest dimensions (length - 66, 8 m, diameter of a solid body - 7, 1 m). For long ocean voyages, even equipped with modern automation equipment, which made it possible to reduce the crew to 35 people, the boat is not very suitable due to the tightness of the premises. Obviously, therefore, the command of the Russian Navy decided to limit the series to three units intended for operations in the Baltic.
At the same time, Project 06363 diesel-electric submarines, the latest version of the world's most famous submarines of the 877/636 family "Halibut" (Kilo - according to the western classification), demonstrate the highest qualities among the boats of their class. That is why a reasonable decision was made not to be limited to a series of six units for the Black Sea Fleet, but to build six more diesel-electric submarines for the Pacific Fleet according to a slightly modified project that better meets the requirements of this theater. This intention is explained by the need to "overcome the lag of the Russian submarine forces from Japan, which appeared in the post-Soviet period." Indeed, the Land of the Rising Sun, which has the third largest fleet in the Pacific Ocean, today has very modern submarines. "Halibuts" with cruise missiles "Caliber-PL" are capable of a sobering effect on those Japanese politicians who are raving about the return of the "northern territories". And not only on them. If necessary, new Russian submarines can be deployed for strategic containment off the coast of the United States.
And yet, the Russian Navy is in dire need of a new generation non-nuclear submarine. And such a ship is already being created by CDB MT "Rubin". Little is known about the appearance of the future nuclear submarine, whose project received the code "Kalina". But it can be assumed that the best features of Halibut and Lada will be embodied in it: low noise, the ability to “hear” the enemy far away, long cruising range and diving depth, comfortable living conditions for the crew and powerful weapons.
"Novorossiysk", the lead diesel-electric submarine of project 06363, - the carrier of cruise missiles "Caliber-PL".
It is worth recalling that during the construction of the head Lada - diesel-electric submarine Saint Petersburg - more than 130 samples of the latest radio-electronic and ship equipment were installed on the boat. In all fairness, it should be said that not all of this technique worked properly. However, most of it has demonstrated outstanding capabilities. And this technique will undoubtedly find its place at Kalina.
The submarine will undoubtedly house an auxiliary air-independent power plant with electrochemical generators, work on which is already being completed in Russia. It will allow the boat to stay under water for a long time without surfacing. It is possible that the Kalina will also be equipped with energy-intensive lithium-ion batteries for the development of high underwater speeds.
In addition to torpedo tubes, through which torpedoes, missile-torpedoes and cruise missiles can be fired, as well as mines, Kalina is likely to have ten vertical launchers for Kalibr-PL and Onyx cruise missiles. Such a package of launchers was developed for the export version of the "Lada" - diesel-electric submarines of the "Amur-1650" type. On the fifth generation nuclear submarines, it will be provided for the deployment of combat swimmers and their delivery vehicles to the place of work.
Do not forget about nuclear-powered ships. The pace of their construction is inferior to the assembly of diesel-electric submarines and non-nuclear submarines, and the costs significantly exceed the amount of funds required for non-nuclear submarines. But they will continue to replenish the Russian fleet. “In 2016, priority will be given to strengthening nuclear 'strategists' and nuclear multipurpose submarines in the Northern and Pacific fleets,” Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, said recently. As already noted, this year the eighth strategic missile submarine of Project 955 Borey will be laid down. Construction of the sixth project 885 Yasen multipurpose nuclear submarine will also begin. A number of third-generation nuclear submarines will undergo modernization to increase their combat potential.
The launch of the Kalibr-PL cruise missiles by the Rostov-on-Don submarine.
DISPUTES ABOUT NUMBERS AND THE CHINESE FACTOR
Speaking in mid-January this year at a symposium of the United States Surface Forces Association, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Maybus said that in his last seven years as chief of the US Navy, a record for the growth of the fleet has been set. Since 2009, 84 ships and auxiliary vessels have been laid down! The Republicans immediately reacted to this speech, reminding the minister that last year the quantitative composition of the US Navy fell to a record low - to 272 units.
