The intensity of combat training has increased by 1.2 times
Officers have been and remain the main value of the Russian Navy. Photo by Vladimir Karnozov
On December 1, the Russian Navy began to carry out tasks according to the plan of the new academic year. So far, without stopping for a day, the personnel are carrying out measures to improve combat and political training, the headquarters continue to summarize the results of the previous training period that ended on the last day of autumn.
At the November board of the Ministry of Defense, the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, said that "in general, the intensity of combat training of fleets increased 1.2 times in the past year." According to preliminary estimates, more than 50 hikes have been completed, over 200 thousand nautical miles have been traveled. "Russian ships performed combat service tasks to deter NATO Naval forces in the World Ocean," the minister stressed. Thus, the purpose of the Finval-2023 exercise was to practice the use of diverse fleet forces to protect the waters of the Northern Sea Route.
The complex of strategic deterrence measures in the Baltic and North Seas "Ocean Shield – 2023" has been completed. The tasks of detecting and tracking the ships of a simulated enemy have been worked out, practical rocket and artillery firing have been carried out.
The practice of patrolling operationally important areas of the World Ocean together with ships of foreign states has continued. In April, joint patrols were conducted with the Naval Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and in the period from July to August - with the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China, during which "elements of maneuvering, control and interaction were worked out."
The implementation of training programs over the past two years has been influenced by the fact that since February 22, 2022, a special military operation (SVO) has been conducted to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine.
THE BALTIC SEA
The Baltic Fleet (BF) was the first to sum up the results of the last academic year. Plan for the training of military authorities and forces (troops) it turned out to be 100% completed there. Speaking at a meeting of the Military Council in Kaliningrad on November 30, the commander of the BF, Vice Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov, claimed that the associations, formations and military units of the fleet entrusted to him confirmed the high level of training and combat training. The servicemen showed high professionalism, courage and dedication.
In the course of intensive combat training and in the performance of combat training tasks, over 1,400 basic training activities of the Fleet forces (troops) were carried out.
The crews of the ships completed more than 100 course tasks in 2023. Formations and tactical groups conducted over 20 different levels of tactical exercises, performed 10 combat services in the Baltic, Northern, Mediterranean Seas, and the Gulf of Finland with the participation of more than 20 ships and vessels.
In June-August 2023, the Perekop training ship made a long-range navigation trip with a call at the ports of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. In 67 days, the ship has traveled over 15 thousand miles. For the first time in the history of the Russian navy, a Russian ship participated in the naval parade of the Republic of Venezuela, which took place in honor of the 200th anniversary of the victory over the Spanish armada, as a result of which the country's independence was proclaimed. President of the Bolivarian Republic Nicolas Maduro Moros visited the Perekop.
The flight time of the manned aircraft of the BF amounted to more than 5 thousand hours. More than 125 crews of aircraft capable of performing the tasks of aerial reconnaissance, fighter aviation cover, fire support and air transportation of troops, search and destruction of enemy submarines have been trained for combat use.
The intensity of combat training has increased in the coastal forces with the introduction of new, non-standard methods of combat operations based on the experience of a special military operation (SVO) into the practice of military command and training of troops.
One of the most significant events was the June operational exercise with fleet groups under the leadership of Vice Admiral Vorobyov. Personnel of shipboard associations and formations, naval aviation, air defense units of the fleet and coastal troops were involved in the maneuvers. During the completion of the assigned tasks at sea, on land and in the air, more than 210 combat exercises were performed, including over 100 with live fire, about 50 rocket and artillery firings.
In addition, the Baltic sailors took part in the large-scale maneuvers "Ocean Shield-2023" under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Nikolai Evmenov and earned high marks.
According to the results of the 2023 academic year, the corvette "Savvy", the large amphibious assault ship (BDK) "Kaliningrad", the small anti-submarine ship (MPK) "Aleksin", the small missile ship (MRK) "Grad", the base minesweeper "Pavel Henov" and the communication ship "Syzran" were recognized as the best ships of the BF.
