News items compiled between May, 1995 and May, 1996.

Back to Current Intelligence Folder.

• Warship Construction Status
  According to the annual International Navies issue of USNI Proceedings, the rate of ship construction has dropped off even more sharply, with the exception of a few high-priority projects. Several planned ship lines have ended early, including the Oscar II SSGNs, the Sovremennyy DDGs, and the new Neustrashimyy FFGs (which will end with the completion of the third unit). It appears as though the Russian Navy is committed to a future of nuclear submarines, with the only open-ended construction project being its new SSN. Recent increases in submarine operational activity (in the face of somewhat decreased surface activity) also point to a submarine force emphasis.

  Submarines: The big project in the submarine program (and quite possibly in the whole Navy) is the Severodvinsk/Project 885 SSN. It appears that substantial resources are being committed to the completion of this class of vessels, the first of which will launch sometime in 1998 (according to existing schedules). The Severodvinsk will have at least two sisters. In the meantime, Akula II SSNs continue to be built, with two delivered in the previous year and one more set for this year. This may mark the end of the Akulas as they are superseded by the next-generation Severodvinsks. In the meantime, production of Oscar II SSGNs has ended at eleven units; the two incomplete Oscars have been officially terminated and are reportedly available for conversion to "commercial uses." The diesel-submarine program appears to center around the export market, with a pair of Improved Kilo/Project 636 vessels being built for China at the moment.

  Surface Vessels: There do not appear to be any particularly ambitious plans for the Russian surface fleet at the moment, with the focus of current efforts being on winding down several major vessel classes. The building schedule, therefore, consists of a serious of planned "lasts": the last Kirov BCGN, the Petr Velikiy, is undergoing sea trials for the Northern Fleet; the last Sovremenny (Alexandr Nevsky, formerly the Vedumchivyy) continues to be built; and the last Neustrashimyy (300 Let Rossikomy) is scheduled for a launch this year (hence her name, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy). In addition, the last Slava-class cruiser has been obtained from the Ukrainian Navy and will enter service as Admiral Lobov. There do not appear to be plans for a major new surface vessel, and the future of such new programs as the Gepard light frigate may be in doubt.

• The End of the Pacific Kievs
  Once considered to be at the speartip of a gradual Soviet push into the Pacific, the Kiev-class CVHGs Minsk and Novorossiysk were towed to their final resting places in South Korea in late 1995/early 1996. Their end did not come without controversy. Initially they were to be bought by the Korean scrapping company, Young Enterprise, in serviceable condition. However, fears of their recommissioning into the South Korean Navy (and resultant destabilization of the regional military balance), caused all of their shipboard electronics and combat systems to be physically destroyed before leaving Russia. The wrangling over this issue delayed their arrival by a year.

  The controversy did not end with the transformation of the ships into empty hulks. Upon their arrival in South Korea, they were turned away from port after port, mostly due to the efforts of environmental groups who claimed that their dismantling would mean ecological disaster (despite the fact that neither ship was nuclear-powered). Finally, the Minsk and Novorossiysk found home ports in Masan and Pohang, respectively. They await the scrapper's torch.

  The company responsible, Young Enterprise, has virtually cornered the market on scrapping former Soviet vessels, and will take possession of over 200 former Russian vessels in the next few years. The Kievs were obtained under an October 1994 contract signed with the Russian Defense Ministry, with each vessel going for just over $4 million. (The information on the Kievs appeared in a March article in the Korean Herald.)

• Kuznetsov Deploys
  The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov departed from its Northern Fleet base in mid-December, bound for a three-month deployment in the Mediterranean, in support of the implementation force in Bosnia. Initially accompanying her were the new Sovremenny-class destroyer Besstrashny ("Fearless") and the Boris Chilikin-class replenishment ship Dnestr. On 31 January, the force rendezvoused off the southern tip of England with the Krivak I-class frigate Pilkii ("Ardent") and the Olekma-class replenishment tanker Olekma; the combined force then proceeded through the Straits of Gibraltar. This represents the first major Russian naval deployment to the Mediterranean since 1993. Correction: this rendezvous was made on 31 December 1995, not 31 January.