During the time referred to by Maybus, nine multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Virginia type (five in service), two nuclear aircraft carriers of the Gerald Ford type, nine missile destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type (two in service), 15 littoral warships (four in service), two America-class amphibious assault ships (one in service) and six San Antonio-class amphibious assault ships (four in service). That is, a total of 43 warships were laid down, of which 18 have already been transferred to the Navy. The rest of the 84 are auxiliary vessels (41 units) of the Shipping Command. This is very good, even wonderful, but it cannot be compared with the pace of building ships in the PRC for the Naval Forces of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA).
US Navy Secretary Ray Maybus assures that the United States is setting records in shipbuilding.
Just as Ray Maybus was boasting about the successes of American military shipbuilding, the official print publication of the Central Committee of the CPC and the most influential Chinese newspaper People's Daily reported that the total number of PLA Navy ships in the past year increased to 303, that is, 31 units exceeded the quantitative composition US Navy. Of course, there are qualitative differences between these world's largest fleets. Most of the American warships are intended for operations in the oceanic zone, and the Chinese - in the near sea and are focused mainly on the defense of their shores. The US Navy is significantly superior to the PLA Navy in the number and quality of nuclear submarines, although they are inferior in the total number of submarines. At the same time, Chinese warships are carriers of powerful anti-ship missiles with a target range of up to 180-220 km, while the US Navy does not yet possess such weapons. Taking into account the developed land-based naval aviation and the presence of the PRC's land-based anti-ship ballistic missiles, the PLA navy is more balanced than the US Navy, which is currently completely unsuitable for protecting the shores of the United States.
And yet, according to the People's Daily, "the US Navy is still the most powerful naval military force in the world" - mainly due to the high level of information technology and network-centric systems, the development of electronic warfare. According to the Chinese newspaper, "The US Navy is at the forefront of innovation around the world and is" a generation ahead "of other countries' military equipment." Let us add that one cannot fail to notice the obvious "secondary nature" of Chinese naval weapons, which to a large extent are tracing copies of American, Russian and Western European designs and technologies. However, this approach saves time and money. That is why, according to Chinese naval expert Yin Zhuo, "in recent years, the Chinese navy has been closing the gap in the development of military technology with the United States."
The PLA Navy is rapidly replenishing with new ships that go out into the ocean.
And there is no need to talk about the quantitative aspect of rivalry at all. In 2015, the US Navy received from the industry one multipurpose nuclear submarine and three littoral warships. Moreover, the latter can be attributed to full-fledged combat units only with a large degree of stretch. Over the past year, the PLA Navy has replenished with three missile destroyers of 052C and 052D types with automatic combat control systems similar to the American Aegis, four missile frigates of the 054A type and six missile corvettes (small frigates - according to the Chinese classification) of the 056 / 056A type, two tank landing ships of the 072B type … We do not have data on the arrival of new nuclear submarines and non-nuclear submarines into the PLA Navy, but, undoubtedly, the Chinese fleet "added" 2-3 submarines.
Long-range missiles SM-6 will soon gain the ability to hit not only air, but also surface targets.
In other words, in terms of the pace of building the fleet, the Americans are far behind the Chinese. In the long term, the situation for Washington will not improve, but only worsen. In five or six years, the United States will finally lose to China in both the quantity and quality of warships. Attempts by the United States to strengthen its position in the West Pacific will end in complete failure.
The US Navy understands this. Against the background of the Chinese factor and the enormous effect produced by the attacks of the Kalibr-NK and Caliber-PL cruise missiles of the Russian fleet against the facilities of the Islamic State, a series of meetings, conferences and symposia were held in the United States dedicated to the problem of overcoming the crisis. Confusion and confusion reigned on them. In order to somehow calm the situation, the US Chief of Naval Operations (Commander-in-Chief) Admiral John Richardson published a document entitled "Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority." “Russia and China are improving their military capabilities, allowing them to act as world powers,” the document says. "Their targets are underpinned by a growing arsenal of high-end weapons, many of which target our vulnerabilities." To maintain superiority at sea, Admiral John Richardson proposes to act in four directions. First, to strengthen the naval power of the United States, including through the construction of strategic nuclear submarines, the development of information warfare means, and the creation of new weapons systems. Secondly, it is necessary to raise the level of training of the personnel and command personnel of the fleet. And in order to achieve this, thirdly, you need to pay special attention to the motivation of the staff. Richardson's fourth postulate draws attention to further strengthening cooperation and interaction with US Navy partners.
