This was a pretty eventful year for the Russian Navy, especially with respect to its fleet modernization efforts.
The year was started and closed with commissioning of new submarines, Yuri Dolgorukiy, a Borei class and the Severodvinsk , Russian Navy’s first Project 885M Yasen-class attack sub, which was officially accepted yesterday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes that until 2020 the country’s Navy will fully rejuvenate its nuclear triad, the Voice of Russia writes.
So far, two Borei class submarines have been delivered to the Russian Navy, Yuri Dolgorukiy and Alexander Nevsky, with a third one Vladimir Monomakh, undergoing trials before she joins her sister vessels next year.
Yasen-class submarines will also be added to the fleet in the said time-frame. The first of the class, Severodvinsk, commissioned into service yesterday, will be followed by seven more submarines of the class.
First to join her will be the Kazan and the Novosibirsk, being constructed based on the updated Project 885M Yasen-M design.
At the same time, the plans to revamp nine multi-purpose nuclear submarines, dubbed Akula, have also been announced.
Aside to submarines, Russia has invested heavily in the acquisition of French Mistral class amphibious assault ships, the largest defense deal between Russia and the West since the World War II.
The first ship Vladivostok is planned to join the Russian Navy in 2014, and the second one Sevastopol in 2015.
Saint-Nazaire-based DCNS floated out the first carrier in October and the ship is undergoing final outfitting before it starts sea trials.
On the other hand, the fore part of the second Mistral-class ship under construction for the Russian Navy, LHD Sevastopol (N33), has been completed by the addition of a 440 t block at France-based shipyard STX.
In conclusion, Russian Navy has expanded its fleet with a few dozens of combat and auxiliary ships, whereas there are numerous shipbuilding projects at various construction stages such as Project 20380 Boiky corvettes and Project 11356 frigates.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, December 31, 2013; Image: flot