  Izvestiya reported that Kuznetsov's air wing included 18 Su-33 Flanker-Ds, 16 Ka-27 Helix helos, and 18 MiG-29K Fulcrums, under the command of former test pilots Major General Timur Apakidze and Colonel Ivan Bohonko. The mention of MiG-29Ks was met with raised eyebrows and some skepticism by many, as the MiG-29K had long been passed over in favor of the Su-33 for the carrier role.

  Kuznetsov's commander is Captain 1st Rank Alexander Chelpanov. Senior officer present afloat is Admiral Igor Kasatonov, First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy. Although the Navy High Command was reluctant to release details of Kuznetsov's mission (beyond basic flight training and familiarization), reports have appeared in the international press that the Kuznetsov will cooperate with NATO multinational forces already in-theater for the NATO-led peace-implementation operation.

• Official Warns Of A Carrier-Less Russian Navy
  Gennady Voronin, deputy head of the State Committee for Defense Industries warned that unless major funding changes were made, the Russian Navy could "enter the twenty-first century without even a single aircraft carrier in service." What exactly is meant by this statement was not clear in the press release (as Admiral Kuznetsov is making her maiden deployment), but it could be a recognition of the precarious nature of the Russian "aviation cruiser" program. Russia currently has no facilities capable of carrier maintenance, with all carriers having been built at a yard now owned by the Ukraine. Admiral Kuznetsov will no doubt be needing maintenance soon; exactly how this will be handled will be interesting to see.

• Another Northern Fleet Submarine Blockade
  An unspecified "nuclear-powered submarine" was blockaded for three days by shipyard workers at Polyarnyy after having undergone repairs, media sources reported on 21 December. Making the increasingly familiar claim that they had not been paid in months, workers prevented the submarine from leaving. Northern Fleet authorities threatened to bring criminal charges against the workers, then to shut off the heat to the town of Polyarnyy, but the workers only ended their protest after they were promised their wages within four days.

• Ship Visits
  Two ship visits were mentioned in December's Morskoi Sbornik:
  • Kiel Week '95
    Germany's annual "Kiel Week" saw the participation of thirty vessels from fifteen nations. The Russian Baltic Fleet put in an appearance with Neustrashimyy, under Captain 2nd Rank I. Ryzhkov; embarked flag officer was Rear Admiral V. Kudryavtsev.
  • Victory Parade, 50th Anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, St. Petersburg
    The Krivak-I frigate Ladnyy departed from Sevastopol to participate in the St. Petersburg celebration. Embarked was CinC-Black Sea Fleet, Admiral E. Baltin.

• Akulas Off The American Coast
  US Navy sources announced that an unusual number of Russian submarines were tracked off the American coastline in the last year. These included Oscar and Oscar II-class SSGNs, and Akula class SSNs, in the vicinity of such major US naval facilities such as Kings Bay, Georgia.

• Recommissioning of Admiral Kuznetsov Delayed
  The Russian Navy's "first priority" surface vessel, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, was about to be recommissioned into the fleet after extensive flight trials through 1994 on 15 Sep, when striking shipyard workers delayed her re-entry once again. The workers claim that the Northern Fleet, which takes responsibility for repair and upkeep done on Admiral Kuznetsov, has not paid them any wages all summer. This continues the general state of crisis in back wages from which the entire Defense Ministry appears to be suffering.

  The Admiral Kuznetsov is reportedly nearing operational status, after a prolonged trials period during which her air wing underwent certification. Jane's Fighting Ships, 1995-96 indicates that her peacetime air wing composition may be 20 Su-33 Flanker-D; 4 Su-25UTG Frogfoot; 15 Ka-27 Helix; and 2 Ka-29RLD AEW Helix. Up to sixty aircraft may be carried under wartime circumstances, however.

