New Submarine Forces Commands were created at Northern and Pacific Fleets

24.12.2009
New Submarine Commands were created at Northern and Pacific Fleets, said General of the Army Nikolai Makarov, Chief of the General Staff. That was reported by Kommersant.

According to Mr. Makarov, the reformation is aimed to improve control over submarine forces of the four fleets which include divisions of strategic submarines. Formerly, submarine divisions were subordinated to fleet commands through squadron staffs; henceforth, they will be directly subordinated to Submarine Forces Commanders who will be deputy fleet commanders, specifies the newspaper.

It is meaningless to create such commands at other two fleets because of insignificant number of submarines, added the general.

The purpose of reformation is to "strengthen vertical control" and reduce its odd links, underlined officials from the Navy Main HQ.

According to Kommersant, current Russian Navy's roll includes 61 subs, including 33 at Northern Fleet and 24 at Pacific one.

The plan to create departments in organizational structure of the two staffs appeared long ago and has been realized under Russian Armed Forces Reformation Program, specifies RIA Novosti referring to the source in the Navy.

NORTHERN FLEET (NF)

NF is an operational strategic force of the Russian Navy which objective is enhancing military security of the Russian Federation at northern borders of the country, including Arctic region; in particular, nuclear deterrence, defense of economic zone and production, maintaining security of navigation. This is the newest and the most powerful fleet in the Navy. The history of Northern Fleet lasts since late XVII century, although birthday of the fleet is June 1, 1933 with the foundation of Northern Naval Flotilla based in Kola Bay (Murmansk). The flotilla obtained present name [Northern Fleet] in 1937.

Northern Fleet participated in Russo-Finnish War, continuously acted at huge marine theaters of the Great Patriotic War having destroyed 628 and damaged 237 enemy's warships and transport vessels, shot down 1308 aircrafts.

Since the first years, NF ships regularly conduct exercises in severe arctic conditions performing long-term surface and under-ice cruises. For instance, the first-ever Russian Navy's under-ice cruise was carried out by NF submarine D-3 as early as 1938.

Northern Fleet HQ is located in Severomorsk. Some NF naval bases are Vidyaevo, Gadzhievo, Gremikha, Zapadnaya Litsa, Murmansk, Polyarny, Severomorsk. Vice Admiral Nikolai Maksimov heads the fleet since November 20, 2007. Presently, Northern Fleet's roll contains about 100 warships, including aircraft carrier, guided missile cruisers, destroyers, antisubmarine warfare ships, nuclear-powered submarines armed with ballistic and cruise missiles, nuclear-powered attack submarines, diesel submarines, landing craft, minesweepers.

PACIFIC FLEET (PF)

PF is an operational strategic force of the Russian Navy which objective is enhancing military security of the Russian Federation in Asian-Pacific region. It was established on May 21, 1731 with foundation of Okhotsk naval port – first Russian regular naval unit in Far East. Present name [Pacific Fleet] was given to Far East Naval Forces in 1935. A part of PF took part in the Great Patriotic War at responsibility zone of Northern Fleet; during the war against Japan PF participated in liberation of North Korea along with forces of First Far East Front, took part in Yuzhnosakhalinsk and Kuril landing operations. Pacific Fleet HQ is located in Vladivostok. Some of PF bases are Vilyuchinsk, Vladivostok, Magadan, Nakhodka, Rybachiy, Fokino. Vice Admiral Konstantin Sidenko heads the fleet since December 6, 2007. As of October 2008, Pacific Fleet's roll contains 5 SSBNs, 18 attack submarines (including 10 nuclear-powered ones), 13 ocean-going warships and 43 littoral zone ships.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: submarines at NF naval base Vidyaevo (vladsc.narod.ru)