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WHY RUSSIA STRENGTHENS THE CASPIAN FLOTILLA
DEFENSE and SECURITY
September 17, 2012 Monday
Russia
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No. 35, September 13-19, 2012, p. 12 by:
Yaroslav Vyatkin
HIGHLIGHT: RUSSIA CONFIRMS THE BALANCE OF FORCES FAVORABLE FOR IT IN
THE CASPIAN SEA; It is not a secret that the Caspian Sea is a potential
theater of combat operations. The unregulated status of this sea
generates armament race. Russia reinforced its naval group recently.
It is not a secret that the Caspian Sea is a potential theater of
combat operations. The unregulated status of this sea generates
armament race. Russia reinforced its naval group recently.
>From a training basin to a theater of combat operations
After breakup of the Soviet Union the Caspian Sea that had been a
training basin of the Soviet Navy became a potential theater of combat
operations. There appeared new states with different interests and
there appeared an apple of discord in the form of the oil and gas
resources of the Caspian Sea.
We have four neighbors in the Caspian Sea: Iran, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Among them it is impossible to call only
Kazakhstan, an ally of Russia in the CSTO, a potential enemy.
Relations with the others are normal and friendly in general but they
can change very quickly both due to the reasons related to division of
the Caspian Sea and other reasons. For example, in case of Azerbaijan
this may be beginning of a war of Azerbaijan against our ally Armenia.
In this case it will be necessary to treat Baku stringently. Despite
the common approaches to division of the Caspian Sea and despite that
Russia is permanently against excessively strong pressure of the West
on this country even Iran may quite become an enemy in the sea.
Who is the master in the Caspian Sea
At present, forces of the Caspian Flotilla of Russia are superior to
those of any neighbor in the sea and even all of them taken together
qualitative and quantitatively.
The Caspian Flotilla is based in Makhachkala and Astrakhan. Now it
includes two patrol ships, five missile boats, three small artillery
ships, seven artillery boats and armored boats, three base and
ten harbor minesweepers, about ten small landing ships and boats,
hydrographic, reconnaissance, auxiliary and other ships.
Of course, there are old ships among them. However, even the old ships
are fully combat capable and comply with the tasks set for them. For
example, despite the 40-year age river armored boats of Shmel type
are in a perfect form and their use in the shallow northern part of
the sea is absolutely justified.
The Caspian Flotilla also includes a coastal missile battalion armed
both with old anti-ship missiles Redut and newest systems Bal with
anti-ship missiles Uran-U. The launch range of Redut and Bal systems
reaches 260-300 kilometers.
There is also a marine brigade stationed in Dagestan. This is a
well trained formation well armed with modern armament. The landing
capacity of the Caspian Flotilla allows landing of not less than a
battalion on an unprepared coast of the enemy at any moment. If civil
ships are used it is possible to land even more people.
Border guards also have 20 patrol ships and boats armed with
rapid-firing universal artillery and torpedo tubes for antisubmarine
torpedoes and high-speed interceptor boats including hovercraft.
In general, despite the presence of the neighbors, the Caspian Sea
remains "inland waters" of Russia still. Our fleet has the absolute
superiority there. Besides, air superiority of the Russian Air Force
allows keeping of ships with a not very well developed air defense
in the Caspian Sea because they will be under reliable protection.
There are also naval forces of the coast guard of the border guard
service of the Federal Security Service in the Caspian Sea. They are
represented by two brigades of ships (the sixth and the 17th) and
have significant forces comparable to forces of the Caspian Flotilla.
The main caliber of the fleet
The main strike force of the Caspian Flotilla is composed of two
patrol missile ships Tatarstan and Dagestan of project 11661K. These
are 1,900-ton ships of the same type but they are armed with diverse
strike armament. Tatarstan carries eight subsonic anti-ship missiles
KH-35U Uran-U with range of up to 260 kilometers. Dagestan is the
first ship with strike armament of new generation in combatant ranks.
It is located in modular silo universal shipborne firing system UKSK.
