Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev announced this month that his nation is now developing a new cutting-edge ship for the Russian Navy.
In 2009, then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made a bold acknowledgement: “Without a proper navy, Russia does not have a future as a state.”
Exactly what Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, meant by a “proper navy” was unclear then, but more than a decade and a half later, the Russian Navy is in a sorry state. After years of attempts to refurbish the flagship aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the Kremlin has opted to scrap the warship instead.
Likewise, even as work continues on one of its three Kirov-class battlecruisers, Admiral Nakhimov, when that warship returns to service is not the question that should be asked. This is not because the answer is unclear, but rather why the effort was put into the ship in the first place. While it was once a symbol of Soviet Navy power, the vessel is an antiquated relic.
A Russian Admiral Just Announced a “New Cutting-Edge Ship”
That could explain why Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev announced this month that his nation is now developing what state media outlet TASS described as “a new cutting-edge ship for the Russian Navy,” which could be employed “to carry out missions in the distant oceanic zone.”
Moiseyev did not elaborate, except to say, “Let me note that we are jointly working on a cutting-edge ship for the distant oceanic zone.”
The naval chief added that the Russian Navy “issued technical specifications and design firms are implementing them,” while the work remains very much in the development stage.
“There is confidence, let us say, there are all grounds that the technical project will be completed within the established timeframe. With its completion, we will lay down this ship for the Russian Navy already under the next program,” Moiseyev suggested.
Russia’s Naval Ambitions Reflected in New Construction
Moiseyev made the comments about the future of the Russian Navy at a ceremony for the launch of the newest Project 22350 frigate, the Admiral Amelko, in St. Petersburg on Thursday. Moscow has planned to build 10 new frigates, of which five have been completed.
Their development marked a significant shift from traditional big-gun warships to advanced missile platforms. Each is equipped with Kalibr-NK and Oniks cruise missiles, and the warships can serve in various roles, including long-range strikes and anti-submarine warfare. The lead vessel, the Admiral Golovko, has also carried out tests of the Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic missile, further demonstrating its offensive capabilities.
Apart from its frigates and even smaller warships, Russia has not launched any surface combatants since the end of the Cold War.
The modern Russian Navy is a shell of the former Soviet Navy, even as analysts note that its submarine fleet should not be disregarded. It is a very capable force that may be the most potent component of its entire military. Its Yasen-class (Project 885) attack submarines and Borei-class (Project 955) SSBN remain a crucial part of Moscow’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
However, submarines may be powerful weapons and can travel to distant waters largely unobserved. Yet they do not project power the same way that an aircraft carrier or battle cruiser can.
Moiseyev may be reminded of Medevdev’s statement about having a proper navy. The question is, without overseas bases, why does Russia need such warships, or for that matter, a navy? Perhaps it is just because without the navy, Russia does not believe it has a future as a state!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
