The expansion and modernization of the two Russian main
naval bases in the Pacific starts this week. On Monday Russian Defense minister
Sergei Shoigu inspected the naval base of Kamchatka where most of the Russian
nuclear submarines in the Pacific are stationed. With the planned deployment of
Russia’s newest submarines, the Yasen-class attack submarines and the
Borei-class missile submarines, new facilities to accommodate these submarines
are being built. These construction works are to be completed by the end of the
year when the latest two Borei-class submarines are expected to be deployed in
the Pacific.
Construction works at the naval base of Vladivostok, home of
the Russian Pacific surface fleet, started on Tuesday. These construction works
are done so that the naval base can accommodate the two Russian Mistral class
amphibious ships, both being built in France. The first ship, the Vladivostok is to be handed over to the
Russian Navy on November 1, 2014 with the second one, the Sevastopol, to be handed over in 2015. The construction works are
expected to be finished by the beginning of 2018. By then it is expected that
the Russian Navy will have trained the
crews of these two ships and will have a good understanding of how these ships
work and how they can be effectively deployed before sending them towards the
Pacific.
With these modernizations Russia is now committed to make
its own Asian pivot so that it can support and increase its current naval
presence in the Pacific. China’s increasing military rise in this area has
sparked a naval build up in this area by South Korea, Japan and the United
States. These major players have all increased the size of their navies as a response
to China’s growing naval presence. In the case of the United States this is
done by deploying 60% of its fleet in the Pacific compared to only 40% during
the Cold War when the Atlantic Ocean was the main theater for the US Navy.
This build up, if uncontested, will put Russia in a weaker position
concerning political influence in the region. The aging infrastructure of its
naval bases in this region don’t allow for an increase in the amount of ships
Russia can deploy in the Pacific. In order to secure its position as an Asiatic
player Russia has to follow the example of its neighbours by increasing its
naval presence.
Russia’s time frame for the completion of the modernization
of the Vladivostok naval base is 2018. This coincides with earlier statements
that Russia is aiming for the year 2020 to have a substantial presence in the
Pacific. Russia is also working on the modernization of 2 decommissioned Kirov
class battlecruisers, the Admiral Lazarev
and the Admiral Nakhimov. These ships
are expected to return into service between 2018 and 2020 and are most likely
to be deployed in the Pacific.
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