Russian Navy - News and Analysis

August 31 An Su-27 fighter aircraft was deployed from Kaliningrad in order to intercept four different NATO aircraft operating over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft were identified as a US Air Force RC-135 strategic reconnaissance aircraft, a Swedish Air Force Gulfstream reconnaissance aircraft  a Danish Air Force Challenger surveillance aircraft and a German Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. the Su-27 returned back to base once the NATO aircraft moved away from Russian territory. [ 1 ] Several warships arrived back in their base at Baltiysk, Kaliningrad. The vessels were previously moored at Kronstadt as part of the Army-2020 Military-Technical Forum. Among the vessels returning were the Steregushchy class corvette RFS Boikiy and the Karakurt class corvette RFS Sovetsk. [ 1 ] September 01 A Su-27 fighter aircraft took of from Kaliningrad and intercepted a German P-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The intercept ended once the German aircraft t...

On August 27, the Russian Pacific Fleet kicked off a large scale naval exercise in the Bering Strait, separating Russia from Alaska. The exercise, which involved over 15 warships, saw the deployment of the Pacific Fleet's flagship, the Slava class missile cruiser RFS Varyag, and the Oscar II class SSGN RFS Omsk. Other capital ships involved Udaloy class destroyers and Steregushchy class frigates. The exercise area was reported to be at the southern entrance of the Bering Strait. The most notable event during this exercise was the launch of anti-ship cruise missiles against simulated targets during an anti-surface warfare exercise. The RFS Varyag launched one of her P-1000 Vulcan anti-ship cruise missiles while the submarine RFS Omsk launched a P-700 Granit missile from a submerged position. Both ships reportedly struck their simulated targets, located at a distance of respectively 450 and 320 kilometres away. RFS Varyag launching a P-1000 Vulcan AShCM What makes this exercise relev...

Between August 03 and August 12, the Russian Baltic Fleet held its annual Ocean Shield exercise in the Baltic Sea. While smaller compared to last years exercise with only 30 warships participating, this years exercise was more imported because it was build on an offensive scenario, rather then a defensive one during 2019. While the opposing forces of the 2019 exercise were identified as NATO forces, the opposing force of the 2020 was less easy to identify. The offensive nature and swift sea control gained by the Russian Navy could suggest an surprise attack against NATO when few NATO forces are present, or the attack against a neutral country with significant maritime forces, most likely Sweden. Just like last year, the exercise could be monitored through the use of open source material but unlike 2019 there was less available. Especially the Russian open sources such as state media and main newspapers were less vocal about the progress of Ocean Shield 2020. The third part of the exerc...

  August 24 Artillery units in Kaliningrad held around 20 live firing exercises against simulated hostile targets. The exercise, which involved over 700 military personnel and 150 pieces of equipment, was conducted with 152mm 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled guns as well as Smerch and Grad multiple launch rocket systems. Mi-24 and M-8 helicopters of the Baltic Fleet naval aviation regiment acted as spotters aircraft, providing the artillery men with target coordinates as well as adjustments. [ 1 ] Russian Su-27 fighter aircraft intercepted three aircraft over the Baltic Sea as they approached Russian airspace. The intercepted aircraft are reported as a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, a Swedish Air Force's Gulf Stream reconnaissance aircraft and an Orion maritime patrol aircraft of the German Navy. The Su-27 broke off the intercept once these aircraft turned away from Russian airspace. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] August 25 Ropucha class landing ships RFS Kaliningrad, RFS Korolev...

August 03 The Baltic Fleet kicked off its Ocean Shield 2020 naval exercise in the Baltic Region. Around 30 warships have left heir base in Kaliningrad under the escort of minesweepers. The first exercise involved the landing of a battalion sized group of Naval Infantry on the Khmelevka training area in Kaliningrad. More details regarding Ocean Shield 2020 will become available in our after action report. Over 400 military personnel have started the course of becoming anti-aircraft gunners. the month long course is held at Kaliningrad and involved training in the use of Igla portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) and the Tunguska anti-aircraft missile as well as several anti-aircraft cannons. The troops will be trained to engage low-flying attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones of a conventional enemy. [ 1 ] Engineer units have defused several unexploded munitions at various locations in Kaliningrad. The munition was identified as one 152-mm artiller...