... about Russian-Indian contract for anti-shipping missiles.
Looks like the contract (judging by the picture, which, as Katzmans say--could be just picture), is of 3M54E Kalibr. The contract is for the India's submarines. If it is "E" (Export) version of Kalibr than it will have capped capabilities but considering that Brahmos flies almost to 1,000 km it could be that this version of Kaliber will have extended, not capped by 300 kilometers, range. Russian version of 3M54 has a devilish trick in it--at the terminal its warhead accelerates to M=3 and conducts violent anti-missile maneuver. Will know more about this contract in due time.
Meanwhile, VSU tried (primarily for PR reasons) the "counteroffensive"--in reality attack, likely recon in force--by means of two battalions in Kursk. Naturally, it ended really badly for those two kamikaze battalions.
Latest data on "brilliant" operation by NATO in Kursk is: 57,860 KIAs and 337 tanks of VSU destroyed. Washington and London's understanding of the modern warfare is amazing.
Translation:MEXICO CITY, June 6 – RIA Novosti.A detachment of four ships of the Russian Navy will arrive on an official visit to the port of Havana on June 12, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.“In the period from June 12 to 17, 2024, a detachment of the Russian Navy consisting of four ships will pay an official visit to the port of Havana: the frigate Gorshkov, the nuclear submarine Kazan, the oil tanker Pashin and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker.”, says a communiqué on the department’s website. In Havana, they noted that the arrival of the Russian ships is in line with friendly relations between Cuba and Russia, and also strictly complies with international rules. They emphasized that none of the ships carry nuclear weapons and their stay does not pose a threat.for the region.
These are the biggest guns in cruise missile business in the world. Gorshkov carries 32 Onyx, Zircon, Kalibrs and Otvet. These are the most advanced and deadly cruise missiles in history, with a serious combat pedigree. Kazan, which is Yasen-class SSGN carries also 32 VLS and, in addition, has 10 torpedo tubes which can shoot not just torpedoes.
For people who long ago adjusted themselves to the realities of a modern missile combat it is absolutely clear that while both can strike all of the Eastern seaboard of the US and Canada, they are there not for that reason. God forbid it comes to real WW III there are plenty of Bulavas, Avangards, Sarmats and Yarses to deal with this horrifying business. No, both Gorshkov and Kazan are there to show that they can reach any combat ship or strategic sea lift vessel carrying any military combat set from North America to Europe in case of some nutjob deciding to try to survive a conventional war with Russia in 404.
I want to remind you again about what just one Yasen-class armed only with 800-km range Onyx missiles can do in terms of possible "patrol" along the Atlantic SLOC:
Zircon carriers can sink any CBG or escort without even entering the risk zone of farthest edge of CBG patrol, including early warning aircraft. But, of course, Russia has more than two carriers of this "strike package". Plus, never forget good ol' pr. 949A Oscars, not to mention venerable pr. 971 Schuka (NATO Akula) who go to sea regularly. That's the message--in case of war the US will not be able to resupply and deploy additional troops to Europe. In related news, commemorating 80th Anniversary of the D-Day, Biden didn't even mention a key role Soviet Union and Red Army played making Allied landing possible. But, of course, we all know, should have Patton planned and executed Operation Bagration he would surely have done it better than Russkies. Boy, I wish the guy was present at Kursk Battle.
Project 971 subs (NATO: Akula, in reality--Schuka, Pike) are great ships, always were. Extremely silent, reliable and overall one of those things which belong to the category of "if ain't broke, don't fix it" technology. Modernize? Sure, but don't "fix" it. Now, one of these subs Leopard underwent totally expected modernization with adding to her this nasty ability to launch Kalibr family missiles and who knows what else. But this is not what is funny about the ceremony of getting her out in the open. Listen to the music.
Hark, what are those charming sounds? Of course, who can forget:
Ah, Russian mindfuckery again, LOL. What kind of hints are Russians sending. Albeit, truth to be told, Russian subs armed with 3M14 and even 3M54 do not need to get near Texas. But the point, of course, is simple--if ain't broke, don't fix it. Project 971 SSNs are superb subs which have a lot of life left in them and armed with all those "toys" such as Kalibrs, Onikses and Zircons their deadliness increases many folds. Among new things, SU-57 started its serial delivery to air force.
Basically, all this BS of the past few years that SU-57 ran into problems, that Russia cannot produce it etc. as always turned out to be exactly that, a BS and a butthurt of Western military porn enthusiasts who still think that modern war is some kind of iteration of WWII with armadas of aircraft engaged in the air to air combat akin to strategic bombing operations by Allies or massive fighter brawls over Kursk or Kuban in 1943.
Meanwhile, yet another corvette of pr. 20380--Hero of Russia Aldar Tsydenzhapov--is officially commissioned to Pacific Fleet. Recent maneuvers with MiG-31Ks carrying hypersonic Kinzhals with them relocating to Far East bases, shows that Russia increases her options and shows support to China... just in case. I am sure when Admiral Nakhimov with all her 174 VLS tubes packed with Zircons, Kalibrs and a variety of AD missiles will be re-commissioned to Russian Navy they will be playing this:
OK, OK, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has got COVID-19. So, what? Give the guy a break, let him recover, God damnit.
