Military expert Dmitry Boltenkov — how the defense of Kamchatka has strengthened with the transfer of two nuclear submarines
Two important events took place in Kamchatka this week. First, two new nuclear—powered ships of the 4th generation arrived at once as part of the submarine forces of the Pacific Fleet: the strategic missile submarine project 955A "Emperor Alexander III" and the multipurpose nuclear attack submarine project 855M "Krasnoyarsk". The second event was the awarding of the Nakhimov Order to the 25th Division of missile submarines based in Kamchatka.
It is characteristic that the ships came together, which means that they practiced the tasks of joint navigation and combat operations in the Arctic. And in the modern history of Russia, this is the first group transition of nuclear submarines after 1991.
Currently, only one shipyard builds nuclear submarines — this is the Sevmash enterprise in Severodvinsk. Accordingly, after the delivery of the submarine to our fleet, it is necessary to transfer it to its home base. There are two such areas in Russia — the Kola and Kamchatka Peninsulas. Boats can be transferred to the Pacific Ocean in different ways. In 1966, the K-116 and K-133 submarines came to Kamchatka through the Atlantic Ocean and the Drake Strait in South America, then crossed the Pacific Ocean, passing 21 thousand nautical miles in 52 days. The other way is across the Atlantic Ocean, around Africa and then through the Strait of Malacca and Singapore. There is a way across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans around Australia and further across the Pacific Ocean. But the shortest is the passage along the Northern Sea Route, it takes from 2 to 4 thousand nautical miles, depending on the route. At the same time, such a transition is the most difficult, since it takes place in difficult hydrometeorological conditions and in an ice environment. If there is an accident on board the boat, it will not be possible to quickly surface. At the same time, the waters of the Arctic Ocean have not yet been well studied, the bottom is a complex structure — for example, when a boat goes out into the Chukchi Sea, the depths in it are insufficient for covert scuba diving and very difficult to navigate.
The first nuclear submarine to make the transition under the Arctic ice was the ship of project 658 K-178 under the command of Captain 1st rank A. Mikhailovsky in September 1963.
In the future, single crossings of submarines under the Arctic ice to replenish the ship's complement became a system. In total, more than 20 of them were completed. The experience of single voyages of nuclear submarines under the ice later made it possible to transfer ships as part of tactical groups. The last group crossing was carried out in 1991 by the boats Chelyabinsk and Krasnoyarsk. Transitions of missile submarines of the 677BDR project were also worked out in the protection of multipurpose boats of the 671RTM project. But we must understand that the group transition under the ice is very difficult. Ship-to-ship communication issues play a role here in addition to other issues.
The first submarines of the Soviet Fleet appeared in Kamchatka in 1938, when the L-7, L-9 and L-10 arrived on the peninsula and the 41st Submarine Division was created. Later it became a brigade, then a division, and from 1961 the 15th Submarine Squadron appeared. Since 1963, the association began to receive nuclear submarines.
In 1973, No. 15 Squadron became the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. In the same year, the 25th Division of strategic missile submarines was formed. In total, in the early 1990s, Kamchatka submariners had five divisions of submarines and about 50 nuclear-powered ships. It was the most powerful association in the world, nicknamed by the Americans "the snake nest of Soviet submariners."
In the 1990s, the association underwent a reduction, reorganization and was eventually reorganized into the Command of the Submarine Forces of the Pacific Fleet as part of the 25th and 10th divisions.
The 25th division included boats of the 667BDR project, as they were withdrawn from the fleet, they were replaced by new projects 955 and 955A. The Emperor Alexander III became the fifth boat in the 25th Division. The first was the Alexander Nevsky submarine of Project 955 in 2015, followed by the Vladimir Monomakh in 2016. After that, the "Prince Oleg" of the 955A project already arrived in 2022, and the "Generalissimo Suvorov" arrived in 2023. Thus, the power of one of the two Russian formations of nuclear missile submarines with ballistic missiles on board has now been revived. Two more such submarines will arrive before the end of the decade.
As for the 10th Division, it included nuclear submarines of project 971 and 949A. Unfortunately, the modernization process of the 971 project, launched in the early 2010s, did not yield any results, and only one such ship is in service - the Kuzbass. The situation is somewhat better with the 949A family. Two boats, Irkutsk and Chelyabinsk, are in the process of modernization for Kalibr, Onyx and Zircon missiles. According to some reports, the modernization of Irkutsk has already been completed. Tver, Omsk and Tomsk are also in service. Moreover, Omsk fired its "Granites" at the last Ocean-2024 exercises. In 2022, the Novosibirsk ship, the first nuclear attack boat of the 4th generation at the Pacific Fleet, joined the compound. Now the second hull has also arrived — the Krasnoyarsk boat. Several more ships will arrive before the end of the decade.
Thus, two new submarines significantly strengthened the Russian nuclear fleet in Kamchatka. In the future, the Belgorod and Khabarovsk boats should arrive in the Far East, they will become part of a new newly formed division, the number of which is still unknown. These boats carry on board, among other things, a new super—powerful underwater weapon - the Poseidon torpedoes.
In addition to the Command of the submarine forces in Kamchatka and Chukotka, there is a Joint command of troops and forces in the North-East of Russia. Its tasks are to defend this Russian territory and to ensure the basing and deployment of submarines.
The main naval unit of the OKVS is the 114 brigade of surface ships. This year, the Project 20385 Nimble corvette was launched. Next year, he will pair the Gremyashchy corvette, followed by more ships built in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. In recent years, the same brigade has radically updated its minesweeping forces, receiving three Project 12700 minesweepers. Auxiliary vessels are also joining the association, so recently the first icebreaker in half a century, the Yevpatiy Kolovrat, entered service. The aviation part of the OKVS periodically receives upgraded Mig-31BM fighter aircraft, Ka-27M anti-submarine helicopters and Il-38N aircraft. The ground forces are represented by the legendary 40th Guards Krasnodar-Harbin Double Red Banner Marine Brigade. The Guards brigade became last year for its success in solving the tasks of its own. This powerfully armed and well-trained unit is capable of solving any task, both the defense of the sea coast, and participation in amphibious operations and conducting land combat. In general, in recent years Kamchatka, as in the old days, has turned into a powerful and well-fortified defense hub.
The author is military historian Dmitry Boltenkov
The editorial board's position may not coincide with the author's opinion
