In the Sea of Japan, a strike group consisting of a destroyer and two missile boats (at least one a Tarantul, the subject of this report), destroy a group of targets simulating an enemy strike group. The report notes that the boat performed a launch that was complicated, not only because they made multiple simultaneous launches, but because it was an offset launch with the boat moving in the opposite direction from the targets. The report also noted that the target, which was 70 km away, was successfully destroyed. The commander of the Brigade of Surface Ships, Igor Osipov was satisfied, noting that this is the sixth year in a row of successful launches.
Meanwile, in the Black Sea, much the same was happening at the same time last week:
In the waters around Crimea, a task group repelled an attack by a notional enemy. Cruise missile strikes destroyed targets with direct hits. More than 15 ships participated in the large scale exercises. The strike group consisted of the air cushion missile boat Samum, the small missile boat Shtil and two cutters. Naval Aviation helicopters and aircraft supported the exercise. The tactical commander was given complete freedom of action. These have been the first exercises of its kind in almost three years. The agreement to extend the lease of Sevastopol Naval Base has led to better relations between the Slav brothers and means that the Russians plan to hold joint exercises with the Ukrainian Navy.
And here are some fun eyewitness pics of the Black Sea exercises.
On Tuesday, 30 March, the Russian Navy begins deploying forces to carry out largest exercises on the world ocean in recent years. The exercises began with the departure of the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Petr Velikiy from Severomorsk...The cruiser will pass through the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Suez Canal and enter the Indian Ocean. Ships from the Baltic, Northern, Pacific Fleets as well as Naval Aviation will act in support.
This video from Zvezda News notes that one goal of this deployment is to train the crew, fifty (50) percent of whom are new conscripts. The reporter notes that this is a bit of a risk, but on the other hand the experience will allow the conscripts to master their tasks quicker. The Captain of the Petr Velikiy, Feliks Menkov claims that "Not one man wouldn't want to go on this deployment. People who wouldn't want to go to sea need to serve on another ship. And if they don't know how to do their jobs, we'll teach them." The electrical department head, Vitaliy Khadzhi adds, "It'll be tough, but we'll try..." The Petr Velikiy will pass through the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Oceans in the first two months. She got a completely new paint job. The commander of the Northern Fleet concludes with remarks about how interesting the exercise will be, as well as how interesting the port calls and exercises with "probable partners" will be as well. The next land the crew of the Petr Velikiy will see will be Gibraltar.
Note to Russian Navy: Hundreds of untrained conscripts + tons of high explosives + nuclear power = not good. Just sayin'...
A Northern Fleet strike group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov will leave Severomorsk and head for the Mediterranean Sea for exercises with ships of the Black Sea fleet led by the missile cruiser Moskva.
The ships will conduct a month long exercise simulating battle between two strike groups.
"The main goal of the deployment - resolution of operational-strategic tasks and showing the St. Andrew's flag in foreign ports", RIA Novosti quoted sources in the Navy Headquarters.
The Northern Fleet strike group will be on deployment for three months.
Comment: This is pretty big if it happens - when was the last time the Russians had THREE battle groups at sea at once? Plus they're establishing what looks like an East Africa station. Plus they are talking with the Libyans about building a base in Tripoli.
Have the Russians forgotten that oil is closer to $60/bbl and not $120/bbl?
HYDROPAC 2032/2008(95,96). SEA OF JAPAN. MISSILES. 1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 2300Z TO 0200Z COMMENCING DAILY 20 AND 21 OCT AND 0400Z TO 0700Z DAILY 21 AND 22 OCT IN AREA BOUND BY 41-57.5N 131-32.0E, 42-32.3N 133-32.0E, 42-41.0N 133-02.5E, 42-41.0N 133-28.7E, 43-33.0N 135-37.0E, 42-20.0N 136-02.0E, 40-57.2N 135-38.5E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 220800Z OCT.
Point "C" is actually over land on some sort of facility:
For my half-assed "analysis" of a previous Sea of Japan missile closure, see here. I did not note any results from any exercises that may have been held in the September Sea of Japan area closure.
HYDROPAC 1987/2008(96,97). SEA OF OKHOTSK. MISSILES. 1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 0300Z TO 0900Z DAILY 12 THRU 15 OCT A. IN AREA BOUND BY 47 36N 151 21E, 47 54N 151 06E, 48 06N 151 40E, 47 52N 151 58E. B. WITHIN 27 MILES OF 52 49N 146 17E. C. WITHIN 28 MILES OF 57-09N 140-33E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 151000Z OCT.
HYDROPAC 1988/2008(96). TATARSKIY PROLIV. GUNNERY. 1. GUNNERY EXERCISES 2300Z TO 0200Z COMMENCING DAILY 16 AND 17 OCT AND 180400Z TO 180700Z OCT IN AREA BOUND BY 49 06.0N 140 30.5E, 49 20.0N 140 39.5E, 49 20.0N 140 44.0E, 49 06.5N 140 44.0E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 180800Z OCT.
Not sure at this time who is going to use this. Looks like its going to be ships as the orientation is wrong for shore based artillery.
Lots of cool footage of the month-long, nationwide strategic exercise Stability-2008.