• Akula IIs best 688Is?
  ADM Jeremy Boorda, USN, current Chief of Naval Operations, has announced that for the first time, Russian submarines at sea are significantly quieter than their American equivalents. The revelation indicates a steep drop in broadband acoustic noise profiles for Russian submarines which may be continued by the still-to-be-built Severodvinsk class SSNs. The vessels at sea now include the "improved Akula"/Akula II SSNs, which are reportedly quieter than the improved-688 boats that form the heart of the US fast-attack submarine force. Reported Russian design innovations include three separate anechoic coatings on the hull, active noise cancellation, and increased attention to hydrodynamic flow noise.

  Critics contend that this latest news has been released with an eye to further Seawolf procurement. The SSN-21 "Seawolf" class of submarines will reportedly regain the American quieting edge, although some observers (notably Norman Polmar) have suggested that even Seawolf may be outclassed by the forthcoming Severodvinsk if trends continue.

• Ships on the Export Market
  Asian Defence Journal details various ships that have been put on the export market by the Russian shipbuilding industry. The reported vessel classes include Udaloy IIs (Project 1155.1), Neustrashimmys (Project 1154), Sovremennys (Project 956), Gepards (Project 1166.1), and Dergach's (Project 1239). In addition, the new Project 1075.0 minesweepers and a number of hovercraft are also reportedly being offered.

• The Last of the Kirovs Puts to Sea
  The Russian Defense Ministry announced on 14 Sep 95 that the last of the Admiral Ushakov class BCGNs (once known as the Kirov-class battlecruisers) was undergoing preparations for builder's trials. Named Petr Velikiy, the 28,000 ton cruiser was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard (in St. Petersburg) on 24 Apr 1986, as the Yuri Andropov. The completion of this big surface combatant has been high on the Russian Navy's list of priorities.

• Blackouts at Naval Weapons Depots, Fleet Facilities
  The regional administrations where various naval facilities are located have threatened, and in some cases actually proceeded, to cut off electricity to the bases unless the Defense Ministry pays its outstanding debts. On 7 Sep, power actually was cut to several Northern Fleet naval ordnance facilities near Arkhangelsk. A city-induced blackout was also threatened at the Black Sea Fleet headquarters at Sevastopol, for the same reasons. Elements of the Baltic Fleet found themselves in the dark on 11 Sep as well, for the same reasons -- the air traffic control radar at Kaliningrad military airport was shut down, as well as some air defense sites and communications relays.

• Black Sea Fleet Negotiations Continue
  As part of the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine over the fate of the shared Black Sea Fleet, it was announced on 12 Sep that Ukraine would take possession of the base at Donuzlav, part of the sprawling Sevastopol naval base complex. Donuzlav is notable for its hovercraft and air support facilities.

• Angry Shipyard Workers Hold Akula Hostage
  A Russian newspaper reported on 6 Sep 95 that the workers at a Vladivostok shipyard responsible for the construction of Akula-class SSNs recently disrupted WWII victory celebrations by refusing to allow a new nuclear attack submarine to be launched. The Dragon was to have taken part in a naval review as part of the festivities, but workers blockaded the new vessel in protest of not having received their wages for the last four months. The Russian Defense Ministry owes the shipyard roughly 57 billion rubles; the submarine was finally released to the Navy after defense officials promised to remedy the financial problem.

• China To Get Another Kilo
  The second Kilo-class submarine to be delivered to the Chinese Navy was about to be handed over to her new owners on 4 Sep 95. The cost of the small diesel boat is rumored to have cost the Chinese $250 million.

• New SLBM Undergoes Test-Launch
  Moscow television announced on 25 Aug that a ballistic missile was successfully test-fired from a launch area near the North Pole. The following week's Jane's Defence Weekly noted that it was a trial ballistic missile, possibly a follow-on to the SS-N-20, which rained ten RVs upon the target range near Arkhangelsk. The claimed CEP was on the order of 500 meters.