The ship is armed with one UKSK module with eight sells. The can
accommodate heavy supersonic anti-ship missiles Onyx and various
missiles of Kalibr system. Kalibr includes antisubmarine missiles,
subsonic anti-ship missiles with low signature and high-speed separable
combat stage, cruise missiles for killing of ground targets of tactical
and even strategic radius. Range of the export versions of all missiles
is limited by 300 kilograms. As to the range of the domestic versions,
Onyx reportedly has range of 400-450 kilometers and cruise missiles
reportedly have range of up to 2,600 kilometers.
Theoretically, any ship with UKSK (from boat to destroyer) can carry
all aforementioned missiles and even hypersonic advanced anti-ship
missile Tsirkon if, of course, there is equipment for preparation of
the launch data.
It is clear that a part of these weapons is not necessary in the
Caspian Sea. Antisubmarine missiles or heavy anti-ship missiles for
breaking through powerful air defense and killing of air carriers
are not necessary there. Along with this, it is very useful to have
a carrier of cruise missiles in an isolated sea that can kill targets
far from it.
Flotilla is reinforced
The Caspian Flotilla has been actively reinforced lately. By 2020,
the Caspian Flotilla will receive more than 20 newest ships and
boats. The fourth small missile ship of project 21631 Buyan-M was
laid down in Zelenodolsk recently. It was named Zeleny Dol. The lead
ship of this project will be handed over to the flotilla next year.
Such ships carry silo strike system UKSK (one module for eight
missiles). They are also armed with light air defense missile
systems, air defense artillery systems Duet and universal artillery
system. In total, it is planned to build five ships. However, they
will be gradually transferred to the Black Sea. Along with this,
construction of such ships will be continued for other fleets and
that is why there will be new small missile ships in the Caspian Sea
permanently and the lead ship will remain there forever.
Small artillery ships of project 21630 Buyan and small landing ships
of Dyugon type are built for the flotilla too. The coastal forces
will receive the newest anti-ship missile system Bastion with Onyx
missiles. Ships are returned from repair too. Landing boat of Serna
type and missile boat Borovsk were repaired recently.
Old ships with a claim
Azerbaijan was the main base of the Soviet Caspian Flotilla and
inherited the entire infrastructure and a part of ships. However,
it is not a leader in the "Caspian regatta," although it wants this
badly. According to its words, Baku already has "the best army in
the Caucasus." Georgia was the previous holder of this title.
Meanwhile, an old patrol ship built in 1967 is the flagship of the
navy of the country that consists of about 30 units. Gas turbines,
torpedoes and antisubmarine weapons were removed from it in the course
of repair. Azerbaijan calls it "frigate." The only missile boat in
Azerbaijan was deprived of missiles and handed over to border guards.
The antisubmarine boat presented by "generous" Turks recently is
42 years old. The navy of Azerbaijan also has a boat of chemical
reconnaissance, a rescue ship and training boats refurbished into
artillery ones.
This entire fleet is not very combat capable, probably except for a
few quite modern minesweepers. Along with this, there are six small
landing ships that can transport more than a battalion of marines.
However, there is nothing to defend them with. Border guards cannot
help because they have the same diversified scrap up to the mobilized
ships for support of drilling operations and sea tugs.
Baku plans to buy new Turkish fast boats. The anti-ship missiles
Gabriel purchased from Israel are not the weapons with which it is
possible to parry a threat from Russian Onyx and Kalibr. Azerbaijan
can also place these missiles only on the coast.
The main rival
Iran is the strongest of the probable rivals in the Caspian Sea. At
present, the country has 90 boats in the Caspian Sea. The biggest
threat is posed by two missile boats armed with Chinese subsonic
anti-ship missiles C-802 with range of up to 120 kilometers, improved
clones of French Exocet. There are a few tens of compact fast boats
armed with recoilless guns, light multiple rocket launcher systems
and machine guns. In big quantities they may be dangerous.
Recently, Iranian admirals announced their plans to reinforce the
fleet in the Caspian Sea. These plans cause concern of the neighbors,
especially Azerbaijan. Russia takes their quieter but takes them into
account in its planning. At strategic exercises Center-2011 the enemy
was a state very similar to Iran and the plan was based on parrying
of an attack of an unknown aggressor at oilfields in the Kazan part
of the Caspian Sea.