Strategic Aviation:
Twelve combat aircraft, TU-95 and TU-160 missile carriers took off from Saratov Oblast' this morning. Thirty more aircraft joined them in the air. Their mission was to practice joint operations with interceptors and bombers in simulated battle and to conduct aerial refueling. But the main task will take place in a few hours: cruise missile launches over neutral waters.
A-50s deploy to Komi (probably Vorkuta) to support "War in the Far North", a reflection of the interest the Russians show in the Arctic theater:
Gist: Stability-2008 continues in the polar regions. Airmen complete their tasks in especially harsh conditions. Not every army can wage war in the far north. Here's the report. The airfield easily handles the maneuvers of the Il-76s and An-12s. This airfield is uniquely huge. There aren't any bigger airfields in the polar region. Its big enough to handle any size aircraft including the Buran space shuttle (Note: that's a little OBE, don't you think?). This 200 ton piece of equipment is an A-50, a modified Il-76. This radar system operating in the one centimeter wavelength range is able to detect fighter sized targets and maritime targets at ranges of up to 200-400 km. The mission of the A-50 during the exercise is to conduct radar reconnaissance, relaying information to the central command post on targets in the area. The commander of the aircraft says that operating in the far north is not easy.
Flight time is limited because of short daylight hours and there is poor visibility at night and the the weather changes quickly and weather forecasts up here are only right about half the time.
Landing among the MiGs is an An-12 which has already completed its mission. It took off this morning and spent six hours in the air. It has the airplane's symbol painted on the fuselage: a black mammoth. It was deployed to Tiksi, much further north than Vorkuta. The commander reports that the training was outstanding.
Our crew performed littoral weather reconnaissance, and the flight was okay. We completed the mission.
All crews have completed their training missions. Today is the last day of exercises and tomorrow they all return to their home airfields.
Medved'ev also visited the space launch center at Plesetsk, where he observed the successful launch of an SS-25 Topol' mobile ICBM, hitting the target at the Kura test range on Kamchatka and inspected the new Angara launch system, consisting entirely of Russian made components (vice the Ukrainian made missiles the Russians previously used).
But before watching the Topol' launch, Medved'ev and Minister of Defense Serdyukov embarked aboard the aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Kuznetsov to watch maritime portions of Stability-2008, culminating in a SS-N-23 Sineva launch from Delta IV SSBN Tula, descibed as "record setting", traveling 11,547km and hitting a notional target in the Pacific Ocean.
Gist starting at story footage: The President and the Minister of Defense arrived on board the carrier by helicopter and considering the class of the ship, it was full of symbolism. Despite the strong winds, Medved'ev and Anatoliy Serdyukov walked the entire flight deck and then went down to the hanger deck. The President greeted the sailors, inspected the aircraft and even sat in the cockpits of an Su-33 and a Ka-27. President Medved'ev visited the Combat Information Center before heading up to the flag bridge to watch the progress of training.
1MC: Next evolution - attack on enemy ground targets with ballistic missiles.
Stability-2008 is continuing for a month and of course the ship has been to sea several times already during the exercises. But today was the most spectacular with the full might of the Northern Fleet on display. DM even went to the flag bridge a couple of times to watch missile launches and flight ops. The exercise script calls for the repulsion of an attack by a fleet of enemy submarines, but the highlight of the exercise was an SS-N-23 Sineva launch from a submurged position. For the first time in the history of the Russian Navy, an SLBM traveled more than 11,500km and destroyed a notional target in the Pacific Ocean.
(Cut to reporter with a little spiel about the capabilities of the Kuznetsov).
(Cut to DM on the mess decks): After completion of the main task, DM went to the mess decks to meet with the crew. The crew had the opportunity to ask any question they wanted of the Commander in Chief and the old Russian saying, "Sailors have no questions" (TR Note: its a cute rhyme in Russian) didn't apply. The questions were wide ranging and included questions about the future of the armed forces.
DM: We have to build new aircraft carrying cruisers. It is completely obvious that it is the most important issue for the Navy. Across the world, all the great powers have great armed forces and powerful navies and I think we should do the same.
The sailors gave DM a hat and a striped sailor's shirt and DM signed the ship's guest book. The President gave Saturday's training an "Outstanding". Training continues for another month.
HYDROPAC 1841/2008(95,96). SEA OF JAPAN. MISSILES.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 2300Z TO 0200Z COMMENCING DAILY 24 AND 25 SEP AND 0400Z TO 0700 DAILY 25 AND 26 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 41-55.0N 132-01.3E, 42-15.2N 131-41.9E, 42-38.5N 132-33.5E, 42-41.8N 133-01.1E, 42-40.6N 133-02.4E, 42-22.5N 132-49.6E. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 260800Z SEP.
Here is a close up of the Cape Povorotnyy area for the squints out there. Bring your own light table:
A closer look at the facilities:
I'm no imagery analyst, but these look like bermed firing positions for mobile coastal defense missiles. Or they could be reveted helo pads/parking positions, who knows.
The big open field in the north of the photo looks like antennas or lightning arresters to me. What all the vehicles are doing in the south of the photo is a mystery to me.
Wikimapia identifies this facility as the Cape Povorotnyy lighthouse.
The closure is a little less than 20NM long. That would be a good range for a coastal defense cruise missile shot or maybe even a SAM vs. Drone.
We'll see if anything pops up later in the week to confirm that this closure was actually used.
