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BarentsObserver.com Russia
Prestige submarines will not sail for Northern fleet
2007-07-11
Russia’s three new strategic nuclear submarines of the Borei-class will not be based on the Kola Peninsula. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, earlier this week surprisingly announced that all three will head for the Pacific fleet at Kamchatka.
The Borei-class submarines currently under construction at the Sevmash-yard in Severodvinsk are the future of Russia’s sea-based nuclear forces. The previous strategic nuclear submarine (SSBN) to join the navy was Novomoskovsk - a Delta-4 class - launched from Sevmash in 1992. With other words; not a single new strategic submarine has been delivered to the Russian navy in 15 years.
Therefore, this new 4th generation submarine is of high prestige for the current Kremlin administration.
Pacific fleet vs. Northern fleet
The first of the Borei-class subs is Yuri Dolgoruky. The 550 feet long vessel was launched on April 15th this year and will embark from the yard in Severodvinsk on its maiden voyage later this autumn. But by the surprising move from the top navy commander Vladimir Masorin, the submarine will not sail towards the bases of the Northern fleet on the Kola Peninsula. It will head for a to-be-created, brand new submarine facility at the Vilyuchinsky naval base at Kamchatka.
During the Cold War, most new and state-of-the-art submarines were delivered to the Northern fleet, with its bases on the Arctic coastline between Murmansk and the border to Norway. Some 2/3 of all Soviet made submarines belonged to the Northern fleet, while the others belonged to the Pacific fleet.
Nukes vs. Natural gas
The decision to base the first three submarines of the Borei-class can be read as a change in Russian strategic priority. Even though such submarines can sail all world oceans, their homeport is also of highly importance in the strategic game. The Northern fleet didn’t only receive the most modern submarines during the Cold War. Also its naval bases got better infrastructure and equipment than their collaborating bases on the Pacific coast. Now, this might turn around.
While one of the most important naval bases of the Northern fleet, Vidyaevo, has to compete with Gazprom’s giant ambition to build a plant for liquid natural gas (LNG) in the same bay as many of the submarines are based today, the Pacific naval base Vilyuchinsky will get the playground for themselves. And not only that, Vilyuchinsky will get the biggest funding ever since the Cold War for new naval infrastructure.
Nine billion rubels for new naval base
- There will be a complex life support system created for them, as well as the necessary infrastructure, which particularly includes a special energy supply system when water and steam will be delivered to the submarines from the coast. Over nine billion rubles have been allocated from the state budget for the purposes, Vladimir Masorin said to Interfax this week describing the plan to create homeport for the Borei-class submarines.
The Borei-class submarine is designed to carry the new Bulava (SS-NX-30) sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile. Each sub will be outfitted with 12 missiles. The Beluva missile is still not ready for production and deployment. As reported by the BarentsObserver on June 29th, the last test-fire of the missile from a submarine in the White Sea was successful. But the last four test launches before that, in September, October, November, and December last year ended in explosions after take-off.
The designers of the Belava missile still stress that all the mishaps will be overcome and the new Intercontinental ballistic missile will be delivered on time when the first Borei-class submarine, Yuri Dolgoruky, sail from Severodvinsk sometime before Christmas.
There are two more Borei-class submarines under construction at the Sevmash-plant; Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh. They are said to be completed before 2010 and will also have Vilyuchinsky in the Pacific as homeport.
According to Russia’s naval construction plans for the years to come, a total of eight Borei-class submarines will be constructed. Since the Russian navy is building a brand new homeport, with special designed infrastructure needs for the Borei-class subs, it’s likely to assume that all eight submarines will be based in Vilyuchinsky. However, it’s too early to make such conclusion today, but given this is the case, the strategic importance of the Kola Peninsula will be drastically reduced in the years to come. The Northern fleets existing strategic submarines of the Delta-IV class are getting old and need replacement.
Prestige submarines will not sail for Northern fleet
2007-07-11
Russia’s three new strategic nuclear submarines of the Borei-class will not be based on the Kola Peninsula. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, earlier this week surprisingly announced that all three will head for the Pacific fleet at Kamchatka.
The Borei-class submarines currently under construction at the Sevmash-yard in Severodvinsk are the future of Russia’s sea-based nuclear forces. The previous strategic nuclear submarine (SSBN) to join the navy was Novomoskovsk - a Delta-4 class - launched from Sevmash in 1992. With other words; not a single new strategic submarine has been delivered to the Russian navy in 15 years.
Therefore, this new 4th generation submarine is of high prestige for the current Kremlin administration.
Pacific fleet vs. Northern fleet
The first of the Borei-class subs is Yuri Dolgoruky. The 550 feet long vessel was launched on April 15th this year and will embark from the yard in Severodvinsk on its maiden voyage later this autumn. But by the surprising move from the top navy commander Vladimir Masorin, the submarine will not sail towards the bases of the Northern fleet on the Kola Peninsula. It will head for a to-be-created, brand new submarine facility at the Vilyuchinsky naval base at Kamchatka.
During the Cold War, most new and state-of-the-art submarines were delivered to the Northern fleet, with its bases on the Arctic coastline between Murmansk and the border to Norway. Some 2/3 of all Soviet made submarines belonged to the Northern fleet, while the others belonged to the Pacific fleet.
Nukes vs. Natural gas
The decision to base the first three submarines of the Borei-class can be read as a change in Russian strategic priority. Even though such submarines can sail all world oceans, their homeport is also of highly importance in the strategic game. The Northern fleet didn’t only receive the most modern submarines during the Cold War. Also its naval bases got better infrastructure and equipment than their collaborating bases on the Pacific coast. Now, this might turn around.
While one of the most important naval bases of the Northern fleet, Vidyaevo, has to compete with Gazprom’s giant ambition to build a plant for liquid natural gas (LNG) in the same bay as many of the submarines are based today, the Pacific naval base Vilyuchinsky will get the playground for themselves. And not only that, Vilyuchinsky will get the biggest funding ever since the Cold War for new naval infrastructure.
Nine billion rubels for new naval base
- There will be a complex life support system created for them, as well as the necessary infrastructure, which particularly includes a special energy supply system when water and steam will be delivered to the submarines from the coast. Over nine billion rubles have been allocated from the state budget for the purposes, Vladimir Masorin said to Interfax this week describing the plan to create homeport for the Borei-class submarines.
The Borei-class submarine is designed to carry the new Bulava (SS-NX-30) sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile. Each sub will be outfitted with 12 missiles. The Beluva missile is still not ready for production and deployment. As reported by the BarentsObserver on June 29th, the last test-fire of the missile from a submarine in the White Sea was successful. But the last four test launches before that, in September, October, November, and December last year ended in explosions after take-off.
The designers of the Belava missile still stress that all the mishaps will be overcome and the new Intercontinental ballistic missile will be delivered on time when the first Borei-class submarine, Yuri Dolgoruky, sail from Severodvinsk sometime before Christmas.
There are two more Borei-class submarines under construction at the Sevmash-plant; Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh. They are said to be completed before 2010 and will also have Vilyuchinsky in the Pacific as homeport.
According to Russia’s naval construction plans for the years to come, a total of eight Borei-class submarines will be constructed. Since the Russian navy is building a brand new homeport, with special designed infrastructure needs for the Borei-class subs, it’s likely to assume that all eight submarines will be based in Vilyuchinsky. However, it’s too early to make such conclusion today, but given this is the case, the strategic importance of the Kola Peninsula will be drastically reduced in the years to come. The Northern fleets existing strategic submarines of the Delta-IV class are getting old and need replacement.