New Navy Commander Convened Military Council

01.06.2012 Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov held his first session of Russian Navy Military Council. The meeting was attended by commanders of fleets and divisions, chiefs of directorates, departments, and services of Navy Main HQ.

Participants summarized results of the winter training period and specified tasks for summer training period. According to VADM Chirkov, main efforts in winter training period were focused on implementation of Navy development plans, improvement of command system in accordance with new organizational structure, individual training of naval officers, and practical training of personnel.

According to the commander, the work on prospective strategic submarines and their missile system goes on. Construction of Project 955 lead and first serial nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines SSBN Yury Dolgoruky and SSBN Alexander Nevsky is at the closing stage.

Within the framework of shaping of a general-purpose naval force, building of Project 885 lead nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine SSGN Severodvinsk and Project 885M lead modernized nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine SSGN Kazan is being finished.

Addressing the Military Council, Chirkov called for the fleet commanders to improve effectiveness of combat training by full use of theoretical and practical methods at all commanding levels.

Special emphasis was placed upon analysis of Russian Navy's contribution to counter-piracy campaign in the Gulf of Aden and near the Horn of Africa. To accomplish that task, two Pacific Fleet task units were deployed to the region in the first half of the year. They have escorted 14 commercial convoys (92 vessels) flying flags of 27 countries including 3 Russian ones and 36 ships with Russian sailors on board; provided security to 237 Russian citizens; prevented attempt to pirate one merchant vessel.

Activities of coast defense troops were appreciated as well. Marine units were attached to warships and supply vessels, involved in anti-piracy operations off Somalia and special anti-terror actions.

In total, about 30 counter-terror units (over 300 servicemen) performed combat tasks in the mentioned period. Number of combat activities has increased comparing to analogous parameters of the last year.

Summarizing accomplishment of combat tasks, Pacific Fleet marine unit attached to destroyer Admiral Tributs was named the best.

In accordance with resolution of the Russian Navy Military Council, in summer training period efforts of Navy commanding staff will be concentrated on:

- commission of 9 ships and boats into Russian Navy in 2012 and provision of their tests;
- construction of top-priority assets to accept new-generation strategic submarines, speeding up designing and construction of basing sites for new surface ships and submarines;
- sustaining combat readiness of military administration agencies, fleets, divisions, and organizations of Russian Navy in accordance with predetermined requirements;
- accomplishment of combat tasks in accordance with revised troops (fleets) use plans for second half of 2012;
- improvement of professional skills of officers and their ability to control subordinate units.