Black Sea Fleet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Black Sea Fleet sleeve ensign

The Black Sea Fleet (Russian: Черноморский флот, transliterated as Chernomorskij Flot) is a large sub-unit of the Russian (and formerly Soviet) Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbours of Russia's Black Sea and Sea of Azov coast.

1 History
2 Controversy
3 List of Black Sea Fleet ships
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

The Black Sea Fleet is considered to be founded by Prince Potemkin on May 13, 1783, together with its principal base, Sevastopol. Formerly commanded by such legendary admirals as Dmitry Senyavin and Pavel Nakhimov, it is a fleet of enormous historical and political importance for Russia. However, its military importance is degrading since the collapse of the Soviet Union, mainly due to significant funding cuts.

Earlier, Turkey's decision to join NATO (putting the Bosporus Strait under Western control) and invention of long-range nuclear weapons have dramatically decreased the strategic value of any naval activity in the Black Sea. The fleet has been free of nuclear weapons since the early 1990s.

Black Sea Fleet before the Crimean War.

However, recent local conflicts in the Caucasus region (particularly in Georgia) and the development of oil transit in the region are forcing Russia to support the fleet as much as possible.

The aviation, marines and landing vessels of Black Sea fleet took part in the First Chechen War by means of both auxiliary support and direct involvement.

[edit] Controversy

The Fleet's main base is still situated in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, which was purpose built to be home to the Black Sea Fleet. Sevastopol is currently controlled by Ukraine, although it was administrated from Moscow throughout the Soviet period.

The continuing use of this base, more than a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is a permanent irritant in the relations between Russia and Ukraine, despite the signing of an agreement dividing the Fleet between two countries in 1997.

Although Novorossiysk has always been regarded as the fleet's second most important base, it has recently been reported that Russia "has started dredging at a Syrian port [specifically, Tartus] where it maintains a logistical supply point with a possible eye to turning it into a full-fledged naval base." [1]

[edit] List of Black Sea Fleet ships

[edit] 30th Surface Warship Division

**11th Anti-submarine Ship Brigade**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
121	Guided Missile Cruiser	Moskva	Slava	1983
713	ASW Destroyer	Kerch	Kara	1974
707	ASW Destroyer	Ochakov	Kara	1973
810	ASW Destroyer	Smetlivy	Kashin	1966
801	Guided Missile Frigate	Ladny	Krivak I	1978
808	Guided Missile Frigate	Pitlivy	Krivak II	1979

**197th Amphibious Ship Brigade**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
152	Landing Ship	Nikolay Filchenkov	Alligator	1975
148	Landing Ship	Orsk	Alligator	1968
150	Landing Ship	Saratov	Alligator	1966
151	Landing Ship	Azov	Ropucha-II	?
142	Landing Ship	Novocherkassk	Ropucha-I	?
158	Landing Ship	Tsezar Kunikov	Ropucha-I	?
156	Landing Ship	Yamal	Ropucha-I	?

[edit] 247th Submarine Battalion

#	Type	Name	Class	Year
554	Attack Submarine	Alrosa (ex-B-871)	Kilo	1990
572	Attack Submarine	B-380 (Under Repair)	Tango	1980

[edit] 68th Coastal Defence Warship Brigade

**400th Antisubmarine Ship Battalion**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
059	ASW Corvette	Alexandrovetc	?	?
053	ASW Corvette	Povorino	?	?
071	ASW Corvette	Suzdaletc	?	?
064	ASW Corvette	Murometc	Grisha III	1983
060	ASW Corvette	Vladimirec	?	?

**418th Minesweeper Battalion**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
913	Seagoing Minesweeper	Kovrovetc	Natya	?
911	Seagoing Minesweeper	Ivan Golubetc	Natya	?
912	Seagoing Minesweeper	Turbinist	Natya	1972
909	Seagoing Minesweeper	Vice Admiral Zhukov	Natya	1977

[edit] 41st Missile Boat Brigade

**166th Novorossiysky Small Missile Boat Battalion**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
615	Guided Missile Corvette	Bora	Bora	1988
616	Guided Missile Corvette	Samum	Bora	1991
620	Guided Missile Corvette	Shtil'	Nanuchka-III	1976
617	Guided Missile Corvette	Mirazh	Nanuchka-III	1983

**295th Sulinsky Missile Boat Battalion**
#	Type	Name	Class	Year
966	Missile Boat	R-44	Matka Mod	1978
955	Missile Boat	R-60	Tarantul-III Mod	1985
962	Missile Boat	R-71	Tarantul-II Mod	1985
952	Missile Boat	R-109	Tarantul-III	1991
953	Missile Boat	R-239	Tarantul-III	1991
954	Missile Boat	Ivanovetc	Tarantul-III	1988

[edit] 184th Novorossiysk Coastal Defence Brigade

#	Type	Name	Class	Year
054	Small Antisubmarine Ship	Eysk	Grisha-III	1987
055	Small Antisubmarine Ship	Kasimov	Grisha-III	1984
901	Seagoing Minesweeper	Zheleznyakov	?	1988
770	Seagoing Minesweeper	Valentin Pikul'	?	2001
426	Base Minesweeper	Mineralnie Vodi	?	1990
438	Base Minesweeper	Leytenant Ilyin	?	1982