After the events of 2014, Crimea again attracted the attention of not only Russians, but, perhaps, the whole world. And the point here is not only a political scandal between two states - Russia and Ukraine. And not in the speed with which the Crimean operation was carried out by Russia. And the fact is that after the return of Crimea, the Black Sea Fleet of Russia gained a second life.
It is no secret that over the years of Ukraine's possession of the Crimean coasts, the development of Crimea has been greatly inhibited, and very little money has been allocated from the treasury to maintain the peninsula. This also affected the naval bases of the Crimean peninsula. In the article we will try to most fully describe what prospects Russia has for the development of the Black Sea Fleet on the Crimean Peninsula.
Balaklava Bay. A bit of history
It is known from history that the field after the Crimea came under Russian possession, it was in the Balaklava Bay that the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were stationed. Since 1776, the Balaclava Greek Infantry Battalion was located in this place. The basis of this battalion was emigrants, participants in the anti-Ottoman uprising on the islands of the Aegean. It should be noted that Queen Catherine the Great herself noted her favor with the gallant Hellenes.
From 1853 to 1856, during the Crimean War, Balaclava and the bay were captured by British troops. They turned Balaklava Bay into a military base and, in fact, assaults were already carried out from there, and there was military support during the siege of Sevastopol.
When the fleet was divided between Ukraine and Russia, as of August 1994, the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea included the 153rd and 155th brigades of the 14th division.
At the same time, the 475th division possessed 14th large and 9th medium submarines and a floating submarine base.
But I must say that the Zaporozhye submarine (project 641), transferred to Ukraine during the division of the fleet, turned out to be unsuitable for this base in terms of technical parameters.
And after the division of the fleets, she was sent to the docks for repairs, which the Ukrainian Navy is still trying to carry out.
After in 1995 the Russian military sailors finally left the waters of Ukraine, the Balaklava base was abandoned. And its actual "owners" were hunters for non-ferrous and ferrous metals, since the base had huge reserves of equipment and machine tools.
And after a short period of time, when the Russian Black Sea Fleet left the territorial waters of Ukraine, the Balaklava base was a heartbreaking sight.
Also, the object of excursions around the city and the bay was the underground factory for the restoration and repair of submarines of the Black Sea Fleet. The top-secret base was actively used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and as a warehouse for nuclear weapons.
The Ukrainian authorities did not find the best use of the secret base, except for conducting tourist excursions around the military underwater base.
How divided the Black Sea Fleet
An agreement on the procedure and conditions for the Black Sea Fleet of Russia in the territorial waters and ports of Ukraine was signed in Kiev on May 28, 1997, following an intergovernmental agreement. The conditions for the separation of the Black Sea Fleet and mutual settlements related to such separation were also agreed. These documents were ratified by the State Duma and the Ukrainian Parliament in 1999.
The signed agreement made it possible to divide the Black Sea Fleet of Russia and the Ukrainian Navy. The main base and headquarters, it was decided to leave in Sevastopol. And property disagreements should have been taken into account by an agreement on the division of property. At the same time, 87.7% went to Russia, and 12.3% of all ships to Ukraine.
All this period of approval of the legal status of the Black Sea Fleet and its further fate, of course, negatively affected its combat effectiveness. Many from 1991 to 1997. what was happening was perceived as the fact that the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy is slowly but surely dying.
Black Sea Fleet in numbers
Comparison of the number of personnel over this period could not strengthen the morale of the personnel.
So, compare the numbers.
1. The Black Sea Fleet for 1991:
- Personnel - 100 thousand people.
- The number of ships - 835 of all existing classes:
- submarines - 28;
- missile cruisers - 6;
- anti-submarine cruisers - 2;
- BOD II rank, destroyers and patrol ships of the II rank - 20;
- TFR - 40 units;
- small missile boats and ships - 30;
- minesweepers - 70;
- landing ships - 50;
- naval aviation - more than four hundred units.
2. The Black Sea Fleet of Russia for 1997:
- The number of personnel is 25 thousand people. (including 2 thousand people in strike aircraft and marines).
