Observing the Russian Navy Shipbuilding Plan Through 2015

There are a couple of Russian news articles out regarding the ongoing modernization of the Russian Navy. It would get confusing if I quotes those articles, so I'm going to summarize borrowing some additional details from the excellent Navy Nuts website. I've said this a few times, and will highlight again, the best 20 Euros you can spend on Navy information every year is a subscription to Navy Nuts. That website is fantastic. For example.

The Russian articles give a summery of the Russian shipbuilding program between 2007-2015. It is very interesting, no aircraft carriers are mentioned in the plan up to 2015. I note something related to that though, the absence of any major surface combatant construction during that time period implies that shipyard modernization for surface ship construction is almost certain to take place in the time frame between now and 2015, making it more likely the Russians will build aircraft carriers after 2015 as has been stated many times by various Navy leaders.

While the details of the Russian shipbuilding plan are OK in the articles, Navy Nuts does one better, and gives us the names of the various ships. The website does little stuff like that all the time, seriously, best 20 Euro's annually you will ever spend on Navy gouge. Want to know what the EU pirate fighting force will be? I assure you, they will be the folks who not only gather the list, they will cover the rotation durations and replacements over time better than anyone else too. Navy Nuts is the premier English language source online for European ship movements.

The Russian Navy expects to receive several surface ships and submarines over the next several years, including five Project 955 Borey nuclear-powered strategic ballistic missile submarines, two Project 885 Yasen nuclear-powered attack submarines, six Project 677 Lada diesel-electric submarines, three Project 22350 frigates, and five Project 20380 corvettes.

Lets break that down a bit.

The Project 955 Borey nuclear-powered strategic ballistic missile submarine RFS Yuri Dolgorukiy was launched on 2-13-08. The next two under construction are RFS Aleksander Nevskiy and RFS Vladimir Monomach.

The first Project 885 Yasen-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, RFS Severodvinsk, will be completed in 2010. It is unclear when the second Yasen class submarine will be purchased, but one more is part of the current plan.

The first of six Project 677 Lada class submarines RFS St. Petersburg was delivered to the fleet last year. The second Lada class RFS Kronshtatd was laid down on 7-29-05 while the third Lada class, RFS Sevastopol, was laid down on 11-11-06.

The first of three Project 22350 frigate expected to be delivered in the plan is RFS Admiral Gorshkov, no not that Admiral Gorshkov. RFS Admiral Gorshkov was laid down on 2-2-06 and is expected to be delivered next year and assigned to the Baltic fleet. It is unclear when the other two ships will begin construction, but probably after RFS Admiral Gorshkov is launched.

Finally, the first of five Project 20380 Steregushchiy class corvette RFS Steregushchiywas commissioned about a year ago The remaining four will be named RFS Soobrazitel'nyy, RFS Boiky, RFS Sovershen'nyy, and RFS Stoiky respectfully.

In total, over the next seven years the Russian Navy intends to commission 5 SSBNs, 2 SSNs, 6 SSKs, 3 frigates, and 5 corvettes. There are still very persistent rumors the Russian Navy is modernizing a Kirov class battlecruiser and several Udaloy I class destroyers. There is also a Slava class cruiser that is reported to be 96% completed in the Ukraine that may still be purchased, although with relations between Russia and the Ukraine strained since Georgia and over other issues, that sale remains very questionable.

Put another way, the short term future of Russian Naval power is both nuclear and underwater. Some things never change.