Russia: Marine fireworks at the turn of the year

The Russian Federation Navy's traditional Christmas fireworks display - but one that was probably necessary to mark the end of the calendar year - with keel layings, launches and commissioning was set off just in time on 29 December by President Vladimir Putin via video conference from his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, 15 kilometres west of Moscow: The minesweeper "Anatoly Shlemov" (Pacific Fleet), the corvette "Grad" (Baltic Fleet) and the strategic nuclear submarine K-553 "Generalissimo Suvorov", the sixth of the eight nuclear-tipped "Borey" class (Pacific Fleet), each with 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles (Bulava 30 / SS-NX-32), were put into service and handed over to the navy.

Balm for the soul

Prior to this, Vladimir Putin promised all kinds of increases and improvement efforts across the wish list of the navy and shipyards. Not only the standard equipment of all units carrying multiple launch silos with "Zircon" hypersonic weapons, but also the construction plans for four more strategic nuclear submarines and the realisation of world-class aircraft carriers. But this was all grammatically correct in the future tense.

Launch of the strategic submarine "Emperator Aleksandr III" of the "Borey" class. Photo: MoD Moscow

Strategic armour

Almost simultaneously with the commissioning of the "Suvorov", the "Imperator Aleksandr III", the next construction number of the Borey class (project 995/955A, 170 metres, 20,000 tonnes submerged), was launched and christened. The first three 995 boats were still built with launchers for the predecessor model of the Bulava ICBM (SS-NX-28), the subsequent boats were designed from the outset for the somewhat smaller Bulava-30. The name "Knyaz Pozharski" is planned for construction number 8 - the other four announced are to be christened "Dimitri Donskoy" and "Knyaz Potemkin", whereby crisp role models are probably still being sought for the last two bombers for the purpose of naming them. In future, all older models of the strategic submarine classes "Typhoon", "Delta III" and "Delta IV" are to be replaced.

"Buyan-M" corvette "Naro Forminsk" after launching. Photo: MoD Moscow

Something small for the Baltic Sea

The Buyan-M corvette "Grad" intended for the Baltic Fleet, the tenth unit of the planned twelve-hull class of small FK platforms (project 21631, 74 metres, 1,000 tonnes), carried out final sea and functional trials in the Baltic Sea in December (100 mm and 30 mm firing). Its main armament in the vertical launch silos, the naval target and cruise FK Oniks (SS-N-26) and Kalibr (SS-N-27/30) with a range of up to 1,500 kilometres, is unlikely to be able to fire in this sea area, even during exercises. Two further units - "Naro-Forminsk" and "Stavropol" - are currently under construction and are to be assigned to the Black Sea Fleet. The corvette "Grad" was also handed over to the navy for use at the turn of the year.

Mine warfare boat "Anatoly Shlemov" of the "Alexandrit" class during commissioning. Photo: MoD Moscow

Last but not least

The 900-tonne "Alexandrit" class minesweeper "Anatoly Shlemov" (project 12700) was simply lost in the news storm. However, as there is also a clear need to modernise the mine countermeasures units and at least four - if not ten - more boats are planned in the Russian Navy's construction schedule, there will be plenty of opportunity to report on these boat types.

The year starts with pleasant speeches, big goals and interesting plans, but not a single word about the facts of the Black Sea Fleet in action against Ukraine!