Baltic Sea: Russian special unit for underwater reconnaissance visits

Another eye-catching visitor is likely to keep the Baltic Sea neighbours busy. On 13 May 2024, the "Tchusovoy", GS 31 (project 1454), was photographed in the Great Belt by Michael Nitz. In Russian terminology, it is referred to as a 'hydroacoustic reconnaissance vessel', also known as a 'small reconnaissance vessel'.

Stern view of the "Tchusovoy" showing the recording platform for underwater detection. Photo: Michael Nitz

On the surface, the 1,700-tonne, almost sixty-metre-long ship looks like a Sorum-class ocean-going tug, project 0745P, of which the Russian Navy has 14 units according to Military Balance 2023. On closer inspection, the special design of the stern, which is used to deploy and accommodate its towing sonar, becomes apparent. The special design of the stern and the ability to accommodate a total of around sixty people make the "Tchusovoy" a unique vessel in the Russian Navy. The Sorum tugs manage with half the crew.

The special ship was built in 1987 at the Yaroslavl shipyard (300 kilometres north-east of Moscow), modernised in 2016 and is part of the Northern Fleet. It is used there as a test platform and for testing sonar systems. Equipped in this way, its use in underwater reconnaissance is also obvious. This is also indicated by the 30-strong crew.

What intentions

It is not possible to provide any concrete information on the current port of destination of the "Tchusovoy" in the Baltic Sea. According to Russian media, the stay in the Baltic Sea is to be in connection with an upcoming repair or modernisation in St. Petersburg or Baltiysk. However, whether a normal repair measure necessitates such a trip - and whether it could not have been carried out in the area of the Northern Fleet - raises questions. In this respect, the expectation of reconnaissance missions in view of the upcoming Baltic Sea manoeuvres BALTOPS 24 and Northern Coast 24 suggests itself. System trials with submarines are also a possibility. In any case, the route of the "Tchusovoy" in the Baltic Sea region will be monitored very closely - and continuously correlated with critical infrastructure.