And it shows significant results in combat training
The results of the competition for the passing prizes of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy (Navy) have been summed up. For the first time in its recent history, the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet) has conquered 15 of them. Thus, he became the leader among the four fleets as a result of performing combat and special tasks. On the eve of the new academic year in Sevastopol, under the leadership of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, a meeting of the military council of the fleet was held following the results of the past period. Admiral Viktor Sokolov presented the prizes they won to the officers of the best associations, formations, units and ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
FOR THE PRIZES OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
The regulation on holding a naval competition in the Navy was put into effect by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy on June 1, 2015. Anton Gelunov, the head of the Combat Training Department of the Black Sea Fleet, Captain 1st rank, told us about the results of the competitions in 2023.
According to him, during the year, ships, crews, battalions, divisions, squadrons, coastal strike groups, tactical groups, groupings of diverse forces, fleet services and the Caspian Flotilla took part in competitions for prizes of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy on the tactics of forces and the use of weapons, as well as various types of training. In total, the competitions were held in 38 nominations.
During the competition, the readiness of groups of heterogeneous forces, naval tactical groups, submarines (submarines) and ships, units and divisions of naval aviation and air defense to perform tasks according to their intended purpose was checked. Work has been carried out to improve the tactics of the use of force in armed struggle in modern conditions.
"Based on the conclusion of the Central Competitive Commission of the Navy based on the results of consideration of accounting documents, representatives of the Northern Fleet won in six nominations, representatives of the Pacific Fleet – in 10 nominations, the Baltic Fleet – in six nominations, the Black Sea Fleet – in 15 nominations, the Caspian Flotilla – in one nomination," Gelunov says. – The winners of the Navy championship competitions were awarded with the passing cups of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy." It turns out that the Black Sea residents won the largest number of prizes.
As for the specific nominations in which the Chernomorians won (and received the passing cups of the commander-in-chief of the Navy), according to kaperang Gelunov, the picture looks like this.
In the competitions between groups of heterogeneous strike forces to defeat ship groups, aircraft carrier strike groups (AUG), ship strike groups (KUG), ship-search strike groups (KPUG), convoys, amphibious detachments (ground objects) of the enemy with joint missile firing, the grouping of heterogeneous strike forces of the Black Sea Fleet won.
In the competitions between the groupings of the naval (airborne) landing forces (for the landing of naval (airborne) landings, for the suppression of the enemy's anti-amphibious defense), the grouping of the Black Sea amphibious landing forces won.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF SUBMARINERS
In the competition between multi-purpose submarines to destroy enemy ground targets with the performance of cruise missile firing at ground targets, the crew of the large submarine Novorossiysk, who performed the task on the Rostov-on-Don UAV of the Novorossiysk Naval Base submarine brigade, won.
If we talk about the competitions between multi-purpose submarines to destroy enemy ships while firing cruise missiles at sea targets, then the crew of the Krasnodar UAV on the Stary Oskol UAV distinguished themselves here.
In the competition between diesel submarines to destroy enemy ships with the execution of a torpedo attack on a detachment of warships, the crew of the Kolpino UAV on the Veliky Novgorod UAV distinguished themselves.
Thus, the Black Sea Fleet submariners showed high training and received three cups at once. This indicates the purposeful and active combat training of submariners, the thoughtful work of the staff of the submarine brigade, the successful development of new tactical techniques, the high-quality development and competent maintenance of equipment and weapons, the high reliability of our equipment and weapons, the correct and active use and good maintenance of the training material base.
SUCCESSES OF SURFACE SHIPS
As for the crews of the Black Sea Fleet surface ships, they also have many achievements and victories. Moreover, ships from different formations. According to our interlocutor, the crew of the frigate Admiral Makarov of the division of surface ships of the Black Sea Fleet won the competition between multi-purpose surface ships to destroy enemy ground targets with cruise missile firing.
In the competition between ships (vessels, coastal posts) to repel attacks by enemy marine robotic complexes with the involvement of detection equipment, naval aviation forces and means, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (EW), anti-boat barriers, with artillery firing, firing with large-caliber machine guns and firing BM-21PD, the tactical group of the brigade of ships of the water protection won the area of the Novorossiysk naval base. The patrol ships "Sergey Kotov" and "Vasily Bykov" distinguished themselves here, Anton Gelunov notes.
In the competition between the tactical groups of missile boats to destroy enemy ships with missile firing, the missile and boat strike group of the brigade of missile ships and boats of the Crimean Navy distinguished itself. Here, the crews of the Ivanovets and R-60 missile boats showed high training.
In the competitions between the formations (tactical groups) of amphibious assault ships on the landing of amphibious assault with the performance of combat exercises, the naval landing group of the brigade of amphibious assault ships of the Crimean Navy distinguished itself.
The Ivan Khurs won the competition between the reconnaissance ships.
NAVAL AVIATION VICTORIES
The Black Sea Fleet aviators also managed to win several cups. Our interlocutor tells us: "In the competition between the crews of anti-submarine aviation for anti-submarine training, the crew of the Ka-27 helicopter of the mixed helicopter squadron became the leader. The competitions were held on Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-31r, Mi-8 helicopters from a separate mixed aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet.