[Translated from Russian]
DEFENSE and SECURITY
September 17, 2012 Monday
Russia
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No. 35, September 13-19, 2012, p. 12 by:
Yaroslav Vyatkin
HIGHLIGHT: RUSSIA CONFIRMS THE BALANCE OF FORCES FAVORABLE FOR IT IN
THE CASPIAN SEA; It is not a secret that the Caspian Sea is a potential
theater of combat operations. The unregulated status of this sea
generates armament race. Russia reinforced its naval group recently.
It is not a secret that the Caspian Sea is a potential theater of
combat operations. The unregulated status of this sea generates
armament race. Russia reinforced its naval group recently.
>From a training basin to a theater of combat operations
After breakup of the Soviet Union the Caspian Sea that had been a
training basin of the Soviet Navy became a potential theater of combat
operations. There appeared new states with different interests and
there appeared an apple of discord in the form of the oil and gas
resources of the Caspian Sea.
We have four neighbors in the Caspian Sea: Iran, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Among them it is impossible to call only
Kazakhstan, an ally of Russia in the CSTO, a potential enemy.
Relations with the others are normal and friendly in general but they
can change very quickly both due to the reasons related to division of
the Caspian Sea and other reasons. For example, in case of Azerbaijan
this may be beginning of a war of Azerbaijan against our ally Armenia.
In this case it will be necessary to treat Baku stringently. Despite
the common approaches to division of the Caspian Sea and despite that
Russia is permanently against excessively strong pressure of the West
on this country even Iran may quite become an enemy in the sea.
Who is the master in the Caspian Sea
At present, forces of the Caspian Flotilla of Russia are superior to
those of any neighbor in the sea and even all of them taken together
qualitative and quantitatively.
The Caspian Flotilla is based in Makhachkala and Astrakhan. Now it
includes two patrol ships, five missile boats, three small artillery
ships, seven artillery boats and armored boats, three base and
ten harbor minesweepers, about ten small landing ships and boats,
hydrographic, reconnaissance, auxiliary and other ships.
Of course, there are old ships among them. However, even the old ships
are fully combat capable and comply with the tasks set for them. For
example, despite the 40-year age river armored boats of Shmel type
are in a perfect form and their use in the shallow northern part of
the sea is absolutely justified.
The Caspian Flotilla also includes a coastal missile battalion armed
both with old anti-ship missiles Redut and newest systems Bal with
anti-ship missiles Uran-U. The launch range of Redut and Bal systems
reaches 260-300 kilometers.
There is also a marine brigade stationed in Dagestan. This is a
well trained formation well armed with modern armament. The landing
capacity of the Caspian Flotilla allows landing of not less than a
battalion on an unprepared coast of the enemy at any moment. If civil
ships are used it is possible to land even more people.
Border guards also have 20 patrol ships and boats armed with
rapid-firing universal artillery and torpedo tubes for antisubmarine
torpedoes and high-speed interceptor boats including hovercraft.
In general, despite the presence of the neighbors, the Caspian Sea
remains "inland waters" of Russia still. Our fleet has the absolute
superiority there. Besides, air superiority of the Russian Air Force
allows keeping of ships with a not very well developed air defense
in the Caspian Sea because they will be under reliable protection.
There are also naval forces of the coast guard of the border guard
service of the Federal Security Service in the Caspian Sea. They are
represented by two brigades of ships (the sixth and the 17th) and
have significant forces comparable to forces of the Caspian Flotilla.
The main caliber of the fleet
The main strike force of the Caspian Flotilla is composed of two
patrol missile ships Tatarstan and Dagestan of project 11661K. These
are 1,900-ton ships of the same type but they are armed with diverse
strike armament. Tatarstan carries eight subsonic anti-ship missiles
KH-35U Uran-U with range of up to 260 kilometers. Dagestan is the
first ship with strike armament of new generation in combatant ranks.
It is located in modular silo universal shipborne firing system UKSK.