• Central Logistics Commander Upset Over Fuel Shortages
  A Krasnaya Zvezda interview with LGEN Pavel Gorupay, chief of the Central Missile Fuel and Fuel Directorate, reconfirmed the serious fuel situation in the Russian armed services. Gorupay noted that the August Cooperation-From-The-Sea exercise (which saw the deployment of the Udaloy-class DDG Admiral Panteleyev, a Ropucha class amphibious vessel, and the tanker Vladimir Kolechitsky to Pearl Harbor for joint exercises with USN vessels) meant that "three weeks' supply of fuel for the whole Pacific Fleet has set sail for the distant shores of Hawaii." He went on to state that less than one-third of necessary fuel deliveries have been made to the fleet, and that half of this year's emergency fuel supplies have been used -- leaving no reserves for any more major deployments. This supplements reports that pilots in the Russian Air Force (VVS) are getting dangerously few flight hours because of similar shortages.

• The Return of Admiral Lobov?
  Press reports on 21 Aug 95 indicated that the Russian Navy had "secured ownership" of the fourth and last vessel of the Slava-class of cruisers. Named Admiral Lobov prior to the collapse, the nearly complete ship had since been renamed Vilna Ukraina and had been earmarked as the flagship for the new Ukrainian Navy. The arrangement involves Russia covering construction costs since the fall of the Soviet Union, and funding the completion of the cruiser. The deal has not yet been officially approved by the governments in question, but appears to be very near conclusion.

• "Shkval" Underwater Missile
  This weapon has received a considerable amount of attention lately, when Jane's Information Group published details of an unguided "underwater missile" that could make over two-hundred knots. Apparently fired from standard 533mm torpedo tubes, Shkval has a range of about 7,500 yards. According to details published in the Naval Institute Proceedings, the weapon clears the tube at fifty knots, upon which its rocket fires. By creating a local "envelope" of supercavitating bubbles, the weapon can achieve its spectacular speed.

  Called a possible "revenge weapon" by Jane's, the Shkval may be the follow-on to the BGT class of evasion torpedoes, which are designed to be fired up the bearing of an incoming torpedo in order to force a submarine attacker to evade (and hopefully snap the guidance wires).

  Interestingly, Russian naval commentators have reacted to all the excitement by pointing out that this weapon has been in service for years, that it really is not news to the Western naval community, and that it is only receiving attention at this time because of threatened Western defense budgets, which come under review about now.

• "Severodvinsk" Fourth-Generation SSN
  See "Submarine Development Programs" for details on this next-generation Russian nuclear attack submarine.

• "Kilo" diesel attack submarine exports
  Kilo (Project 877) SSKs continue to be a popular naval export item. Iran currently operates a pair of Project 877EKMs in the Persian Gulf and expects to take possession of a third sometime this year. Some complaints about the performance of Kilos in the Gulf may have prompted the offering of a new modified Kilo, dubbed Project 636, which incorporates changes for warm-water operation.

  China ordered four Kilos in the middle of last year, the first of which departed for her new home in December (and made the cover of the March 1995 International Navies edition of USNI Proceedings.) Consistent with most of China's other military modernization plans, the Chinese Navy may soon have a license to build Kilos indigenously.

  India may have considered a package deal of ten Kilos, but it seems likely now that this fell through along with the failed Admiral Gorshkov carrier transaction.

  In addition to these new purchasers, two Kilos are operated by Algeria (delivered 1987-88), eight by India (1986-1990), one by Poland (1986), one by Romania (1986), and possibly one by Syria.

• Safeguarding Komsomolets
  A scientific mission set out from St. Petersburg on 24 Jun 95, with the objective of sealing off the damaged hull of Komsomolets, the only example of the Mike-class SSN that sank off Norway in April, 1989. Environmental concerns had arisen when it was revealed that an internal explosion had torn open the hull and damaged two nuclear torpedoes; in a few years, the damaged casings could corrode through and plutonium could be vented to the sea. After a campaign was launched to "safeguard the Komsomolets" (which included the submarine's designer as an active participant), the project was approved.

  At the end of July, the successful conclusion of this operation was announced. The hull of Komsomolets is said to be safe from hazardous radiation leakage for "20 to 30 years".