The soldiers of the BF continue to carry out combat missions in the area of their own defense. From the very beginning of the special operation, Baltic units have been operating in critical areas of the front. In the past year, more than 9 thousand soldiers of the BF were awarded state and departmental awards.
Vorobyov promised that in the new academic year, the efforts of the naval leadership will be aimed at ensuring the interests of the country, training military authorities at all levels, formations and military units involved in practical actions during the exercises, training tactical officers, performing tasks to ensure state tests of ships under construction and under repair.
An important task in the outgoing and new year remains to ensure the testing of ships and vessels of new construction. Over the past training period, Baltic sailors participated in factory sea trials and state trials of 11 surface ships and submarines. Among them, Vorobyov mentioned the submarines Mozhaisk and Kronstadt, the frigate Admiral Golovko, the corvette Mercury, the MRK Naro-Fominsk, Grad and Burya, the minesweeper Lev Chernavin, the icebreaker Yevpatiy Kolovrat, the vessels of the auxiliary fleet Evgeny Goriglejan and "Yakov Lapushkin."
Note that only a part of the listed boards were enlisted in the Russian Navy. So, the state tests of the Naro-Fominsk, the carrier of the Kalibr–NK cruise missiles, have not yet been completed. According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated December 5, at the final stage, the aforementioned MRK fired at a naval target from 100 mm and 30 mm artillery installations. If Naro-Fominsk, as planned, passes the remaining checks on the operation of air defense systems, ship systems and mechanisms, and shows compliance with the specifications of maneuverability and speed qualities, then it will be put into service by the end of this year. It will become the 11th ship of the Buyan-M project 21631 in the Russian Navy. These are multi-purpose ships of the river-sea class with a water jet propulsion, they can conduct combat operations in shallow waters, as well as guard the maritime economic zone.
The first major exercise in the new academic year was the flights of 10 Su-27 fighters of the Kaliningrad Region aviation regiment. According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on December 8, the pilots worked out the tactics of conducting air combat with aircraft of a conditional enemy.
pacific ocean
According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated December 1, by the end of 2023, the intensity of combat training of the Pacific Fleet (Pacific Fleet) increased by 1.4% compared to the previous period. The surfacing of surface ships of the Pacific Fleet amounted to more than 5,000 days, which is 260% of the year plan. The flagship Guards missile cruiser Varyag became the best surface ship in tactical training, and the corvette Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov became the best naval training ship.
Measures to improve combat training do not stop. So, on December 5, it became known that the Sharp and Loud corvettes were involved in joint training with Ka-27PS and Ka-27PL helicopters. As part of the exercise, the crews of the corvettes worked out an emergency exit to sea and, having reached Peter the Great Bay, engaged in ensuring the work of helicopter pilots. For their part, the pilots flew from the airfield to the ships. Then they worked out coordinated takeoffs and landings on the deck of the corvettes (when they were anchored and on the move), performing approaches to the ships from the stern at various heading angles. In addition, the aviators carried out control flights of corvettes in order to check radio equipment, communication and control systems.
At the same time, exercises were held in the Avacha Bay to overcome the mine danger area. The minesweeper Pyotr Ilyichev fulfilled the tasks of anti-sabotage patrol, search and neutralization of marine mines of various classifications using modern automated means. During the passage in the area with the minefields of the imaginary enemy, the automatic mine search and detection complex "Sharp", the Livadia sonar station and the unmanned Skanda boat were used. The crew of the unmanned boat remotely searched for mock-ups of mines in the danger zone. At the second stage of the exercise, the crew of the Pyotr Ilyichev set up a trawl and led a group of warships behind it to the designated area. On the way back, the personnel of the minesweeper worked out an algorithm for destroying detected mines with underwater and surface autonomous mine countermeasures.
The detachment of the Pacific Fleet consisting of the anti-submarine ships Admiral Tributs, Admiral Panteleev and the medium sea tanker Pechenga continues its long-range campaign. It began on October 7 with a shipment from Vladivostok. The main objectives of the campaign are to demonstrate the Naval flag of the Russian Federation in the Asia-Pacific region, to develop and strengthen friendly relations with foreign countries, as well as to popularize the domestic fleet.
