Russian Navy Deploying CVBG to the Mediterranean

On Wednesday the rumors that the Russian Navy has been working up for a major deployment was confirmed when Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, while standing next to President Vladimir Putin, announced that the Russian Navy is deploying an aircraft carrier battle group to the Mediterranean.

According to Russian media sources, the naval battle group will be centered around the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and will include 3 warship escorts, two of which are described as anti-submarine escorts. Additionally seven support ships, 40+ planes, and 10 helicopters will be deployed with the battle group.

This is the largest Russian naval deployment since the Russian Navy deployed in 1999 in response to the Kosovo conflict, which was the only major Russian Navy deployment since the end of the cold war of this size. The deployment of this battle group represents a major undertaking by the Russian Navy. In a way, we see this deployment as representative of the past, present, and future of the Russian Navy.

For perspective, the condition of the Russian Fleet was considered so deteriorated only a decade ago that it was legitimate to assume the entire fleet would eventually be scrapped. To deploy the 4 warships and 7 support ships, the Russian Navy appears to be pulling from the Northern, Black, and Baltic fleets. At present this would appear to represent the maximum power projection capability of the Russian Navy, and considering the Russian Navy budget is focused on building strategic ballistic missile submarines, it appears it may represent the high end of power projection for the next several years.

The naval battle group will sail down the Norwegian coast and pass west of Great Britain before passing through the Strait of Gibraltar where it will conduct exercises in the Mediterranean until February of 2008.