There is nothing fundamentally new in the "Project for Maintaining Naval Superiority" of the Chief of Naval Operations. All four of the above theses are easy to find in the already existing doctrinal documents and plans for the construction of the US Navy. Admiral John Richardson failed to overcome the inertia of the American strategic dogma style. Indeed, by and large, today the United States needs to think not about ensuring "freedom of navigation" in the World Ocean and maintaining naval superiority, but about a strategy for protecting its shores.
However, the United States is taking steps to strengthen its naval power. If it is not possible to catch up with China in terms of the number of ships, the Pentagon considered, then it is necessary to bypass it in terms of firing range and the quality of naval weapons. According to US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, the five-year plan to strengthen the Navy provides for the allocation of $ 2 billion for the purchase of 4,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, including, apparently, in the anti-ship version. To this it should be added that soon the construction of multipurpose nuclear submarines of the Virginia type of the Block IV version will begin, on which the Tomahawk KR ammunition will be brought to 40 pieces. $ 2.9 billion is planned to be allocated for the development of new modifications and for the purchase of 650 SM-6 missiles. This long-range missile defense system with a flight speed of 3.5 M is designed to destroy air targets at a distance of up to 240 km. Now it is being modified so that the SM-6 can strike at enemy surface ships. Finally, about $ 927 million is expected to be spent on promising LRASM anti-ship missiles, which are hardly noticeable for radars, with a range of up to 930 km from aircraft, and up to 300 km from offshore platforms. There are other naval weapon systems on the Carter List.
By the end of this year, the US Navy command intends to determine the type of anti-ship missiles that will be deployed on littoral warships reclassified as frigates. Among the contenders are called the NSM anti-ship missile with a firing range of up to 180 km, the Harpoon Next Generation missile, which is designed to hit targets at a range of up to 240 km and the already called LRASM in inclined launchers. Of these, only NSM actually flies. The other two are under development.
In the US, the concept of "Distributed Lethality" is being explored. It provides for the armament of American landing ships, auxiliary and even civilian ships with anti-ship missiles, which, according to the plan, should increase the strike capabilities of the American fleet and partially remove the load from destroyers, which are now the "workhorses" of the Navy.
But all these measures do not answer the main question - how the US Navy will protect the country's territory from the growing threats like a snowball.
Promising anti-ship missile LRASM during testing.
THE MULTIPOLAR WORLD AND THE “SPLITTING” OF THE SEA POWER
But even if China surpasses the United States in the number of warships not only in the sea, but also in the ocean zone, and this, in our opinion, will certainly happen in the near future, this will not at all mean that China will dominate the World Ocean and establish its own domination. He will only strengthen his position and nothing more. For a number of reasons, the PRC will not be able to achieve the status of the world's dominant naval power.
First, you should pay attention to the geographic factor. The continental territory of China from the east, that is, from sea directions, is surrounded by a chain of island and peninsular states. A number of them are direct allies of the United States, for example, Japan and South Korea, while others, undoubtedly, gravitate more towards Washington than towards Beijing.
The PRC, thanks to this geographical position, practically managed to gain superiority in the seas adjacent to the country's territory. The island states create a natural barrier for the wider penetration of hostile fleets to the Chinese shores. On the other hand, these islands interfere with the flexible deployment of the PLA Navy in the oceanic zone. In the straits, it is easier and easier to organize ambushes and defensive lines against surface ships and submarines of the PRC Navy. In other words, the Chinese fleet has limited opportunities to enter the Pacific Ocean.
Vietnamese submarines of the 06361 project - carriers of the Club-S cruise missiles.
It should also be borne in mind that Washington's closest allies in this region - Japan, South Korea and Taiwan - have powerful fleets. The so-called Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JSSF), if we exclude the naval strategic forces of the nuclear powers, are the third in terms of combat potential not only in the Pacific, but also in the world. The South Korean Navy is catching up with them. Moreover, the fleet of the Republic of Korea even has advantages over the ISNF by equipping surface ships and submarines with cruise missiles designed to strike at coastal targets.
