| By the year
2025 Russia plans to increase its ocean going fleet size to
a total of 300 battleships, exceeding the level it maintained
during the 'cold war'. The Russian Navy plans to maintain six
battlegroups, each consisting of an aircraft carrier and various
combat support and auxiliary ships. Three attack groups are
to be based in the Northern Fleet with three others in the Pacific
Fleet. This expansion will address Russia's strategic aspirations
especially its territorial demands in the melting arctic zone.
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According to the Russian Fleet’s Commander-in-Chief,
Admiral Vladimir Masorin, three attack groups will be based
in the Northern Fleet with three others in the Pacific Fleet.
At all times, two carriers will be on alert while two the other
two are undergoing repair and modernization. The new vessels
will include four heavy carriers: the Kiev, Minsk, Novorossiysk
and Baku. The construction of the first carrier will begin in
the next decade. Meanwhile, the Russians are planning to construct
a new series of surface battleships that will support and protect
the carriers. Russia also plans to modernize its Naval Aviation,
fielding new MiG-29K instead of some of its 1980's vintage Su-33.
An expansion of Russia's submarine fleet is also underway.
Three new submarines are currently under construction and sea
trials. The Russian Navy is building a new submarine base in
the Kamchatka Peninsula, at the town of Vilyuchinsk, to host
the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet submarine force. The base will
be designed to support the new Borei strategic
missile carrying submarines. The first Submarine,
Yuri Dolgoruky, was launched in April 07, series. Its sister
ships, Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh are expected to
be completed by the year 2010. The Russian Navy currently operates
19 submarines, based in several locations in Severomorsk in
the Kola Peninsula. The new base will offer centralized support
for the submarine fleet.
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