After all, BoJo also was infected and, actually, ended up being seriously sick. He is fine (if this term could legitimately be applied to any British politician) now. But the moment news of Mishustin going to self-isolation hit the waves the hydra of Russia's punditry, including allegedly of patriotic one, raised the head. I will not name a person--a very famous person in Russia--with whose some views on economy I agree, but it was this person who immediately took to every available media to declare that Mishustin is going to be removed, allegedly for some failures. Really? So, as I stated, this person is not a bad person but this person, as actually many on the "left" in Russia do, pushes a lot of conspiracies, including the ones which this person has no qualification of explaining.
Just recently, this said person while being interviewed by one very popular Russia media, continued to push the theory that Russia is (was) secretly tied with some "obligations" to the West, through her liberal "elite", which would not allow Russia's development. On the question, of otherwise arrogant ignorant (manifestly pro-liberda) interviewer, how about Kalibr (this is the extent of their "knowledge" of military and industry), this, otherwise not a bad person couldn't answer with anything but platitudes. Obviously, the fact that R&D and introduction of many current weapon systems in Russia's arsenal started in early-mid 2000 somehow escaped both pundits. I cannot stand Alexei Kudrin, but it was on his watch as Finance Minister (2000-2011) when financing for such massive programs as Borei-class project 955 SSBNs, or massive upgrade of the Air Force inventory, among many other crucial programs, was provided fully and uninterrupted. So, what's the deal then with all those mythical "obligations" not to develop Russia which resulted in Kudrin doing his job, unlike it was the case then MoD Serdyukov and his sycophant Chief of General Staff Makarov, that strategic forces received this much needed boost, including financing programs for such weapons as Avangard. That was on Kudrin's watch. So, something doesn't add up with this "obligations" theory, which saw foundation of Russia's present military and economic power laid precisely in this period of time.
Or, maybe, we should (as I always do) admit that we simply do not know all details of a rather complex policy kitchen in Kremlin before jumping to any conclusions? But even if to discount this obvious fact, First Deputy PM Andrei Belousov is now in charge of Prime Minister's functions and he is a bona fide' Gosudarstvennik (statehoodnik) not to mention being the main driver of increasingly visible economic policies of fusionism or, if one wishes, neo-Sovietism. One way or another, Russia has more than enough competent people running her economy and the issue Russia has, as it is always case historically, is not top echelon but middle-level bureaucracy much of which was planted in 1990s and early 2000s and the one who is actually a main source of sabotage of policies. The process of removing it is ongoing and it is visible. Meanwhile, let Mikhail Mishustin recover (he may go completely asymptomatic, unlike BoJo) and forestall any bizarre speculations about the Rothschilds having secret, invisible, noose around Putin's neck, or Mishustin being fired. In the end, even Kudrin is on record that Russian economy is going to be fine. As per Kalibr family missiles, they have been in development since early 1990s and, evidently, no "secret" obligations prevented Russia from deploying an astonishing array of hi tech stand-off weapons already early in 2010s. But then again, what do I know about it.
As Igor Korotchenko's blog reports (in Russian), it is official--4 Russia's Pacific Fleet SSGNs of Project 949A (aka Oscar-II) will be modernized to carry Kalibr family missiles. 72 of them. The announcement was made by Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov. One of the Pacific Fleet Oscars, Irkutsk, is already undergoing modernization and is planned to re-join the fleet in 2021, three others should be modernized by 2025.
Omsk
It remains to be seen how many of newest Yasen-class (Project 885) SSGNs will join Pacific Fleet or when all 6 of newest missile carrying SSKs will do the same, but judging by the speed with which first six of those have been completed for the Black Sea Fleet, 2025 seems to be a realistic date for completion. Of course, as it is always the case with Russia, things may and, most likely, will change somewhat but it seems that somebody finally started paying attention to the Pacific Fleet which was left to manage with whatever was available to it since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Of course, one can not ignore the fact of the two newest SSBNs of the Borey-class (Project 955A) Alexandr Nevsky and Vladimir Monomach servingwith the Pacific Fleet, but SSBNs are a completely different commodity than attack subs. The same goes for the surface component and here, apart from Marshal Shaposhnikov undergoing modernization, Pacific Fleet is in dire need for new hulls in its surface component. Looks like, the fleet will be getting, starting this June, long-awaited corvettes of Project 20380. So, by 2025, it seems, Pacific Fleet will have a serious submarine force capable to provide for a massive salvo against any threat, as well as "project", if need be (hopefully, not), against anyone's shores in the Pacific Ocean. It will be very interesting to observe in the nearest future the way the Pacific Fleet will be getting its face lift, and not by the ships and subs only. New Il-38Ns with Novella complex and Mig-31s modernized to BM version, together with new sensors, should provide a very robust A2/AD capability against any combination of threats.