Vietnam is one of the states that the United States especially wants to see in its "club" of anti-Chinese allies. Washington is skillfully courting the SRV authorities. And it is no coincidence. Vietnam possesses a relatively small but powerful arsenal of naval weapons, mostly Russian-made. For example, missiles "Yakhont" of the mobile coastal complex "Bastion". The Vietnamese Navy can strike at the main naval base of the Southern Fleet of the PLA Sanya Navy on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. This base, in particular, is home to the latest Chinese strategic nuclear submarines of the 094 Jin type with JL-2 SLBMs with a firing range of 7400 km, which allow China to carry out nuclear strikes on the continental United States.
The newest Indian Navy destroyer Kolkata, built at national shipyards, is armed with ship-to-ship and ship-to-surface BRAHMOS missiles, as well as long-range Barak 8 missiles.
On February 3 of this year, the diesel-electric submarine Danang, the fifth submarine of project 06361, of the six ordered for the Vietnamese Navy at the Admiralty Shipyards, arrived at the Cam Ranh naval base. These diesel-electric submarines are practically similar to the Russian submarines of the 06363 project and, in addition to torpedoes and mines, can carry Club-S cruise missiles (export version of "Caliber-PL") designed to destroy sea and coastal targets. No other country in Southeast Asia possesses such powerful means of destruction.
The strike potential of the SRV Navy is complemented by Project 12418 Molniya missile boats, the construction of which continues at Vietnamese shipyards. Each boat is armed with 16 Uran-E anti-ship missiles with a range of up to 130 km. It is possible to equip boats with Kh-35UE "Super-Uranus" missiles with a firing range of up to 260 km and a combined guidance system, including an inertial system, a satellite navigation unit and an active-passive radar homing head, which provides high accuracy and noise immunity in electronic countermeasures.
Vietnamese frigates of the Gepard-3.9 type are armed with the same missiles (two are in the ranks of the SRV Navy and two are under construction). Negotiations are underway to purchase a third pair of such ships by Vietnam. According to Renat Mistakhov, General Director of the Zelenodolsk Plant named after A. M. Gorky, on which the Gepard-3.9-class frigates are being assembled, at the request of the customer they can be equipped with Club-N cruise missiles (export version of the Kalibra-NK).
Along with the Vietnamese fleet, the Singapore Navy, which controls the Strait of Malacca, which is vital for China, has a significant deterrent potential. The "country of thousands of islands" located very close - Indonesia - cannot be attributed to the pro-American states, as well as to the pro-Chinese satellites. Such equidistance does not at all mean non-interference in world and regional affairs. Obviously, the position of Jakarta in conflict situations will be determined by considerations of benefits and expediency for the interests of the country. And since Indonesia occupies an important strategic position at the junction of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and is rich in hydrocarbon and mineral resources, the country's authorities are paying significant attention to strengthening the fleet. For many decades, the Navy of this state was like a "dump" of obsolete ships built in various countries, which created numerous difficulties in their material and technical supply and maintenance. Now the situation is gradually improving, primarily due to the construction of ships at their shipyards. Missile and patrol boats, landing ships and Indonesian-assembled frigates are already arriving. The next step is the construction of submarines. Yes, now Indonesian boats and ships are equipped with weapons, engines and electronics of foreign production, but this fact does not diminish Jakarta's big step in strengthening the national naval forces.
NPL Rahav arrived in Haifa. Israeli submarines of this type can carry out nuclear strikes with cruise missiles.
Also, the course towards the development of an exclusively national industrial base of naval weapons is being approved in Delhi, which undoubtedly aims to turn the Indian Ocean into an "Indian lake". There is still a long way to go to achieve this goal, but the Indian Navy is already one of the largest and strongest in the world. And there is no doubt that the PLA Navy will be very uncomfortable in this area.
For the accelerated development of naval technologies and their implementation in practice, Delhi embarked on a broad development of joint development and production of weapons with foreign countries. Suffice it to recall the creation, together with Russia, of BRAHMOS anti-ship missiles, together with Israel - the Barak 8 air defense system, with France - Kalvari-type diesel-electric submarines based on Scorpene submarines, and with the United States - a promising nuclear aircraft carrier.