- The number of ships and vessels is 33.
- There are 106 aircraft in the fleet (of which 22 are combat).
- Armored vehicles - 132.
- There are 16 command posts (there were 80).
- Communication objects - 11 (out of 39).
- There are 11 objects of the radio engineering service (there were 40).
- Objects of the rear - 9 (out of 50).
- Ship repair facilities - 3 (out of 7).
According to the 1997 section, the Ukrainian Navy was:
- Warships - 30.
- Submarines - 1.
- Combat aircraft - 90.
- Special purpose vehicles - 6.
- Support vessels - 28 units.
Current state of the Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Navy of Russia has always been and remains one of the main factors of stability and security in the southern navigable directions. The Black Sea Fleet warships are doing everything possible to ensure these tasks at the borders of the Black and Mediterranean Seas.
But the Black Sea Fleet is able to carry out combat missions also in different parts of the World Ocean.
The ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet successfully perform tasks in the Sea of Japan, interacting with the Baltic Fleet. Vessels from the crew of this fleet participated in the operation of escorting transport for the transportation of Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean.
On an ongoing basis, the Black Sea Fleet support ships have successfully completed anti-piracy tasks.
Battle Level Upgrade
The return of Crimea to the structure of Russia undoubtedly improved the combat effectiveness of the Black Sea Fleet. The Russian Federation on a planned basis got the opportunity to properly develop the Navy on the Crimean Peninsula.
The naval forces will have in Crimea a complex system, which includes ground bases. The Black Sea Fleet of Russia acquired the main base for the placement of ships - Sevastopol.
The basic principles of the deployment of base systems and fleet infrastructure are self-sufficiency and functionality. It will be necessary to re-equip the basing places of surface and submarine ships, coastal troops with everything necessary to ensure full service and life.
The list of ships of the Black Sea Fleet
The directories provide detailed data on which to evaluate what the Black Sea Fleet of Russia today is.
The list of surface ships of the thirtieth division:
- Guards missile cruiser "Moscow".
- "Kerch" - a large anti-submarine ship.
- The guard ship "Shrewd".
- The guard ship "Ladny".
- The guard ship "Inquisitive".
The composition of the landing ships of the 197th brigade:
Large landing ships:
- "Nikolai Filchenkov".
- "Orsk".
- "Saratov".
- "Azov".
- "Novocherkassk".
- "Caesar Kunikov."
- Yamal.
Composition of the 68th guard ships brigade:
Small anti-submarine ships:
- "Alexandrovets".
- "Muromets".
- "Suzdal".
Sea minesweepers:
- "Kovrovets".
- "Ivan Golubets".
- "Turbinist".
- "Vice Admiral Zhukov."
Submarines:
- Rostov-on-Don - B237.
- Novorossiysk - B261.
- (ex- "Zaporozhye") - B435.
- Alrosa - B871.
Missile boats of the 41st brigade:
- "Bora".
- "Simoom".
- "Calm".
- "Mirage".
Composition of the 295th Sulinsky division:
Missile boats:
- "R-60."
- "R-71."
- "P-109."
- "R-239."
- "Ivanovets".
The composition of the 184th brigade (Novorossiysk):
Anti-submarine ships:
- "Povorino."
- "Yeisk".
- "Kasimov".
Minesweepers:
- Zheleznyakov.
- "Valentin Pikul".
- "Vice Admiral Zakharyin."
- "Mineral water".
- "Lieutenant Ilyin."
- "RT-46".
- "RT-278".
- "D-144."
- "D-199".
- "D-106."
It did not take a long time to look for the site where the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia would be located. Sevastopol turned out to be the most suitable for this (in the same place where the headquarters of the Ukrainian Navy was located until March 19, 2014).
Submarine Fleet Development Prospects
After the division of the vessels, the Black Sea has one submarine in service - the diesel Alrosa.
Today, Russia has a program to gradually build up the underwater armed forces of the Black Sea Fleet. The submarine Black Sea Fleet of Russia will see the return on these efforts in 2016.
