Russian Navy - News and Analysis

September 28 A large scale amphibious exercise is announced for the Kaliningrad Region. Over 1.000 servicemen supported by 100 pieces of military equipment will take part in this exercise which reportedly last until the end of week 40. The first stage of the exercise will be the embarkation on landing ships and crafts followed by a transition towards the training area. The main task assigned to the Naval Infantry is to capture territory held by simulated opposing forces and liberate coastal infrastructure. The operational maneuver envisions blocking the enemy force followed by its destruction through combined arms. [ 1 ] Reconnaissance troops equipped with Orlan and Zastava UAVs reportedly arrived on the Khmelevka training ground. These troops will provide real time reconnaissance and observation during the amphibious landing. These UAVs will also be used to collect information on the movements made by the opposing forces. [ 2 ] September 29 A company sized unit conducted an amphibious

Udaloy class destroyers, together with the Slava and Kirov class cruisers and the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, form the blue water navy component of the Russian Navy. Their large displacement makes them more suitable to operate in the rougher conditions of the words oceans than frigates and corvettes. While the Admiral Gorshkov class frigates have demonstrated their capabilities of operating on the high seas, most notably during the circumnavigation by the lead ship, the RFS Admiral Gorshkov, the larger tonnage of the Udaloy class means that destroyers are more stable platforms. The modernization of the Russian surface fleet is characterized by two different types of programs. On the one side their is the massive build up of corvettes and frigates to replace the aging vessels in use by the Russian Navy. On the other side there is the modernization of larger surface combatants such as the Slave class cruisers, the Kirov class nuclear cruiser RFS Admiral Nakhimov, the aircraft car

  September 15 Two Baltic Fleet corvettes, identified as the RFS Steregushchy and RFS Boiky, held an anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Baltic Sea. The exercise involved searching, detecting, tracking and engaging a hostile submarine. The hostile submarine was reportedly tasked with interdicting the sea line of communications of the Baltic Fleet.  The exercise was followed by several other exercises which included electronic jamming, air-defense drills, joint navigation, damage control and navigation in restricted waters. [ 1 ] Iskandar armed missile units did simulated launches in the Kaliningrad Region as part of their summer training. According to Russian media, the units trained deploying the launchers and setting them up for launch, followed by a simulated launch. In total, over 100 missile drills were held during the summer training which involved over 500 servicemen. [ 1 ] A Su-27 fighter aircraft of the Western Military District was launched to intercept a P-8A Poseidon mar

September 07 Russian sources announce that the month long artillery training in Kaliningrad is in its final phase. Over the past month, over 400 soldiers and 100 pieces of equipment took part in the exercises. Over 200 different fire missions were conducted with the use of several artillery systems, including self-propelled guns, mortars and multiple launch rocket systems. Half of these missions took place at night. Approximately 2.000 high explosive shells and rockets were used during the training. [ 1 ] Over 100 marines, supported by 15 pieces of military equipment, held a combat training exercise at the Khmelevka training ground in Kaliningrad. The marines fired several weapon systems during this exercise, these are reported as assault rifles and machine guns, sniper rifles, underbarrel and hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, as well as the armament of BTR-82A armored personnel carriers. [ 1 ] September 08 A Su-27 fighter aircraft intercepted a US RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft a

  September 01 Caspian Flotilla :  Artillery batteries and separate anti-tank platoons held a live firing exercise at the Adanak training ground in the Republic of Dagestan, in preparation for the Kavkaz-2020 exercise. Over 100 marines were involved in the artillery training exercise which involved the use of 122-mm D-30 howitzers , the anti-tank guided missile systems "Metis", "Fagot" and the 120-mm 2B11, and 2S12 mortars. [ 1 ] Pacific Fleet: First year cadets at the Far Eastern Higher Combined Arms Command School (DVOKU) received their anti-tank training at the Belogoryevsky training ground. The test involved having a tank approaching the trench occupied by a marine who then has to time the moment for throwing an anti-tank grenade. [ 2 ] September 02 Black Sea Fleet: Black sea Fleet Naval Infantry held a training exercise at the Opuk training grounds in Crimea. The Marines, deployed in over 40 BTR-82As were tasked to attack and capture a defended coastline as pre