Winning: The Russian Navy Suffers Heavy Losses

[EX500rider]

February 2, 2019: The prolonged low oil prices are doing major damage to the Russian Navy. Less oil income on top of the damage done by economic sanctions because of the Ukraine invasion, plus the additional production costs caused by the loss of Ukrainian defense industry suppliers has forced Russia to make a number of changes that have not been mentioned in navy press releases. Forced to make major cuts in defense spending and do so in a way that does the least damage ended up hitting naval ship building particularly hard. Only one of these cuts made the news, and was because the only aircraft carrier, the Kuznetsov (built in 1990), was undergoing one last refurbishment in a floating drydock. But a shipyard worker accidentally caused the drydock to sink with the Kuznetsov in it. The carrier got out with some damage but the Swedish built (in 1980) drydock was too expensive to replace or even recover. The refurbishment of the Kuznetsov was cancelled and while the ship may be optimistically placed in reserve (pending future opportunities to revive it) the navy now lacks any carriers. It may be decades, if ever, before they have an operational carried. The two Kirov class battlecruisers (completed in 1988 and 1998) are being scrapped because these is no money for maintenance and needed refurbishment on the older ship.

Russia has been trying, since the late 1990s, to build replacements for Cold War era warships. Most of these have reached the end of their useful lives and many of them, while still listed as in service, rarely, if ever, seem to leave port. Russian admirals have been aware of the fact that they won't have much of a navy by the 2020s unless these older ships are replaced. The problem is that the older ships cannot be refurbished or upgraded because that would cost more than buying new ones, These older ships are not just falling apart, but because there was not any money available right after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, there were few repairs and no upgrades during the 1990s.

The twelve destroyers available were all completed in the 1980s and 1990s. There is also one 1960s vintage destroyer in the Black Sea, which is more for show that active service. The destroyers are wearing out quickly and won’t be fit for service much longer. The plans for two new classes of destroyers have been put off until the 2020s. The current destroyers suffered from lack of maintenance in the 1990s and there is no money for refurbishment. These dozen destroyers won’t last much beyond 2030, at least not as ships that can stay at sea much. There has been some new construction for frigates (ocean going ships displacing about 4,000 tons) but some of that construction has stopped or been cancelled. Construction of smaller ships like corvettes (500-1,000 tons) and patrol boats is continuing but not at a rate to replace all those currently in service. These smaller vessels are mainly for coastal security and the Cold War era fleet had a lot more of these because Russia was classic police state that enforced strict border controls. That has been loosened up since the Cold War ended and the loss of many older ships will not leave the coasts undefended.

Submarines were one ship type that got priority for new construction even in the 1990s but that has now slowed down. This is critical when it comes to building replacements for the last Cold War class of SSBNs (Nuclear ballistic missile subs) were all completed in the 1980s. These have been quietly retired or “semi-retired” (only going to sea for training). Priority was put on building eight new Borei class SSBNs. These were delayed and the first one did not enter service until 2013. There are now four in service but construction on the other four has been stopped. Some of these are half built but there is simply no money to finish them now. So the SSBN fleet will probably shrink to four subs for a while, maybe a long while"

How the mighty have fallen.

https://strategypage.com/htmw/htwin/articles/20190202.aspx

[underpants]

1. Good

Thanks for posting.

[kimbutgar]

2. Excellent I want to see Russia collapse under Putin

[Beakybird]

3. These assholes should wage war in their bathtubs - not in our oceans!

[SWBTATTReg]

4. As others have said, thanks so much for posting. Gives a perspective of Russian issues that I...

was unaware of. Take care!

[roamer65]

5. Russia will depend on the Chinese navy via SCO.

The Chinese run SCO. Russia has no choice but to bend to the will of a rising China.

[EX500rider]

6. They are going to be more frenemies then allies..

.....China would like a chunk or all of Siberia, lots of timber and minerals and room.

[RHMerriman]

9. The Chinese naval forces are significantly more capable

The Chinese naval forces are significantly more capable than they were even a decade ago (much less farther back), and in their own territorial/coastal waters and the Western Pacific, but they are still a long way from being able to maintain sea control in their own region, much less deploy naval power into the Pacific or Indian oceans to any great extent, for peacetime or wartime operations.

Their ability to practice sea denial in the Western Pacific is stronger than it was a decade ago, but it remains largely theoretical; the PLAN has not been engaged in combat operations at sea to any extent, and at any level, since the Chinese Civil War, and that was 70 years ago.

The PLA's experience in combat in generally quite limited; the only experience it has in the modern era is the Sino-Vietnamese conflict of the 1970s, and that was not a Chinese success.

The other point is that the US and western/allied navies (including the Japanese and the ROK, which have fleets that are among the best equipped in the world, along with the NATO naval powers) regularly operate together, exchange personnel, and use standard/interopable equipment, tactics, and organization, so the "Western" forces have many times the maritime strength than the "challengers" put together.

Granted, the "West" is more dependent than the "challengers" are on sea power and sea control, but even the Chinese and Russian economies are dependent on maritime trade in many areas, so the liklihood of an actual challenge by either nation to the international community's standards regarding the sea is increasingly remote.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Their military is deteriorating, Trump cancels a missile treaty.

Their military is deteriorating, making them rely more on missiles.

And now Putin has gotten his puppet Trump to cancel a missile treaty.

[EX500rider]

8. I doubt the Russians wanted it canceled..they were already cheating so having the US's hands tied..

...is in their favor.

[Wellstone ruled]

10. So many stories coming out of

Eourpe claiming Putin and his Oligarch Buddies have plundered the Russia Wealth and know the Economic System is about to collapse as a result.

Guardian reported out in early 2018,Putin needed tens of Billions or more Revenue to fill holes in the Russian Pensioners pay outs as well as pay checks for Russian State workers.


Putin seems to be at a reflection point where the Populace might rebel and force him out. Stories of Food and Material Shortages are being reported as well.

Russia has only Natural Resources as a source of foreign Currency,and with sanctions in place,other than Trump and Mnuchin's Aluminum pal,the Obama Sanctions are doing it's job.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

11. kick

[EX500rider]

12. Would have like to see the look on face of the guy who accidently sank their carrier..lol n/t