As I reminded here, Russia proceeds with the modernization of at least some Project 949A (Oscar II-class) SSGNs and Project 971 (Akula-class) SS(G)Ns by upgrading those with Kalibr missile complex, apart from other upgrades including new navigational complex and signal processing suite. In all, 10 subs of both classes were planned for upgrade. Probably one of the Project 945 (Sierra-class) SSNs will make the list too. So far it is known for sure that 2 Oscars are being upgraded. Plans may change, of course. But this is not the point--the point is in the practical arrival to a common sense decision both financially and operationally.
Apart from the tragedy with sinking of K-141 Kursk in August of 2000 and the loss of all hands, Oscars (Russian: Anteys) have a good reputation in the fleet, despite some harsh words towards this design from some experienced Russian submariners, such as Vice-Admiral Ryazantsev, who wrote (in Russian) a scathing review of Northern Fleet's combat training practices and procedures in the wake of Kursk disaster. Ryazantsev, who commanded several nuclear subs and eventually a division of those, not without justification, points out to Oscars' major drawback--these are colossal submarines, displacing 24 000 tons. Size in ASW does matter and it's always a compromise between the size of sub and its combat capabilities.
Yet, Oscars are very silent subs and, I would assume, after undergoing deep modernization will reduce their physical fields even further. With maturing of Kalibr complex what used to be considered Oscars' weakness becomes a serious advantage. In accordance to different sources, after modernization Oscars will be able to carry 72 missiles. This is 3 times the load when compared to Oscars' traditional 24 P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) missiles. While P-700's conventional warhead of 750 kilogram of "sea mix" is larger than about 450 kilogram warhead of anti-shipping 3M54, the difference, however, between the two is startling. Oscars will be able to carry a thoroughly modern Kalibrs in different configurations, still providing for a massive anti-shipping salvo, while carrying also a conventional (or secondary nuclear) deterrent of dozens of land-attack 3M14. This is a massive and deadly firepower. With 3M14 range of (officially) up 2500 kilometers, conventional strategic containment or, in layman's lingo--the ability to blow the shit at enemy's coast and deep inland is simply unrivaled in platform-to-platform comparison. Strategic implications of this are enormous. With upgraded Akulas getting presumably 12-14 Kalibrs each, Russian Navy gets not only massive fire-power but a great deal of flexibility, which was delayed due to a catastrophe which befell Russia in 1990s.
Obviously, the program of modernization of submarines of these types pursues the objective of a conventional strategic containment. Combined with a very long range cruise missiles' capabilities of Russia's Air Space Forces, these become a stabilizing factor in Russia's defense against any kind of "democratization" or "humanitarian bombing". But behind that, what emerges or, rather, reemerges is a traditional Soviet/Russian post-WW II view on sea-denial. Russia's evolving submarine force is the same old tool from Sergei Gorshkov's tool box. In some sense it is his vision updated to the realities of the early 21st Century. Gorshkov, certainly, wanted a "balanced Navy"--a force capable of both Sea Denial and, regionally, Sea Control (Blagopriyatny Operativnyi Regime--Favorable Operational Regime). Sea Control idea at that time required a massive investment in the surface fleet with aircraft carriers being a pinnacle of such a fleet building effort. Yet, throughout this effort in 1970s and 1980s, Gorshkov never relented on a massive, in fact, highly prioritized development of submarines, long range naval aviation and cruise missile complexes they carried. Today, under new geopolitical and technological realities it becomes obvious that this was a correct accent.
1. Aircraft carriers will inevitably devolve or, rather, transform into a smaller and less expensive "stability" platforms capable both of limited power projection and, most importantly, ASW. They also will work with a surface fleet in support of its SSGNs.
2. All submarines, of all major types, with the exception of SSBNs, will become cruise-anti-shipping and land-attack missile carrying platforms. They also will become (if not already) fleet's main conventional striking force both against enemy's fleet and land targets.
3. We can only try to imagine what will become of fleet once weapons such as Zircon and even faster and deadlier missiles will get on-line and this reality is not coming--it is already here. It also remains to be seen what would happen with carrier aviation with navalized versions of air-missile-defense complexes S-400, let alone S-500, being deployedto sea.
AsCommanders Joseph A. Gattuzo and Lori Tanner, both carrier aviators with an immense experience, noted more than a decade and a half ago:
They saw it coming. Russian Navy knew it all along, despite ever emotional clash between submarine and carrier lobbies--yes, Russian Navy does have its own "trade unions", if to quote Elmo Zumwalt. That is what limited and precious resources do to one--give birth to a new fighting doctrines.
Meanwhile in Mediterranean, Russian Navy continues to settle in the new (old) operational concept of keeping MRKs (Small Missile Ships) at station both in anti-shipping and land-attack configurations. JAN terrorists definitely could do without this kind of deliveries but, as the proverb goes, if in the first act of theater play there is a rifle hanging from the wall on the stage, in the last act it must shoot. Here is a lovely video of Zelyonyi Dol and Serpukhov sending well Kalibrated messages to animals.
Here is how those messages are delivered.
And here is one of the results of "from Russia with rather peculiar GLONASS and inertial guidance kind of high precision love".
