Russian Navy Expansion Gathers Momentum

The Russian Navy celebrates its professional holiday by putting two new submarines into service and expects a new warship in the fall and several additional ships for its Black Sea Fleet off the Crimean coast in the next three years, reports official news agency Ria Novosti.

A multipurpose nuclear submarine Severodvinsk and a Borei-class strategic nuclear submarine Alexander Nevsky will be put into service, with more laid down in the series of the ships. Nuclear submarines Krasnoyarsk and Knyaz Oleg are expected to be laid down at the industrial base of the Sevmash shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region on Sunday.

Two more submarines, Novorossiysk and a lead frigate Admiral Grigorovich are being tested, with the lead mine sweeper Alexander Obukhov floated out. Russia's Defense Ministry plans to build about 30 such mine sweepers by 2050, with the first three completed between 2016 and 2018.

The Navy received its first Severodvinsk multipurpose submarine of the Yasen 885 project this year and plans to build eight Boreis in addition to the three already in existence, and eight Yasen-class submarines.

According to the Ria Novosti report, Yasen 885 is a unique project for Russia as it presents the country's Navy's first multipurpose ships capable of destroying targets both at sea and on the ground at the distance of up to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles). The boats mainly carry Oniks and Kalibr cruise missiles.

Black Sea fleet bases
The position of the Russian Black Sea Fleet changed drastically after Crimea reunited with Russia in March. Russia no longer needs to agree with Ukraine on the change of ships, the rotation of aircraft and other military technology.

Russia may also open additional fleet bases in Crimea, such as Douzlav, previously used by Ukrainian Navy.

Source: Ria Novosti