The ship is armed with one UKSK module with eight sells. The can
accommodate heavy supersonic anti-ship missiles Onyx and various
missiles of Kalibr system. Kalibr includes antisubmarine missiles,
subsonic anti-ship missiles with low signature and high-speed separable
combat stage, cruise missiles for killing of ground targets of tactical
and even strategic radius. Range of the export versions of all missiles
is limited by 300 kilograms. As to the range of the domestic versions,
Onyx reportedly has range of 400-450 kilometers and cruise missiles
reportedly have range of up to 2,600 kilometers.
Theoretically, any ship with UKSK (from boat to destroyer) can carry
all aforementioned missiles and even hypersonic advanced anti-ship
missile Tsirkon if, of course, there is equipment for preparation of
the launch data.
It is clear that a part of these weapons is not necessary in the
Caspian Sea. Antisubmarine missiles or heavy anti-ship missiles for
breaking through powerful air defense and killing of air carriers
are not necessary there. Along with this, it is very useful to have
a carrier of cruise missiles in an isolated sea that can kill targets
far from it.
Flotilla is reinforced
The Caspian Flotilla has been actively reinforced lately. By 2020,
the Caspian Flotilla will receive more than 20 newest ships and
boats. The fourth small missile ship of project 21631 Buyan-M was
laid down in Zelenodolsk recently. It was named Zeleny Dol. The lead
ship of this project will be handed over to the flotilla next year.
Such ships carry silo strike system UKSK (one module for eight
missiles). They are also armed with light air defense missile
systems, air defense artillery systems Duet and universal artillery
system. In total, it is planned to build five ships. However, they
will be gradually transferred to the Black Sea. Along with this,
construction of such ships will be continued for other fleets and
that is why there will be new small missile ships in the Caspian Sea
permanently and the lead ship will remain there forever.
Small artillery ships of project 21630 Buyan and small landing ships
of Dyugon type are built for the flotilla too. The coastal forces
will receive the newest anti-ship missile system Bastion with Onyx
missiles. Ships are returned from repair too. Landing boat of Serna
type and missile boat Borovsk were repaired recently.
Old ships with a claim
Azerbaijan was the main base of the Soviet Caspian Flotilla and
inherited the entire infrastructure and a part of ships. However,
it is not a leader in the "Caspian regatta," although it wants this
badly. According to its words, Baku already has "the best army in
the Caucasus." Georgia was the previous holder of this title.
Meanwhile, an old patrol ship built in 1967 is the flagship of the
navy of the country that consists of about 30 units. Gas turbines,
torpedoes and antisubmarine weapons were removed from it in the course
of repair. Azerbaijan calls it "frigate." The only missile boat in
Azerbaijan was deprived of missiles and handed over to border guards.
The antisubmarine boat presented by "generous" Turks recently is
42 years old. The navy of Azerbaijan also has a boat of chemical
reconnaissance, a rescue ship and training boats refurbished into
artillery ones.
This entire fleet is not very combat capable, probably except for a
few quite modern minesweepers. Along with this, there are six small
landing ships that can transport more than a battalion of marines.
However, there is nothing to defend them with. Border guards cannot
help because they have the same diversified scrap up to the mobilized
ships for support of drilling operations and sea tugs.
Baku plans to buy new Turkish fast boats. The anti-ship missiles
Gabriel purchased from Israel are not the weapons with which it is
possible to parry a threat from Russian Onyx and Kalibr. Azerbaijan
can also place these missiles only on the coast.
The main rival
Iran is the strongest of the probable rivals in the Caspian Sea. At
present, the country has 90 boats in the Caspian Sea. The biggest
threat is posed by two missile boats armed with Chinese subsonic
anti-ship missiles C-802 with range of up to 120 kilometers, improved
clones of French Exocet. There are a few tens of compact fast boats
armed with recoilless guns, light multiple rocket launcher systems
and machine guns. In big quantities they may be dangerous.
Recently, Iranian admirals announced their plans to reinforce the
fleet in the Caspian Sea. These plans cause concern of the neighbors,
especially Azerbaijan. Russia takes their quieter but takes them into
account in its planning. At strategic exercises Center-2011 the enemy
was a state very similar to Iran and the plan was based on parrying
of an attack of an unknown aggressor at oilfields in the Kazan part
of the Caspian Sea.
[Translated from Russian]