Black Sea Fleet to get 15 new frigates and subs till 2020

23.06.2010 Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) will obtain 15 new Project 22350 frigates and Project 677 Lada diesel electric submarines till 2010, reports RIA Novosti referring to Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief.

One frigate and one diesel sub for BSF will be laid down in 2010, Vysotsky said.

According to the admiral, Black Sea Fleet will be rearmed with new built ships but not with vessels transferred from other fleets.

Vladimir Vysotsky stated late Apr that prolongation of BSF deployment in Sevastopol would speed up re-equipment of the fleet. As was previously said by a source from Black Sea Fleet HQ, the fleet would be reinforced with new frigates and diesel subs within the nearest 5 years.

Project 677 Lada lead submarine St. Petersburg currently passes state trials. Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard (St. Petersburg) builds other subs of the project – Kronshtadt and Sevastopol. Project 22350 lead frigate Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov was laid down on Feb 1, 2006 at Severnaya Verf shipyard (St. Petersburg). The ship is expected to join the Navy in 2011.

Black Sea Fleet is an operational-strategic formation of the Russian Navy which primary objective is maintenance of Russia's military security at the Black Sea. Black Sea Fleet HQ is located in Sevastopol. Here are some BSF naval bases: Novorossiysk, Sevastopol; under construction are bases in Novorossiysk and Ochamchira (Abkhazia). Since July 17, 2007 BSF Commander is Vice Admiral Alexander Kletskov. Manpower of Black Sea Fleet numbers about 25,000. The fleet comprises somewhat 50 warships, including ASW ships, landing craft, diesel submarines, missile boats, minesweepers. Obsolescence of ships is the primary problem of Black Sea Fleet.