In early December, the detachment entered the port of Cam Ranh. On the shore, the sailors were met by the Consul General of the Russian Federation in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) Timur Sadykov and staff of the military attache at the Embassy of the Russian Federation. The Pacific citizens participated in protocol events and sports competitions with colleagues from the Vietnamese navy (including a friendly football match), got acquainted with local attractions. After completing a three-day stay in the SRV, on December 5, Russian ships sailed through the Singapore Strait into the South China Sea. During the passage of the narrowness, the BOD crews practiced maneuvering methods to safely overcome an area with intensive navigation without reducing the level of combat readiness.
As of December 9, the detachment was in the central part of the South China Sea. There, the warships replenished their fuel and water supplies, having received the necessary supplies from the Pechenga. Refueling was carried out in favorable weather conditions with acceptable sea waves.
north
Highlighting the main events of the outgoing year in the Northern Fleet, its commander Admiral Alexander Moiseev noted the successful solution of the task by a detachment of warships led by the frigate Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. The duration of that hike was 263 days. For the first time in the history of the Russian navy, patrols were carried out with hypersonic missile weapons (Zircon) on board.
Another campaign, led by the BOD Vice Admiral Kulakov, was carried out in the Eastern Arctic, with the solution of the tasks of ensuring the safety of maritime economic activity and demonstrating a military presence.
In addition, the surface ships of the SF participated in strategic deterrence activities in the Atlantic, the Barents and Norwegian Seas. The submariners continued to master ice navigation. The nuclear-powered missile carrier Tula successfully completed a training launch of a ballistic missile, thereby confirming the combat readiness of the underwater component of the strategic nuclear deterrence forces.
Admiral Moiseev congratulated the personnel on the successful completion of the old school year. When setting tasks for the personnel for the next period of training, he noted the following important point. "All our activities, all our plans are aimed at maintaining high combat readiness, the ability of troops and forces to solve tasks for their intended purpose within the main purpose for which the Northern Fleet is designed – to ensure military security in operationally important areas, in the north of our state and in the Arctic." According to him, in the new academic year, the priority will be the direction of maintaining the combat capability of troops (forces) in the special operation zone. In this regard, it would be useful to recall that for a couple of years the naval amphibious group of the 121st Brigade of Amphibious ships (BDK) of the Northern Fleet has been operating on the Black Sea. It includes ships of projects 775 and 1171, including the newest "Peter Morgunov".
THE BLACK SEA
At the time of the release of this issue of HBO, the final data on the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet) had not yet been provided in official sources. Instead, news continued to arrive about the beginning of the practical implementation of educational tasks for the new academic year. So, on December 7, a detachment of warships conducted an exercise with day and night firing from standard weapons, while simultaneously solving the task of patrolling the Black Sea and protecting civilian vessels on routes of intensive commercial shipping from threats from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). First of all, the crews of small anti-submarine ships (MRCS) worked out actions when detecting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the enemy. According to the legend of the exercises, the drone flew over the anchorage of civilian ships in front of the entrance to the Kerch-Yenikalsky Canal. Having classified the target, one of the MRCS fired a missile of the Osa anti-aircraft missile system. The second stage was to work out actions to destroy unmanned naval boats (BMCs) of the enemy. Having received data from external sources about the approach of enemy drones, the ships "conditionally destroyed" the targets with artillery fire and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RBU). In order to improve the training of the ships' personnel, artillery firing and bombing were carried out at night.
The crews of the minesweepers worked out mine action in a given area of the Black Sea. In conditions of real mine danger caused by the activity of the Ukrainian side in mining certain sections of the coast and waters, the Russian Navy's minesweeping forces carried out a reconnaissance search for mines in the Kerch-Yenikalsky Canal and on merchant shipping routes in the Black Sea. During the reconnaissance search, the crews of anti-mine ships worked out tactics for forcing and destroying minefields in various ways during the day and at night.
After completing the exercises, the crews of the Black Sea Fleet ships continued to perform combat missions to patrol the marine area and routes of intensive commercial shipping.
Vyacheslav Ivanov
Vyacheslav Viktorovich Ivanov is a military expert and historian.