By this time, replenishment with six new diesel submarines is expected. Such a replenishment of the submarine fleet will fundamentally change the balance of power in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea Fleet will now be able to solve various problems at underwater depths and create groups to achieve combat goals.
Estimated timelines for the introduction of submarines are different. So, for example, already on August 22, 2015 in St. Petersburg, the Andreevsky flag was hoisted on the Novorossiysk diesel-electric submarine. After full-scale tests at the Northern Fleet's naval training ground, it will undoubtedly be sent to the long-term base.
The third submarine from the series of vessels for the Black Sea Fleet of program 636 - Stary Oskol - was launched on August 28, 2015. After a set of sea and state tests , Stary Oskol will take its place as part of the Black Sea Fleet.
But that is not all. The completion of the hull of the Krasnodar submarine continues and the Rostov-on-Don launched.
Two more submarines from the project to strengthen the underwater Black Sea Fleet, Kolpino and Veliky Novgorod, will be laid.
All 6 submarines of the "636 diesel" program are electric, and by 2016 they will be transferred to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The crew for these submarines is formed and is being trained at the training centers of the Navy.
Deck Aviation
Of course, the Black Sea Fleet must possess full-fledged carrier-based aircraft. Now there is an opportunity to increase the pace of renewal of the fleet of naval aviation. It is planned to replace the Su-24 aircraft with the new Su-30 MS.
It is also important not to forget that it is in the Crimea that the unique THREAD complex is located. For many years, the Northern Fleet carrier-based aircraft in the Crimea honed their skills in this unique complex.
The pace of repairing the fleet already owned by the Black Sea Fleet is also increasing. All this will make it possible to achieve a predetermined level and provide aviation to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The composition of aircraft ready to perform combat missions will be within 80% of the required number.
Recreating a home system
It is supposed to recreate such a basing system on the Crimean peninsula that will meet all the requirements for performing combat missions in the region.
The main base is located in the city of Sevastopol, there will be placed points for the deployment of the Black Sea Fleet.
The main requirement for the deployment of home systems is their full independence on the principle of providing functionality and self-sufficiency. This port, where the Black Sea Fleet of Russia will be located, the composition of the ships, both surface and underwater, will be provided with everything necessary to carry out full service and life.
So, at the plants in the Crimea as soon as possible such production sites will be created that would meet modern requirements and technologies. In order to service the latest ships that enter the Russian Black Sea Fleet, a phased replacement of the machine equipment with new one begins.
Now the federal unitary enterprise in Sevastopol has literally come to life. Repair has already been made of two large anti-submarine ships of the Northern Fleet (they are part of the operational connection of the Navy in the Mediterranean).
Also, the plant is undergoing work on the repair of a diesel submarine "Alrosa". In addition, it should be noted that the salary of workers was brought up to the all-Russian level.
Now the Black Sea Fleet of Russia in Sevastopol has received a modern repair base.
The same work is being carried out in Novorossiysk under the federal target program, which is designed until 2020. As part of this program, the construction of a place for the deployment of forces of the Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiysk is envisaged. In exactly the same way as Sevastopol, this port, with its rare barrier pier, will undoubtedly be another battle place for the deployment of Russian ships and submarines.
Equipment ships for the Black Sea Fleet
To ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea region, the Black Sea Fleet hydrographs will have a large complex of works. It will be necessary to conduct comprehensive studies of coastal waters, which will lead to the adjustment of navigation maps. Hydrographic vessels of the Black Sea Fleet verify the operation of radio navigation systems with subsequent repair and modernization.
The whole range of works will significantly affect the safety of navigation in this region, which, in turn, will secure the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the composition of the ships of which is constantly replenished.
So, in order to comprehensively equip underwater submarines and surface ships, the Black Sea Fleet will be replenished with six more vessels, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect on defense capability and will enable it to carry out tasks not only in the area of responsibility provided by the Black Sea Fleet, but also beyond.