In the competition between the squadrons (tactical groups) of the assault aviation in missile training, the 2nd naval assault Aviation squadron (on Su-24M aircraft) of the separate naval assault aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet distinguished itself. In the competition between the squadrons (tactical groups) of fighter aircraft in air combat, the 1st naval assault aviation squadron (on Su-3OSM aircraft) of a separate naval assault aviation regiment became the winner.
In the competition between UAV calculations – flight for aerial reconnaissance of mobile land (sea) objects in simple (difficult) weather conditions with the issuance of target designation – the calculation of the UAV detachment of a separate mixed aviation regiment of the Black Sea Fleet won. Finally, the competition between the medical services of the fleets and the Caspian Flotilla was won by the medical service of the Black Sea Fleet, whose team was headed by Colonel of the medical service Sergey Melnichenko."
"NO ONE WILL TAKE AWAY THE PATH WE HAVE TRAVELED"
Such results are pleasing, but do not relax the Black Sea residents. "The commander of the fleet, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, stressed the need to maintain the positions won and achieve even more significant results in 2024," notes kaperang Gelunov. – To do this, it is necessary not only to generalize and disseminate best practices, but also to work on new tactical techniques, the development of new types of weapons, to work out interaction between the branches of the fleet forces and interspecific interaction with the troops and forces of other fleets, as well as the Southern Military District, and above all with the Air Force and air defense forces. And our department has something to work on."
In January, the Black Sea Fleet Combat Training Department turned 89 years old. It was established on January 13, 1935 as a department within the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet. "From the first days, intensive combat training began, which made it possible to prepare the crews of ships by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War and prevent the loss of a single ship or a single sailor in the first days of the war in the Black Sea Fleet," Gelunov emphasizes.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the country's Navy was rapidly developing. Ships and submarines of new projects were put into operation, and naval aviation was improved. This fully concerned the Black Sea Fleet. "The commander–in-chief of the USSR Navy at that time was Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Sergei Gorshkov," Gelunov says. – Realizing the importance of the tasks facing the fleet, it decides on the reorganization of combat training bodies, training departments for diverse forces are being created... the Black Sea Fleet participates in a number of large-scale strategic exercises: Ocean, Yug-71, Yug-81, Yug-83, Shield-87, "Autumn-88". And also conducts a number of its exercises, which involve dozens of ships, submarines, aviation, units of the Black Sea Fleet marines together with the ground forces."
By the directive of the General Staff of the Navy in 1988, the Fleet Combat Training Department was reorganized into the combat Training Department, and its chief was elevated to the rank of Deputy Commander of the Fleet for combat training.
IN A SPECIAL OPERATION
The training of fleet forces in the conditions of its own, of course, has its own characteristics. Our interlocutor tells about them: "This is the replacement of conscripts in the units participating in the SVO with military personnel under contract and the coordination of ship crews who replaced more than 30% of the personnel directly during the performance of assigned tasks. This is the development of new techniques and methods of using forces, taking into account the characteristics of weapons and technical means and tactics of the enemy's actions confirmed during combat operations. This is the formation and coordination in a short time of rifle battalions from the naval, aviation, and coastal units of the fleet. The ship and boat personnel of the Black Sea Fleet performed tasks not provided for in the plans and training programs. Large amphibious ships conducted reconnaissance in the optical range using the Orlan-10 UAV, followed by fire damage to the identified naval forces and military facilities of the enemy. Small anti-submarine ships were involved in covering critical facilities from enemy attacks. The naval minesweepers performed the tasks of blockading sections of the coast of ports, escorting ships. The Marine brigade was involved in solving the tasks of amphibious landings, conducting combat operations to liberate Mariupol, conducting maneuverable defense and offensive operations, as well as performing special tasks for the defense of the Crimean Peninsula."
The Black Sea Fleet continues to carry out tasks in the far sea zone, despite the fact that the Black Sea Straits are closed to the passage of its ships. "The tasks in the far sea zone are solved by the crews of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich and the corvette Mercury," Gelunov says. – In addition to the tasks of combat service, they also solve important military and diplomatic tasks in cooperation with foreign fleets. In particular, joint Russian-Algerian naval exercises were held. Practical actions have been worked out to repel attacks by small-sized surface targets, joint navigation, replenishment of supplies on the move in a traverse way, as well as with the help of a helicopter, questioning and inspection of a suspicious vessel, search and rescue of a vessel in distress, signal production with flags and lights... According to the results of the training of the troops and forces of the Black Sea Fleet, the officers of the department have been repeatedly awarded state and departmental awards."
The Black Sea Fleet Combat Training Department sees its task in summarizing, generalizing and implementing combat experience gained during its military training, improving the system of using new models of equipment and weapons, developing new tactical techniques, improving the training system for personnel, crews of ships, boats, submarines, airplanes and helicopters, UAVs, and improving the effectiveness of interaction between childbirth and the forces of the fleet.
Vladimir Pasyakin
Vladimir Mikhailovich Pasyakin is a retired captain of the 1st rank.