The Indian Navy now includes one multipurpose nuclear submarine, 13 diesel-electric submarines, an aircraft carrier, 10 missile destroyers, 14 frigates, 26 corvettes and large missile boats, 6 minesweepers, 10 offshore patrol ships, 125 patrol boats, 20 landing ships, a large number of auxiliary ships. In the near future, SSBNs, an aircraft carrier, several diesel-electric submarines, missile destroyers, frigates and corvettes are expected to arrive. That is, in terms of the number of modern ships, the Indian Navy undoubtedly occupies a leading position in the world. The PLA Navy, they are noticeably inferior only to the number of nuclear submarines and diesel-electric submarines. And it is no coincidence that Chinese nuclear submarines have become frequent visitors to the Indian Ocean.
It seems to us that the Indian Navy has chosen not the best option for the serial construction of new diesel-electric submarines. And not only because the program is being carried out with a great lag, and not because only the last two Kalvari-class submarines in a series of six units will receive air-independent power plants. The fact is that these submarines are not adapted to be equipped with BRAHMOS cruise missiles, and it will take time to create a smaller version of the latter that can be fired from torpedo tubes. In addition, mini-BRAHMOS will inevitably have to reduce the firing range and warhead power, which will make them almost identical to the SM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, which are already in service with Kalvari-class submarines.
Eight S20 type submarines (type 041) with Stirling air-independent power plants, armed with YJ-82 cruise missiles, purchased by Pakistan from China, may well hamper the actions of the Indian fleet. Delhi's desire to establish domination in the Indian Ocean is dissatisfied not only in Islamabad, but also in Tehran. In any case, Iran is trying to retain control over the western part of this water area, developing and building a modern fleet. Until recently, anti-Iranian sanctions hampered this process, but now the obstacles are being removed. In turn, the threat to Iran itself today is created not only and not so much by the US Navy as by the Israeli naval forces, whose command is extremely concerned about the calls of the leadership of the Islamic Republic to crack down on the Jewish state.
On January 12 this year, the Rahav submarine, built in Germany, arrived at the Haifa naval base - the second Tanin (Dolphin II) type with an air-independent fuel cell power plant and the fifth of the Dolphin family. At the ceremony to welcome the submarine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Our submarine fleet primarily serves to deter enemies who want to destroy us." All those present understood these words of the head of government unambiguously. As the Israeli newspaper Maariv noted in this regard, "the Israeli submarine fleet was created for the sake of deterrence and, first of all, for the main purpose - to ensure an Israeli nuclear retaliatory strike." We are talking about a retaliatory strike or a preemptive one - we do not undertake to judge. But, undoubtedly, the submarines of the Israeli Navy are capable of carrying out such a strike.
North Korean KN-11 SLBM comes out of the water.
The Dolphin diesel-electric submarines and the Tanin submarines, in addition to the six traditional 533-mm torpedo tubes, are equipped with four 650-mm submarines designed to fire Popeye Turbo cruise missiles with 200 kt nuclear warheads. The missile's firing range is up to 1500 km. That is, it can hit targets in Iran even from the Mediterranean Sea. But Israeli submarines have repeatedly been spotted in the Suez Canal while on patrol in the Indian Ocean.
In 2019, the Dakar submarine, the sixth in the series, will enter service. Even now, the Israeli navy, small in size, has a powerful strike potential, with which the fleets of many European naval powers are incomparable. And Tel Aviv plans to bring the number of submarines to ten units.
Another example of a deceptively weak fleet is the North Korean Navy. Most of them consist of ships, submarines and boats of obsolete designs. Pyongyang has neither modern technology nor money to develop its fleet. However, the DPRK managed to build a Sinp'o missile diesel-electric submarine with a KN-11 SLBM. The next tests of this rocket took place on December 21 last year. They are recognized as successful by American experts. It will take another two or three years to develop an SLBM. And then the DPRK can threaten a nuclear attack from under the waters of Pearl Harbor or even cities on the west coast of the United States.
Today, the theories of naval power, based on the practice of sailing fleets, do not work.
Summing up, we can state that today we are not only witnessing the erosion of sea power "according to Mahan", but also its obvious "splitting". In a multipolar world, not a single power, even the most powerful economically and militarily, is now capable of being a hegemon at sea. There is bound to be a country or group of countries that will undermine any efforts to establish dominance in the oceans. Moreover, modern means of warfare can put a state on the brink of destruction, which, relying on naval power, will attempt to dictate its terms to the world.
